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Mary Lou & John Tanton: a Journey Into American Conservation

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Mary Lou & John Tanton: a Journey Into American Conservation Mary Lou & John Tanton: A Journey Into American Conservation i By John F. Rohe, 2002 www.JohnTanton.org Mary Lou and John Tanton; A Journey Into American Conservation Biography of Mary Lou and John Tanton by John F. Rohe Copyright 2001-2002 John F. Rohe Foreword by Governor Richard D. Lamm Edited by Frederick M. Baker, Jr. Published by FAIR Horizon Press ™ 1666 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20009 Reprinted with permission. ISBN 0-9710079-0-x Cover photo courtesy of Gary Williams Cover design by Kelli Leader This electronic book version is similar, but not identical to, the physical book. Page numbering differs and formatting differs slightly. The photographs section, present in the physical book, is not included here (to view selected photographs and more information about John Tanton, see www.JohnTanton.org). An index is not present in this version. Appendixes A and B contain original articles authored by John Tanton, whereas in the physical book they are edited slightly. In addition, minor editorial changes may be present. Net royalties from this work will be donated to the causes founded by Mary Lou and John Tanton. To Debbie, for the privilege of a shared life. Mary Lou & John Tanton: A Journey Into American Conservation ii By John F. Rohe, 2002 www.JohnTanton.org Contents Description from the back cover......................................................................................................v Testimonials from back cover........................................................................................................ vi Foreword by Governor Richard D. Lamm.................................................................................... vii Preface............................................................................................................................................ xi Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................ xiii About the author .......................................................................................................................... xiv 1. Heretics and Prophets ..................................................................................................................1 2. Something in Common ................................................................................................................3 3. The Curiosity of a Child ..............................................................................................................6 4. Foresight and Myopia ................................................................................................................17 5. A Darwinian Casualty................................................................................................................21 6. Prophecy and Charity.................................................................................................................24 7. Striking a Balance......................................................................................................................26 8. “Unto The Breach” ....................................................................................................................28 9. Confrontation or Cooperation....................................................................................................32 10. Human Interest and Population Advocacy ..............................................................................35 11. “Of Grass and Grassroots”.......................................................................................................42 12. Practice on Loan ......................................................................................................................50 13. Nation of a Billion ...................................................................................................................57 14. The Great American Paradox...................................................................................................64 15. A Good Thing ..........................................................................................................................67 16. Mondays with John..................................................................................................................69 17. Striking a Balance....................................................................................................................73 18. Litter on a Stick.......................................................................................................................76 19. The Road to Ruin.....................................................................................................................80 20. Ability or Agility .....................................................................................................................83 21. Addition and Division..............................................................................................................85 22. A Barrel of Ink.........................................................................................................................90 23. Bell of Freedom .......................................................................................................................93 24. A Crash Course on Population.................................................................................................98 25. Do You Know the Type? .......................................................................................................101 26. The Last Word .......................................................................................................................107 Epilogue: Random Events in a Safe Refuge for Civility .............................................................111 Appendix A. The Mitchell Prize: International Migration 1975 .................................................116 Appendix B. End of the Migration Epoch? Time for a New Paradigm.......................................128 Appendix C. Mary Lou Tanton's Viewpoint on Abortion...........................................................152 Appendix D. Social Contract Themes during John H. Tanton's Editorship ................................154 Appendix E. Nothing More Can Be Done . A Fable for Our Times .......................................164 Appendix F. Mary Lou Tanton's Twenty-Five Most Influential Books......................................167 Appendix G. John H. Tanton's Twenty-Five Most Influential Books.........................................169 Appendix H. "Cast Down Your Bucket Where You Are"...........................................................171 Endnotes.......................................................................................................................................173 Mary Lou & John Tanton: A Journey Into American Conservation iii By John F. Rohe, 2002 www.JohnTanton.org Mary Lou & John Tanton: A Journey Into American Conservation iv By John F. Rohe, 2002 www.JohnTanton.org Description from the back cover In the Foreword to this book, Governor Richard D. Lamm observes two themes: “First, it is an insight into how new viewpoints gain a foothold in the world of ideas (perhaps more specifically it is about the emergence of new and heretical ideas), and second, it is a lesson on how people from even remote parts of America can assert their ideas by the power of their message, the wisdom of their strategies, and the strength of their personalities.” These twin themes draw on the charitable works of two people. Their life begins with an affinity for natural lands. It culminates in the hub of a divisive national controversy involving citizenship, economic growth, language, culture, family planning, conservation, and American identity. Resource protection and language issues might seem unrelated at first blush, yet these issues converge in the philanthropic causes adopted by Mary Lou and John Tanton. When future historians search for a caring voice in our age, an echo from the Tantons will still be heard. Raised on family homesteaded farms, they independently developed a passion for the land and a compelling sense of place. This sentiment found expression in conservation activism. Their charity started with a biological principle: growth of human numbers and depletion of nature’s web will leave more people competing for dwindling resources. They routinely identified opportunities to work on the fundamental cause of problems rather than the eventual symptoms. In every case, their empathy for the future has ushered them on a collision course with short-term interests. According to Mark Twain, “You cannot depend upon your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” Fertile imaginations are nurtured over a lifetime. With curiosity cultivated during childhood, Mary Lou’s and John’s inquiring minds carried them upstream in the quest for root causes of future threats. The product of their curiosity eventually became the cornerstone for a public debate probing our national identity. Mary Lou served as a social worker with low-vision patients while John maintained an active ophthalmology practice at the Burns Clinic in Petoskey, a small town in northern Michigan. They have restored the blessing of sight to thousands, yet their charitable efforts have conferred the gift of foresight to thousands more. Mary Lou & John Tanton: A Journey Into American Conservation v By John F. Rohe, 2002 www.JohnTanton.org Testimonials from back cover "This biography
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