The California secession movement is active again, gathering signatures for a vote. One group, perhaps knowing that won’t succeed, is pushing for changes to the U.S. Constitution, including a new amendment guaranteeing “Nature’s rights.” From the Mercury News story:
The U.S. Constitution, the group says, should include a section entitled “Human Community Laws of Nature.” It should “declare that Nature is a freely living being with inalienable rights and that no individual, business entity, government, ‘owner,’ or organization shall inflict violence or servitude on her,” according to a working document posted online.
Before you are tempted to laugh, realize that the environmental movement is becoming increasingly anti-human and the “nature rights” movement is growing. Thus, while I am almost sure — almost — that the Constitution will never be so amended, it would not surprise me at all if California or some other state that leans heavily to the port side passes such a law.
Also, note that two countries have enacted nature rights, and that the idea was supported by former U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. Meanwhile, at least three rivers have been declared to be “persons” with enforceable rights, as well as two glaciers. Nearly 40 U.S. municipalities, including Santa Monica, have laws allowing anyone to seek a court order enforcing the “rights of nature” by impeding development. Oh, and an orangutan was declared a non-human person in Argentina and granted a writ of habeas corpus.
Nature rights seeks to prevent humans from thriving by our use of natural resources. It is a form of nature religion. It is also an ideological statement against human exceptionalism that declares us just another species in the forest.
Photo: Nature asserts its rights, by Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / / , via Wikimedia Commons.
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Cross-posted at The Corner.