We're Lucky to Have Activists
The Daily News (Nanaimo)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Byline: Philip Wolf
Column: "Between the Lines"
Once a year in Nanaimo, one or two young women, clad in lettuce bikinis, have drawn attention to themselves outside the city's KFC outlets.
The scantily clad ladies are with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and have annually protested the fast-food chain's treament of chickens. Each time they are in town, I pause, think thoughtfully about the situation and come up with the same Neanderthal-like response.
"Nice rack."
It's pretty much common for these folks to see their concerns dismissed by the masses.
Protest logging and you're a tree-hugger. Stand against the seal hunt and you're a wuss.
Turn off your lights during Earth Hour and you're a lemming following a publicity stunt.
The list goes on.
But in reality, the world needs people like this because of people like me.
I don't consider myself a particularly bad guy, but like most of you, I worry a lot more about myself than anything else.
Chickens are being mistreated? That's a shame, but dang if the Colonel doesn't make a tasty drumstick. Mmm, drumsticks. . .
Earth Hour? Yeah, let me see if I can make sure only three TVs are on in the house.
I thought of the bikini gals on Saturday. My son's mom is involved with Big Heart Rescue, a remarkable group that rescues and finds adoptive homes for abandoned, abused, neglected or homeless dogs, cats and domestic pets. So she roped us into helping with a function in Victoria.
It was in a barn on the Saanich fairgrounds, and it was unheated.
So I'm sitting there, freezing, and worried less about the animals and the cause than my own comfort. And I felt a little shame. Not much, since I had some nice seafood chowder that warmed me right up.
But shame nonetheless. I thought about all the people around the world who are so utterly committed to their various causes, how important they really are, how much flak they take and how little they often receive in return.
I'll do a headstand for three hours, believing it might help my favourite NHL team win a game.
But I'm going to call someone a kook because they chain themself to something because they want to help the homeless or save some whales?
This Saturday (10-2 at the Cranberry Co-op), I'll be washing cars for BHR and admittedly, I'll be thinking about what I'm missing on TV. There's passion and there's misplaced passion (Go Habs Go!).
I'm guessing my visceral reaction to mock some of these activists will always be the same.
But I'll be wrong.
The planet and all its inhabitants need them desperately.
Philip Wolf's column
appears regularly in this spot.
He can be reached at 250-729-4240 or via e-mail at:
PWolf@nanaimodailynews.com
Please contact Big Heart Rescue for more information about our Programs.
