[Springboard] Springboard Digest, Vol 13, Issue 1

Sun Sep 28 20:03:02 EDT 2008

Dear Colleagues,
This is an article that I wrote and recently had published in a couple
of papers here in Oklahoma.  It touches on many of the same themes that
Bacevich describes.I would suggest that Wendell Berry has a better grasp
of the larger picture than anyone I can think of.  Peace.

ENERGY POLICY AND AN ETHIC OF COMPASSION
BY JAMES L. STOVALL

Ignorance is no longer an excuse in regard to the long and short term
effects of our oil-based system and our patterns of massive economic
consumption.  Our economy is destabilized. Our national security is
threatened.  Our natural systems are collapsing.  Our moral fiber is
compromised as we accumulate massive debt and destroy the earth.   

President Bush has described our current love of oil consumption as an
addiction.  In dealing with addiction, it has been said many times that
the first step is admitting that you have a problem.  Admitting a
problem suggests a recognition that the current system is not working
and that things must change dramatically.  Admitting a problem implies
that a major overhaul and a totally new way of living is needed.  It
also means that no quick fix or superficial response will be sufficient.

Over the past few weeks, oilman T. Boone Pickens has been promoting a
strategy for getting our nation off of imported oil and implementing a
move in the direction of wind and solar power. The Pickens proposals
represent sound economic strategy as well as a sound national security
policy.  Before major steps in this direction will be taken, like the
addict or alcoholic, we must first admit that we have a serious problem
that requires a total transformation.  

The prerequisite to such a fundamental change is political will and a
powerful consensus that change is needed. Weaning ourselves from oil and
excessive material consumption represents a sound moral and ethical
approach to life that involves doing no harm to the earth and to future
generations.  It implies that we should do to others as we would have
them do to us.  It suggests that we are all in it together.  Accepting
appropriate limits on our use of the earth's natural resources is the
right thing to do.  Our current energy crisis represents a convergence
of economic, environmental and moral concerns.

Economists, scientists and national security experts are mostly in
agreement that the continuation of our current fossil-fuel based economy
will be a disaster.  The dangers of climate change are very real and if
we wait for total agreement, it will be too late.  To call for
fundamental change is not a call for greater government control or an
expansion of the federal budget.  To the contrary, it is a call to
personal and collective responsibility.  Each of us needs to recognize
and understand the fact that we have a real problem that deserves
immediate attention that has vast implications for how we live.  

Kentucky farmer, Wendell Berry has said that we have founded our present
society upon "delusional assumptions of limitlessness."  Taking on the
sound of a Hebrew prophet, he has said that our commitment to material
abundance and economic growth has become a false idol that we worship in
so many ways.  Unlimited power is limited to the divine.  People get
into trouble when they begin to think and act like God. Throughout
history, our religious traditions have called for limits on human
activity.

Our rigid refusal to consider any constraint on our economic behavior is
a recipe for global catastrophe. Berry argues that, like many characters
in the Bible, we too, seek to become Godlike in our power in which we
refuse to acknowledge any limits from nature or any other power.  Too
often, we sacrifice our core values of compassion and concern for future
generations on the altar of economic growth and material abundance.

A belief in limitlessness is deeply ingrained in the American psyche.
The result is what Berry describes as "moral minimalism" in which we are
unencumbered by the values of neighborliness, respect, reverence,
accountability and self-subordination.  We imagine a 'right' to exploit
the earth's resources regardless of the consequences on future
generations. In our refusal to accept limits, we have incurred an
economic and environmental debt that will have a harmful effect on many
generations yet to be born.

Science and technology, though extremely useful, can not ultimately
rescue us from the limits that the earth presents.  As the commercial
says, "you can't fool Mother Nature."    

Our ethics can be guided by a principle of mutual consent and
non-exploitation.  In an economic context, this principle means that we
have to take into consideration all of creation in our attempts to
improve our lives from a material standpoint.  The earth does not give
consent to its own exploitation.  We have to figure out what a mutually
enhancing relationship with the earth might look like.  It does not look
like the rape of the earth that has taken place over the past hundred
years or so.  Similarly, we have to take into account the many
generations to come that can not speak for themselves or offer
meaningful consent to actions made today that will have a horrible
impact on the earth that they will inherit.

The well-being of the earth's resources must become the central
organizing principle of all human enterprise.  This fundamental change
in the way our society operates will happen either as a result of
catastrophe or human choice. 

Stovall is Director of Training at the Mediation Institute in Oklahoma
City and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.  He can
be contacted at j_stovall at site.net. 

James L. Stovall, M.Div.
The Mediation Institute
13308 N. MacArthur Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK
www.mediationinstitute.net
(405) 607-8914

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Today's Topics:

   1. Absolute Must See (Jack Gilles)
   2. Re: [Dialogue] Absolute Must See (Priscilla Wilson)
   3. Andrew Bachevich's "The Limits to Power" (R Williams)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:22:36 -0600
From: Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org>
Subject: [Springboard] Absolute Must See
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>,	Springboard
Dialogue
	<springboard at wedgeblade.net>
Message-ID: <99300945-12FB-4A55-9591-91EBB6C8967F at igc.org>
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Dear Colleagues,

I don't often suggest that there is something we all must see/read,  
but in this crisis and with this election, I think the following is a  
foundational piece we need to understand and talk about.  Perhaps many  
of you who regularly watch Bill Moyers will have seen this, but I  
hadn't.  I am sitting here in Mexico almost stunned having just  
watched it.  We are in a time of reckoning that we have all talked  
about, but now is here.  I would hope we might have a constructive  
dialogue on this.

