Not a silver spoon

Not a silver spoon ...
Mid-April, 2019

Hello my dear,
   Unless you have been under a rock, or otherwise isolated from any news whatsoever, you are aware of the uproar surrounding single-use plastics. Drinking straws and shopping bags feature prominently on the list of verboten items. During Twentieth Century, making a number of products from hemp was discouraged, frowned upon, and generally punished, in promotion of steel industry. Twenty-First Century has arrived and there is a substantial group advocating for use of hemp. Steel mills resolutely refuse to see the proverbial writing on the wall; blinded by greed. Greed seems to be the obstacle to all forms of social progress. Creating a new group of poor people by immediate cessation of undesirable action would not benefit the greater good. Each of us must steadfastly move toward an end which is not morally reprehensible and sustain action until desired effect is achieved.
   Perhaps because I have never known great wealth, I view it more as a seasoning to life, rather than a lifetime goal. Were I to be suddenly endowed with a vast fortune, I would use it in a variety of charitable actions: pay off student loans for people; supply shelters for needy populations; fund medical/dental clinics [especially in rural areas]; help women escape abusive relationships; and whatever else I could do to aid someone in need.
   Having lunch with a friend recently, we talked about taking our own flatware to a fundraiser. This simple action is a way of keeping at least a few plastic utensils out of a landfill. There is a bonus of not having a flimsy plastic knife break while trying to cut something. It got us to talking about mess kits which were issued to people in armed services. Not coming from a family with history of military service, I have no idea if mess kits are still standard issue but I believe every child born should be given one. It needn't be anything fancy, just utilitarian. Did the convenience of disposable eating utensils come about as a sign of affluence? Whatever the cause, it is [way past] time it is reconsidered. With not a lot of fuss, one can easily keep silverware handy. Of course there will be times it is not at all practical; so in those cases, just go with the flow. I don't want to run (or ruin) your life, I am only asking you to consider ways in which you can be a friend to ecology. We have to share a planet and it is getting a mite crowded; 2050 estimates are for a global population at/exceeding ten billion people; that is a one followed by a whole bunch of zeroes: 10,000,000,000. It is conceivable I will still be alive; if I am, and that number is reached, world population will have tripled in my lifetime.
   Patriarchy and colonialism must be abolished. Civilization has made strides toward doing away with slavery and child labor but there are still places where these hideous practices occur. Right about now, you may be scratching your head and asking yourself, "Wasn't she talking about carrying your own silverware?" You're absolutely right; I was. Life is not a single-issue proposition. Some connections are obvious while others are tenuous, bordering on "I don't get it." Sometimes, I barely 'get it' myself but I will attempt to explain my reasoning.
   Patriarchy is a means of controlling other people, under the guise of "taking care" of them: in other words, it is little more than vile condescension. Colonialism is branching out to destroy ["enhance"] more lives, to further greedy ends: in other words, patriarchy on steroids. An oft-cited statistic claims, *U.S. has 5% of Earth's population, but 20% if the planet's prison population.* According to The Washington Post, the statement is accurate to within fragments of  percentage points. From a WaPo article: "So the numbers check out, give or take a few percentage points. (Clinton, we should note, was careful to say “less than five percent” and “almost 25 percent.”)" The article further elucidates that figures are not complete or easily obtained for certain places: Eritrea; Guinea Bissau; Somalia; North Korea; or China. The U.S. incarceration rate is 716 per 100,000. More than half the countries and territories had rates below 150 per 100,000. This is outrageous and horrifying. Why should United States rates be six to nine times greater than Canada and Western European countries and two to ten times greater than Northern European nations?
   It has more to do with changes in policy, than an increase in rates of crime. Sadly, prejudice is a key factor in what constitutes criminal activity. *Driving while Black* is a real thing and it is damned ugly. For no other reason than skin color, some people lose their lives. Children of color - elementary students, mind you, are handcuffed for "acting out." Certainly, the behavior is disruptive but traumatizing and stigmatizing a child is a far greater evil. Behavioral studies have shown that black girls are judged more harshly than white girls and punishment is meted out more often and more severely for their actions. This practice is barbaric, morally reprehensible, and thoroughly unjustifiable.
   The sins attributable to patriarchy are numerous. Anyone who has ever watched a crime drama is likely familiar with the line, "If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you." Did you know that, even when found not guilty, an indigent person can be sent a bill for defense? This can only be seen as a means of keeping poor people in the poverty rut.
   There are abundant injustices, which are readily visible all around. Please, pay attention, raise your voice to be an ally and call attention to situations which must be remedied. If you remember nothing else, hold onto this: kindness matters.