Quote of the Day: Black feminist Anna Julia Cooper proclaims, “We take our stand on the solidarity, the oneness of life, and the unnaturalness and injustice of all special favoritisms, whether of sex, rave, country or condition.”
Commentary: Social distancing is not, or should not be, xenophobia. It can be the respect for other lives. Yet, when any government or class tries to privilege its in-group over others, in supplying them with goods or services and closing off borders, we end up needing to fight a disease far more devastating than covid-19: economic and social xenophobia.
Suggested Action #45: Reach out your hand… well, your elbow, to some person or creature you know little about. Engage them in one on one. Give to others, you haven’t had time to know, in other ways: volunteering for a food bank, a day care center, a senior center, a hotline. After that, thinking about doing the same for a botanical garden, zoo or nature center. Get beyond your comfort zone, which is not the same as your safe health zone. Quelling xenophobia is as critical as quelling coronavirus!
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Gary Paul Nabhan aka Brother Coyote is a professed member of the Ecumenical Order of Franciscans, a graduate of the Living School, a conservation biologist, orchard-keeper and story-teller.
