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The Blue Marble

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Jim Thompson

By Jim Thompson
HCP columnist

On Dec. 7, 1972, the Apollo 17 spacecraft took a photograph that has become an icon. Apollo 17 was on its way to the moon and at about 18,300 miles from Earth, was the first of the lunar spacecraft so positioned that it could take this famous photograph of Earth.  

Other partial and full images of the Earth had been taken prior to this, but the Blue Marble is the most famous and most encompassing.

Apollo 17’s distance from Earth, 18,300 miles, is not even a baby step when one thinks of the vastness of space. However, this photograph captured the fragility of our home hanging in space. This photograph and this feeling of fragility has been used in countless ways in the last five decades to admonish us from an environmental aspect to take care of the Earth, as it is our only secular home.  

For this use it has been most effective.

Reflecting on events near and in the distant past, why does this photograph not engender the feeling that we should take care of each other? And before I can think long about the question, I already have the answer – it is humankind’s sinful nature, often expressed in jealousy, fear, greed, prejudice and more.

We use words like “avenge” and “revenge” to justify our sorry actions.

Now, before I go any further, I am not soft or sympathetic toward the enemies of Israel. Let’s be clear about that – Israel’s right to existence on the spot it occupies extends back about five Millenia. 

Yet, to be certain, humankind’s problems are much bigger than these on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, humankind continues to vainly try to solve its collective problems secularly when change only comes spiritually by a change in our hearts.

Today, the world’s flashpoints are many places. Besides Israel and Ukraine, there is North Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, Guatemala election turmoil and Spanish election turmoil. On top of that, the places where people are in slavery conditions, quasi-slavery conditions, victims of organ harvesting and on and on will make your stomach turn if you think about them too much.

When one adds to this the brief lifespan each of us has, even if we live to what is considered a ripe old age, our temporal daily actions toward each other can seem downright foolish.  

Getting older myself, I think of the saying I heard one time describing old age as slow days and fast years. This life is short and physically ends the same way for each of us. So, life is a short journey at best. It is only our sinful nature that predisposes each of us to treat our fellow humans so poorly.  

I often think of the time my dad tried to raise pigs “in confinement.” This was all the rage in the mid-1960s before industrial scale pork production came into being. We put about 50 pigs within a small section of our barn. Within two weeks, they were biting each other’s ears off. When we let them out – experiment over – that stopped.

Modern governments today seem to want to gather many humans into small places. It is happening to cities here in the United States, including the one where I live. It is happening in places like the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip’s problems go far beyond being closely crowded together, but their close quarters are no doubt exacerbating their discontent which is being exploited by Hamas.

Yes, doomsayers will tell you the Earth is overcrowded. Not so – an often-used illustration is that all the human population of the world can fit into Jacksonville, Florida with an allocation to each of a square about 20 inches on a side. Obviously not living conditions, but an illustration of how we have concentrated the population through various natural and artificial forces. Much of the Earth is still thinly populated.

I have rambled a bit, but the point is we only have this tiny Blue Marble on which to live. We can take care of it environmentally, and we can take care of it socially. Or not.  

Right now, it looks like we are squandering our precious home, allowing our sinful nature to – once again – wreak havoc.

Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga. and is a columnist for The Highland County Press. He may be reached at jthompson@taii.com.

Comment

Brad Adams (not verified)

16 October 2023

If I didn’t know better I might think you were starting a slow transition to becoming a liberal.

Matthew (not verified)

16 October 2023

In R. Limbaugh's first book he had a chapter entitled "The Earth is not Fragile." Point being, that the Earth has been around a long long time. Earthquakes wipe out human built structures in a few seconds, then stand by for a possible tsunami to cleanse the coast of whatever man has erected. Someone asked me where I wanted to be during an earthquake. I said out in the middle of a field, because i wouldn't be able to feel the fascinating experience of the ground shaking in a helicopter. Then I think about the other coasts of the Carolinas and Florida. If an area of low pressure forms over the summer waters of the Atlantic, then Katy bar the door on that beach house and surf shop. All it takes is some lower than normal air pressure. The Earth ebbs and flows as it has always done. It's the humans that are fragile.

Jim Thompson (not verified)

16 October 2023

I have very seldom seen a liberal or a Democrat display genuine sympathy or empathy towards anyone. It is all about fake concern to elicit votes or money. Democrats and liberals care about nothing but themselves and taking others assets. Nice try.

Jim cuts right to the chase. I love it! I can't speak for every intention of liberals or Democrats (progressives have way more baggage than those previously mentioned). But leftists supposedly "love everybody" except those who embrace all the BILL of RIGHTS and devout Christians with a steadfast believe in life for the truly innocent.

Matthew (not verified)

16 October 2023

I have seen Jim work closely with left-leaning people. And he has willingly accepted friendship, help, and services from those who may be classified as liberal. He has been an excellent example for me and others. To be open and thoughtful for everyone, politics be damned.

Mario Angellio (not verified)

16 October 2023

Your liberal daddy and/or grandpappy's party generally supported individual rights (including civil rights and human rights), democracy, secularism, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and a market economy.
Currently elected so-called liberals do NOT support the Bill of Rights.They are socialists where classes, money, and the state no longer exist.

James R. Herman (not verified)

27 October 2023

Jim, not only are you a climate change denier, you are also and overpopulation denier. We're talking about a quality of life and not just standing in a square of 20 inches. So, the US should let in every immigrant who wants to come in according to your logic. Everyone who is unhappy in Gaza could go live in Egypt. Everyone who is unhappy living in the West Bank could go live in Jordan. But those countries don't want immigrants. Israel was willing to allow dual citizenship in a two-state solution so Arabs could live in Israel. But then Israelis should be able to live in Palestine too. That was rejected. Russia is a big country, but they want Ukraine. China wants Taiwan. Before any Europeans walked onto North America, the local people fought with each other over territory. Anyone with any intelligence understands that the world is overpopulated. That is why the right is against abortion rights. White people are breeding at much less of a rate than the typical immigrant. White people will be a minority in the US by 2050. I just hope we can persuade people that overpopulation = poverty and crime. We don't need growth. We need sustainability. We certainly don't need columnists denying obvious facts. Lately, when I've tried to post, my comment doesn't go through. I suspect I've been blackballed by HCP.

Matthew (not verified)

28 October 2023

Herr Herman, If I'm a minority in 2050, will I get special rights and privileges? Will my children and grandchildren get free college and beneficial hiring and promotional preferences? Maybe I can file for reparations? Pray tell? I'll be gawd-darned, If any weak-kneed progressive is gonna occupy any square foot on my property. Boo whoo Herman. A privately owned newspaper website has not posted your left-winged doctrine. What's the world coming to?

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