HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/9/2021 Item 4a, Schmidt (2)
Delgado, Adriana
From:Richard Schmidt <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Agenda comment Night Use 4a
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Nov. 5, 2021 Re: Night use San Luis Mountain
Dear Council Members,
I support the wisdom of the Chumash elders who have urged you not to allow night activities on Cerro San Luis Obispo.
Their sense of kinship with all living things should inspire all of us to appreciate more the rights of the multitudinous
natural lives around us, including the simple right to live those lives in peace from us.
In our Eurocentric Judeo-Christian tradition there are parallels to Chumash earth-wisdom (as there probably are in all the
world’s great traditions). In Christianity, for example, notions like “stewardship” (earth care) and “usufruct” (earth use
without diminishing it for those after us), and in Judaism the broader tikkun olam, stand out. Why do we of the dominant
culture refuse to use our culture’s ancient wisdom as guideposts for action just as the Chumash cherish and act upon their
ancient wisdom?
Those who established our natural reserves had their own wisdom too – to protect nature and her creatures first of all,
above all else, on the lands set aside. Their wisdom does proud by Chumash wisdom. There’s no good reason to
backtrack from it.
It seems clear how this decision needs to unfold. There’s a right thing to do – no night use – and a wrong thing to do –
promote night use. There’s nothing to “balance” if one respects natural lives other than our own.
Death for many to provide pleasure for a few isn’t “balance.” It’s species-selfish hegemony by our species over all others.
Please do the right thing.
1
Richard Schmidt
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