Cat’s Cradle, 2007 (in memory of Kurt Vonnegut)
April 12, 2007
Monday, when I met with students in my Global Feminisms class, I insisted that I felt more hopeful now than I had in a long time—hopeful that human beings might be able to use our immense intelligence and talents to undo the damage we’ve caused the planet, and create a better world for everyone.
Why was I feeling hopeful? Because finally there are signs that the entire world community is paying attention to the global climate crisis, and beginning to actively take steps to reduce carbon emissions, preserve forests, and invent cleaner technology. Finally, it looked like the key world players were united against a common enemy, global warming, which we would have to work together to overcome.
Today, I have to admit, I am feeling less hopeful.
The unrelenting violence in Iraq, and the apparent inability of any of the political players to move on and start truly re-building that country, is getting to me. A month into the “troop surge,” aka escalation, we are seeing more violence, and worse violence, not less. George W. Bush is throwing more young American troops into the maw of the conflict, and forcing them to stay there longer, and instead of making things better, this strategy is clearly making things worse.
American troops must get out of Iraq. The power vacuum left by the death of Saddaam is something the Iraqis have to deal with on their own. They hated Saddaam, and he was an evil man—made more powerfully evil by weapons supplied by the United States, paid for with petrodollars that also came from us and our insatiable thirst for oil. We got rid of him, and unleashed a civil war, the end of which no one can see. But clearly we’ve done enough damage there and should just get out of the crossfire now. The ancient politics between Sunnis, Shias and Kurds, Iraqis and Iranians, have to play out on their own terms.
It just seems like the masculine principles of domination and destruction have the upper hand everywhere on our planet. Women are under siege. Animals and plant life are under siege. It’s getting worse, not better, despite the advances of feminist activism, despite scientific understanding of the interconnection of all living things on Earth.
If human society, and all life on our beautiful bluegreen planet, goes up in flames in the next 30 years, as is looking all too likely today, well, men, it will be your doing. You have brought us to this crisis. And frankly, I don’t trust you to be able to pull us back safely from the brink. Your history doesn’t bode well for the future.
Here’s the big question. Is it possible that women, and the few good men of feminist principle, can seize the steering wheel and avert the impending disaster? Are there enough of us? Are we powerful enough, brave enough, determined enough? Can we unite and really make a difference?
I am not feeling hopeful today.
