Need a break from all these inane, insane politicians? Put
Maine Governor Paul LePage far behind you, for example, and sail his state’s
gorgeous coast to New Brunswick's Gulf of St. Lawrence. That’s where the hardworking sea captain, fisherman and
whale disentanglement specialist Joe Howlett lost his life yesterday after
freeing a trapped right whale. “Taking part in whale rescue operations requires
immense bravery and a passion for the welfare of marine mammals,” a senior Canadian
government official said in fitting tribute to Captain Howlett who had also played
a major role freeing another right whale on July 5th.
Howlett was a research partner at the New England Aquarium. He
was a tireless proponent of maritime conversation and species protection. At
the same time, he was a fierce advocate for fishermen and their families who
need all the help they can get. He had the intellect and wisdom to balance
these two often-competing tensions.
Our world is filled with a suffocating number of cheap, tacky pols polluting our
lives and degrading our society. Let's focus instead on tough yet kind-hearted Renaissance
people such as Joe Howlett who remind us through their actions what is real and
true.
Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe