Enlibra is excuse to kill

The Oquirrh Institute "enlibra" conference report (April 27) is superficially gratifying but, at depth, disheartening. Compromise pervasively underlies enlibra's eight "principles." The problem with compromise in environmental decisionmaking is life. Or rather, lives.

Jean-Paul Sartre's famous statement, "Existence precedes essence," is inescapable. In nature, life is everything. To be sure, "environment" refers to human relationships with nature and with each other, measuring and monitoring changes of quality of resources humans need (clean air, clean and adequate water, food, shelter, land, etc.). But "environment" properly refers to ecosystems, habitats, populations and individuals of all plant and animal species (humans, too) everywhere. Living beings, as surely as we are living, are our equals, not inferiors, dispensable at our will. Not more important, but not less.

"Compromise" through rationalized processes like enlibra seeks to excuse taking lives, to assert human superiority over nature with impunity, for all practical purposes. Decades ago, a professor illustrated the latter expression thusly: Were he to line his class's boys on one side of the room and the girls on the opposite side of the room, both facing inward, then command the boys to advance half the distance between, then half the remaining distance, then half again, and so forth (depending on the room's size), theoretically the boys would never reach the girls. But, for all practical purposes. . . So it is among humans, wildlife, habitats and ecosystems, including the very planet.

Compromise kills, if we will but admit the fact. Yes, sometimes we have to do it. Let us not assume, however, some imagined loftiness of purpose belying the act. Enlibra is the ultimate of these assumed, theoretical fabrications, for all practical purposes. Enlibra can only be made worthwhile if scientific transparency is enjoined with ecological ethics through caring, unflinching recognition of the consequences of our collective actions against nature and her wild lives.

Ivan Weber

Salt Lake City