Date of Award
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts in Writing
First Advisor
Michael Castro
Second Advisor
Harry Jackson
Abstract
This writing project is a culmination of essays based on my personal experiences as an educator, and an environmentalist. The work illustrates a mindset of abuse and neglect that harms nature, and mistreats children. It offers hope through those who will nurture and not turn their back on the problems of society.
The endangered list no longer singles out animals in the wild. It now includes what is left of the open land, the healthy waterways, and many of the kids I teach.
St. Francis of Assisi said, "Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission: to be of service to them whenever they require it If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."
Recognizing the commonality between how nature and children are treated becomes necessary to instill change. When society is allowed an open season on wildlife and the natural settings, it ultimately seeks the children for its next victims.
Signs of improvement are showing up all around us. Acknowledging what works is a necessity in the process of changing things.
As a teacher and an environmentalist, I am concerned with the kind of mindset that has evolved in society, where nature and children have become equally expendable. Wealth and status seem to be more important than preservation, and individualism became a higher priority than making sure our kids are protected.
I write to connect the problems that come with overlooking any forms of life that are being mistreated. There is a movement for positive change, and it offers the hope I still have for the future.
If society is unwilling to get on board, it will endanger us all.
Recommended Citation
Mabrey, Rick, "The Endangered" (2007). Theses. 231.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/231
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