Following a Passion

I am inspired by stories of a young person following his/her passion to become a leader and mentor for others to follow. Particularly, in this day and age when, for me it is the beauty of nature and their quite sounds which whisper, “Help save us” that draw my attention to the importance of education.

So I share the story of a young 9 year old boy, whose beaver friend was killed by trappers, that got leg-hold traps confiscated and destroyed. A young boy after my own heart, he would disrupt deer and duck hunters from shooting. I smile at the times my son, about age 9, and I did the same thing. And, I will confess, there seemed to be many a flat tire around where we lived as well.

This was just the beginning of his fight for the rights of the animals that we so enjoy watching. In fact, he was the co-founder of the Greenpeace Foundation. He was also a member of the Sierra Club and was very concerned and actively protesting the nuclear testing at Amchitka for fear of what it would to to the marine wildlife.

You can follow his leadership with the Greenpeace Foundation and his subsequent founding of Sea Sheppard Conservation Society by reading his biography: CaptainPaul Watson

So, as an educator, why would this be of interest to me? Let me refer back to my first paragraph, I love nature and all it teaches us and yet I take much of it for granted. A friend of mine recently said, “Paul ought to be a hero. He has taken what Jacque Cousteau spoke about and tries to do something about it.”

I asked, “And he isn't?”

He then showed me November 7 report, “Statement regarding the ICR vs. SSCS USA contempt proceedings in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals”

As I listened and read more I was once again hit by the power we have given corporations to rule every aspect of our lives including the right to protect those things so important to our future generations.