The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times(41)
“Another inspiring example is Standing Rock,” I said, referencing the 2016 protests to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline that would likely threaten the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation’s primary water source and desecrate their sacred sites. “The police used pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and even sprayed the protestors with water in the freezing winter, and still the protestors stayed. Thinking about that now, it was the young people of Standing Rock who emerged as leaders in that occupation.”
“Oh, Doug, there are so many unsung heroes,” Jane said. “So many examples of the indomitable spirit, the spirit that will never give up or give in, and so many examples that will probably never be told. There are the pacifists, who risk ridicule by refusing to fight for their country but risk their lives daily by driving ambulances into the thick of battle to rescue the wounded. The journalists who risk their liberty and their lives to speak the truth about corruption and brutality in tyrannical regimes, whistleblowers who feel compelled to reveal the truth of abominations that go on behind the closed doors of powerful corporations, courageous people who secretly film what goes on inside the factory animal farms or capture scenes of brutality on the streets.
“And I love the story of Rick Swope, who risked his life when he rescued a chimpanzee, Jo-Jo, from drowning in the moat that surrounded his zoo enclosure. Jo-Jo, an adult male who had lived alone for many years, was being introduced to a large group. When one of the high-ranking males charged toward him, asserting his dominance, Jo-Jo was so terrified he managed to scramble over the barrier erected to prevent the chimps from drowning in the deep water of the moat that surrounded the enclosure.
“As you probably know, chimps can’t swim. Jo-Jo disappeared under the water, came up gasping for breath, then disappeared. There were several people, including a keeper, watching—but only Rick jumped in, as his horrified wife and three children looked on! He managed to grab hold of the big male, somehow carried him over the barrier, and pushed him up onto the bank of the enclosure. By this time three of the big male chimps were charging down, hair bristling, and Rick turned to get back over the railing. Jo-Jo was alive but weak, and he started to slide back into the water. In the video shot by a visitor you see Rick pause. He looked at his wife and children and the keeper, who were all yelling at him to leave the moat. Then he looked to where Jo-Jo was disappearing under the water. And he went back, pushed him back up again, and stayed until the chimp had grabbed a tuft of grass and managed to pull himself onto level ground. Fortunately, the three male chimps just watched.
Image from video taken of Rick Swope rescuing Jo-Jo after he fell in the zoo’s moat. (YOUTUBE)
“Later Rick was interviewed. ‘You must have known it was dangerous—why did you do it?’ he was asked. ‘Well, you see, I happened to look into his eyes, and it was like looking into the eyes of a man,’ he said. ‘And the message was, “Won’t anybody help me?” That same look in the eyes of the vulnerable and oppressed people that has appealed to human altruism led to so many heroic acts.”
“That is an incredible story,” I said. “Clearly Rick’s actions prove that our moral code extends way, way beyond helping one’s kin, and he could hardly expect Jo-Jo to reciprocate! I think the story so well illustrates the courage and the respect for life that is needed to make change in our society. Do you think that this kind of respect and courage can help us overcome the many problems in our society?”
“I’m absolutely sure that it can help,” Jane answered. “Of course, there is one problem—the same courage and selflessness can be shown by people who have been brainwashed—think of the suicide bombers who believe they will be rewarded in paradise for blowing up innocent people. In fact, there are heroic actions performed by people on both sides of an issue. It points to the importance of the cultural and religious environments in which people are raised.”
“But when it comes to the grim environmental situation we face today,” I said, “do you think we could all come together and use this same energy and determination to tackle climate change and loss of biodiversity?”
Jane didn’t answer immediately—she was obviously gathering her thoughts. “There is no doubt in my mind that we could. The trouble is that not enough people realize the magnitude of the danger that we are facing—a danger that threatens to utterly destroy our world. How do we get people to heed the dire warnings of the people on the ground who have been fighting this danger for so long? How do we get them to take action?”
Jane was looking deeply concerned.
“That is why I travel around the world—trying to wake people up, make them aware of the danger, yet at the same time assure everyone there is a window of time when our actions can start healing the harm that we have inflicted. Using our brains, counting on the resilience of nature. Urging everyone to take action by first describing the very real danger, but then emphasizing that we still have a window of time, that there really is reason to hope that we can succeed.”
“We’ve talked a lot about the resilience of nature, and this makes me curious whether the indomitable human spirit is linked to resilience.”
“Well, of course—after all, everything is interrelated,” Jane said. “So while the courage of the indomitable spirit is often revealed in times of disaster, as we have said, this is not true for everyone. Some people go under. And I do think this is linked to resilience, and if we are optimistic or pessimistic.”