Dr. Jane Goodall’s Impassioned Suggestions: “What We Must Do to Care for the Animals We Love”

Dr. Goodall, Dame of the British Empire, who recently shared The Leakey Prize with Japan’s beloved primatologist, Dr. Toshisada Nishida, has a new book out, written with Marc Bekoff, detailing what Huston Smith calls “The Ten Commandments for the future of advanced life on our planet.” The Leakey Prize, fyi, was established in 1990 “to reward intellectual achievement and express appreciation for research performed with courage and perseverance in the fields of ape and human evolution,” a most important endeavor in view of the number of human primates who refuse to evolve even to the point of accepting 18th century science.

I trust I am not violating their copyright by simply enumerating these for you, in hopes that (a) you will read the book; and (b) contribute to or volunteer to work with Dr. Goodall’s group, http://www.janegoodall.org/; the Leakey Foundation: http://leakeyfoundation.org/; or to one of my personal favorites, the Great Ape Trust of Iowa: http://www.iowagreatapes.org/:

The First Trust: Rejoice that we are part of the animal kingdom.

The Second Trust: Respect all life.

The Third Trust: Open our minds, in humility, to animals and learn from them.

The Fourth Trust: Teach our children to respect and love nature.

The Fifth Trust: Be wise stewards of life on Earth.

The Sixth Trust: Value and help preserve the sounds of nature.

The Seventh Trust: Refrain from harming life in order to learn about it.

The Eighth Trust: Have the courage of our convictions.

The Ninth Trust: Praise and help those who work for animals and the natural world.

The Tenth Trust: Act knowing we are not alone and live with hope.

Coda: After all is said and done, silence is betrayal.

The Ten Trusts was published by HarperOne, a Division of HarperCollins, New York ($14.95US).