The interview is with Andrew J. Bacevich who teaches at Boston  
University.  It was just posted on the Bill Moyers web site yesterday,  
the 26th.  It is the discussion of his book The Limits of Power.
<http://www.pbs.org/moyers 
 >  Here is a blurb from his biographical sketch.

As campaign ads urge voters to consider who will be a better  
"Commander in Chief," Andrew J. Bacevich ? Professor of International  
Relations at Boston University, retired Army colonel, and West Point  
graduate ? joins Bill Moyers on the JOURNAL to encourage viewers to  
take a step back and connect the dots between U.S. foreign policy,  
consumerism, politics, and militarism.

For me, it is sobering to realize that the election of Obama will not  
make the difference we hope for.  I don't want to expand on this, but  
you will see that we are existing in a profoundly flawed system and  
until the contradiction is faced and dealt with, nothing will change  
and the consequences will be severe.

Peace,

Jack

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:35:37 -0500
From: Priscilla Wilson <pwilson at teamtechinc.com>
Subject: Re: [Springboard] [Dialogue] Absolute Must See
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Cc: Springboard Dialogue <springboard at wedgeblade.net>
Message-ID: <BA11A071-7A3A-4E13-95DE-B495E08922C9 at teamtechinc.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"; Format="flowed";
	DelSp="yes"

I second Jack's comment about Bacevich...I was enormously taken with  
what he had to say. His book, The Limits of Power is now on the top  
of my "must read" list.
Priscilla

On Sep 27, 2008, at 7:22 PM, Jack Gilles wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I don't often suggest that there is something we all must see/read,
> but in this crisis and with this election, I think the following is  
> a foundational piece we need to understand and talk about.  Perhaps  
> many of you who regularly watch Bill Moyers will have seen this,  
> but I hadn't.  I am sitting here in Mexico almost stunned having  
> just watched it.  We are in a time of reckoning that we have all  
> talked about, but now is here.  I would hope we might have a  
> constructive dialogue on this.
>
> The interview is with Andrew J. Bacevich who teaches at Boston
> University.  It was just posted on the Bill Moyers web site  
> yesterday, the 26th.  It is the discussion of his book The Limits  
> of Power.  <http://www.pbs.org/moyers>  Here is a blurb from his  
> biographical sketch.
>
> As campaign ads urge voters to consider who will be a better
> "Commander in Chief," Andrew J. Bacevich ? Professor of  
> International Relations at Boston University, retired Army colonel,  
> and West Point graduate ? joins Bill Moyers on the JOURNAL to  
> encourage viewers to take a step back and connect the dots between  
> U.S. foreign policy, consumerism, politics, and militarism.
>
> For me, it is sobering to realize that the election of Obama will
> not make the difference we hope for.  I don't want to expand on  
> this, but you will see that we are existing in a profoundly flawed  
> system and until the contradiction is faced and dealt with, nothing  
> will change and the consequences will be severe.
>
> Peace,
>
> Jack
> _______________________________________________
> Dialogue mailing list
> Dialogue at wedgeblade.net 
> http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/dialogue_wedgeblade.net
>

Priscilla Wilson
TeamTech Press
Mission Hills, KS 66208
pwilson at teamtechinc.com

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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:28:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: R Williams <rcwmbw at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Springboard] Andrew Bachevich's "The Limits to Power"
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>,
	dialogue-request at wedgeblade.net, springboard
	<springboard at wedgeblade.net>
Message-ID: <73736.7328.qm at web59309.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I am grateful to Jack Gilles for calling to our attention Bill Moyer's
interview with Andrew Bachevich.? I read the transcript and agree with
Jack, it is absolutely?essential reading.? I can't wait to get his book
The Limits to Power. ? I share these thoughts which?came to mind as I
read.? Maybe former senator Phil Gramm was right.? We Americans have
become a nation of whiners, complaining that the rest of the world will
not?do their part?to see that we get what we want and have convinced
ourselves?we deserve.??Democratic capitalism with its radical
overemphasis on the individual has run its course.??The solution is
not?the opposite extreme of socialism but a?middle ground that holds the
tension between individualism and collectivism.? In the interview
Bachevich says, "The (U.S) congress no longer is able to articulate a
vision of what is the common good."? (My emphasis.)? There are
articulations of what is meant by "the common good" that?state in other
ways that?"all the earth belongs to all the people" as we
once?poetically?said?it. ? Bacevich identifies?the "imperial
presidency,"?and the fact that congress has allowed it, as a basic
contradiction.? It's not just an imperial presidency, but imperial CEOs
(hence the financial crisis), imperial supervisors,?imperialism in
virtually all leadership roles.? Imperialism has become the?dominant
paradigm?for effective?leadership in America--the leader?articulates the
vision and develops the strategic plan for achieving it, while directing
us?to be obedient.? The problem is, we the people?go along.? As a nation
we?require leaders who will think for us?and act for us.??The messiah we
await is one who can?think and act?in?a way?that will?fulfill?our wants,
which Bacevich?identifies as "this continuing flow of very cheap
consumer goods".. ? Jack is right.? Obama is not the?messiah we await
(who is not coming), but his insight?that "we are the ones we've been
waiting for" may be?key.??"The change that is needed"?is a participatory
democracy?that?makes it incumbent upon every citizen to work for
the?common good, not only of the?US,?but of the planet for now and
future generations, which is really the only "common" good there is.? It
is my hope that as a nation we Americans will take the look in the
mirror that Bacevich suggests.? Maybe the most important thing?the new
American president, or any leader,?can do is to call us to that
confrontation with ourselves. ? Randy Williams

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