Lead as a Nation!
Death can come as a terrible surprise,
Though out of our sight, right before our eyes!
Before Coronavirus, fifteen thousand children per day,
Lost their lives worldwide while we lost our way.
After World War II, the U.S. took the lead,
Helping find clean water, nutritious foods to feed.
But Climate Crisis now threatens food/water supply,
And while the U.S. backs out, more thousands will die.
Can we not find a new direction to take?
Renew our leadership for these children’s sake?
Vote in science/truth/government and cooperation,
Jump in with both feet, Lead as a Nation!
© Forrest W. Heaton 14 May 2020
Although there have been global improvements since 1990, according to the World Health Organization and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 15,000 children under five years old die each day, predominantly from hunger and thirst.
This is a follow-up post to our 16 May Four Necessities post. In that post, we stated there are four necessary action requirements for responsible leaders worldwide at the federal, state and local levels of their respective countries:
1 Trust the scientists.
2 Tell the truth.
3 Strengthen government effectiveness.
4 Develop cooperation—domestic & international.
These four action necessities apply to the TWO simultaneous worldwide threats facing the planet’s 7.8 billion people—1) Climate Crisis and 2) Coronavirus Crisis. Today’s post deals with the first of the two: Four Necessities – Climate Crisis.
National Geographic published in April its Earth Day 50th Anniversary Special Issue in which they ingeniously presented, reading front to back: “How We Saved the World – An Optimist’s Guide to Life on Earth in 2070.” (2070 will be Earth Day’s 100th Anniversary.) Then, “flipping” over the same magazine, reading back to front, they presented: “How We Lost the Planet – A Pessimist’s Guide to Life on Earth in 2070.”
For those of you who are unable to read this extraordinary publication, we have selected a brief 7 ½ minute National Geographic video making an attempt to summarize at least a few of the key points in their coverage. Simply put, if you are among those who feel “we CAN shape a different future”, we encourage your reading the publication, visiting National G’s many excellent videos (nationalgeographic.com/climate change videos, SEE LINK BELOW), and getting involved. Even in these times of physical distancing/physical isolation, there is much we can do—much digging, and then much doing!
Regarding your vote: in many of the world’s countries, the people do not have a vote. Their future is at the whim of whomever is leading them at that moment. For the people in those countries who do have a vote, which fortunately (at least at the moment) includes our USA, our future is in our hands. Those “leaders” who fail at one or more of the above four necessities need to be voted out in favor of those whom we believe will achieve these four necessities. And, keep in mind, this is worldwide. What leaders of just a few countries do or don’t do (U.S., China, India) will affect all the peoples of the world. And we can only hope (along with Mary & me) that we do the right thing.
