THE TREES OF LIFE

“Stumped” and now “Timber” certainly the Lorax is alive and well at Artvoice (Artvoice v6n24&28). Buck Quigley’s hot investigative journalism is “speaking for the trees” like no other voice in the city.

His moral outrage at the selling of Buffalo’s forest puts the responsibility on those principles of injustice that plague our nation and, with the recent scientific reports about global warming, the Northeast and the entire world. As he says, “But the creation of stumps is decidedly not an act of God. An act of greed might be more accurate.”

Thanks to his articles it’s pretty clear why the trees are being cut down, but why they are so important to so many of us might benefit from some personal musings. Whether it’s Buck’s 50-foot Norway maple or my own 25-foot American elm, scheduled to be cut down but still reaching for the sky as of this writing, trees have a meaning that far exceeds their aesthetic and ecological value, great as that is.

For me trees are symbols of meaning in life, absolute meaning. They are symbols and realities for the vertical dimension the absolute height and depth that break into my life or that I strive for. Without being taken for an evangelical fundamentalist (which I am decidedly not) they have religious meaning for me. There’s something eternal, everlastingly good in them. I cannot help but believe that in some way this view is true for all of us who love trees.

Trees are mentioned some 358 times in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelations. Not always representing mankind in a favorable light, but always revealing something imperishable about our being human. One of the most familiar allusions to personality and character is from Matthew 7:17—“So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.” Reading over the cast of characters in “Stumped” and “Timber,” there are plenty of rotten apples lying around.

The long years of a tree’s life are compared to a blessed life on earth in Isaiah 65:22—“…for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” As the crown of a tree stretches toward the heavens so its leaves bring from there the healing power that our city and nation and world are so badly in need of. “On either side of the river the tree of life…and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelations 22:2).

That Artvoice should support such a strong stand against the desecration of nature, for the pursuit of private profit at the expense of the citizenry, is a powerful expression of the kind of fruit that comes from the sound or good tree.

Ray Peterson

Buffalo

SAVIORS REVEALED

The “Choosing Icons” article (Artvoice v6n23) by Bruce Fisher, the deputy county executive who played a crucial role in the saving of the Calasanctius mural, attests to the power of Slawinski’s art to evoke emotional responses and recollections. Fisher mentions that at the unveiling of the Calasanctius mural at Buffalo State College, which I officiated as the then president of the Polish Arts Club, none of the original donors were cited, their names having been worn by the elements. Happily their names have been discovered and restored to the mural’s side panel as: Anthony & Salomea Lubecki, Walter & Florence Leszkowicz, Agatha Krupa, Mary Kuiawa, Peter & Stella Pecyna, Catherine Slojkowski and Antonette Smerdel. Unfortunately, we have no additional information about the identity of these individuals but would be grateful for any that your readers might provide.

A consummate artist who spent much time studying mural art in Italy, Slawinski settled in Niagara Falls. There, in the garden of his house where he set up his Studio Sgraffito, a stone’s throw from the bridge to Goat Island, stands the Maid of the Mist mural that illustrated the Artvoice article. Slawinski’s artistic legacy, surely a significant one, requires on-site visits to be appreciated. Moreover, like the names of the Calsanctius donors, it is a legacy that, if neglected, might disappear, worn away by the elements.

As it happens, most of Slawinski’s works in our region are within the municipalities that adjoin the waters of the Niagara River. Accordingly, the Niagara River Greenway Commission, acting on a “Slawinski Art Trail” proposal I submitted, has incorporated 10 sites featuring Slawinski’s works in its Greenway Plan. That plan has been approved by New York State’s Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Soon it will be time for those of us who care about the art treasures of the Niagara Frontier and for Slawinski’s legacy, in particular, to submit to the Commission proposals for access, restoration, and funding that can make the Slawinski Art Trail become a reality. The Slawinki legacy is part of the rich cultural heritage and magnificence of our region and needs to be protected for the future.

Peter K. Gessner

Williamsville

FOR A JUST WORLD,

REFORM and STRENGTHEN THE UNITED NATIONS

Why is the United Nations not more effective? Why is our interdependent world so unjust? How should this abominable situation be remedied?

The United Nations consists of 192 Member States and is based on the principles of sovereign equality and democratic self-determination. However, most of its members rarely abide by the UN Charter and its commitment to human rights. They only use the organization when it suits their national interests. The UN also lacks its own effective sytem of collective security to keep the peace. Until the UN Charter is reformed and scrupulously implemented, a truly effective United Nations will continue to remain merely a dream.

Our interdependent world is so unjust because it is based on the principles of chauvinistic nationalism, greed and competition. This struggle for national success has created a few wealthy nations led by the US. The developing world still, however, remains mired in poverty, disease and underdevelopment. This is obviously an unacceptable state of international affairs.

A truly just world must be based on a different political philosophy. Capitalism will never solve humanity’s problems. Only democratic socialism can do that. A wonderful future awaits humanity if opnly reason, cooperation, social justice and the UN are allowed to prevail.

David Slive

Buffalo