h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This morning, I got up with a yawn and a sense of tutility.

'What use am I?' I thought. 'Not much at all.' I sat down with my cup of coffee to talk to a few friends on h2g2, and to check that I was up-to-date on the Post copy and PR comments. (Thanks to h5ringer for noticing my update entry!)

In my email, I passed by a letter from Avaaz.org, because frankly, they sometimes spam. But the subject line stuck in my head - note to writers, subject lines are important - so I started googling. Surely nobody was REALLY going to interfere with Maasai tribal lands? If any group of semi-nomads deserves to have their territory respected, it's them. And don't they have a democratic government over there? What gives?

I knew the Maasai hunted lions as part of a rite of passage. Just for balance, let's start with their own website:

http://www.maasai-association.org/lion.html

But what's the problem? Somebody has done an excellent job of collecting all the info in a blog, so I'll link to that for you. You shouldn't have to pay for anything, sign up, or watch commercials.

http://imagesonconcretewordsonpaper.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/a-letter-from-the-maasai-community-with-avaaz-org/

The gist is that the cash-strapped government - as who isn't? - was planning to let more rich people come and shoot endangered species. This is an outrage, of course. This close to Earth Day, maybe people will notice and make threatening noises so it will stop. I hope so. There's an e-petition you can sign. It's linked to on the page.

Then it occurred to me: The Maasai were hoping we'd help get the word out - use FB, Twitter, and other online venues to discuss the issue.

h2g2 is an online venue. I'm passing this on.

So maybe I'm not totally useless to them. Even if I've never seen a lion outside a zoo. I've taken some pretty pictures of them, even had one in a show. But if I took my clumsy, shortsighted self on a lion hunt, the lion would probably eat me. Unless he couldn't be bothered. I probably wouldn't taste good.

The Maasai consider themselves stewards of this ecosystem. What they seem to be saying is that outsiders are trying to exploit it for short-term personal gain, and this is bad for the planet, its many people, and the ecosystem itself. That we should say so, loudly, before any more 'rich princes' come to shoot exotic birds from helicopters.

Do any of us have a right to go over and take a centuries-old homeland from someone else? No.

Do we all have the right to yell when the current stewards of the place threaten to destroy an irreplaceable part of the planetary heritage? Yes.

Oh, and if you're not already mad enough, somebody please fuss about Arkansas. The Exxon company has made a mess over there.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/13851-arkansas-exxon-oil-spill-video/

(Stephen Colbert said the clean-up crew were using techniques 'pioneered by drunk guys' - to wit, dropping a lot of paper towels around to soak up the spill.)

All right, you've got me thinking about Lions.

Here are a couple of free films for you;

A serious Adventure;

The Ghost and the Darkness

http://www.videobash.com/video_show/ghost-and-the-darkness-full-movie-445809

And a real fun flick;

2nd Hand Lions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6BF2Q86PhY

Neither of these will get justice for the Maasia, or the people of Alabama - but I thought you might enjoy.

F S

Thanks. We really liked 'Second-Hand Lions'. I give it my endorsement, as well. I'll have to look into that other film.

I signed the petition. There are forces at work (to put it politely) that will not be satisfied till all the tribal stewards of the planet are wiped out, along with all the natural resources.

Thankfully I will not be around then, but I might come back to haunt them

Please sign everyone, we have to try and help.

Websailor

What another mess Well the human hair solution seemed to work well.

Websailor

I recently saw a disturbing photograph of a brazilian chieftain breaking down in tears. He had just been told that the Brazilian government has decided to continue building a big dam that will leave his tribe as well as several others homeless since all of their lands will be flooded.

As you so accurately put it, Websailor: Another mess

No one should EVER be allowed to do that.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/kayapo.asp

Thanks for that, Amy. It puts the story into perspective for us.

Thank you for that, Amy

Yes, it puts the story in perspective. But while he may not have been crying over the decision to build the dam he and his people and a lot of others too are still threatened by it. And they should not be.

I used to be a great fan of dams and hydro-electric power. But there are limits. Everything comes at a price. And at the very least these people should not be the only ones to pay such a huge price!