(and environmental) sense is the slow and careful formulationrnof national law and international treaty, founded in the (differing)rnmoral sensibilities of peoples around the world. We dornneed some general principle, and I would propose the liberalrnprinciple itself, suitably modified to include, explicitly, more ofrnthe world’s creatures than past liberals thought to do. Wernshould act according to those laws that allow as many creaturesrnas possible, of as many kinds as possible, the chance of as decentrna life as possible. This is not to say (but rather to deny) that wernshould always act to prevent, cure, punish injuries. In a liberalrnworld creatures do suffer and fail and die. The liberal bargainrnsimply insists that our mutual dealings should not be rigged tornpromote the interests of any particular individual or group. Wernshould not muzzle the ox, nor plough up every field, nor seek torncontrol the lives of creatures who can manage quite well byrnthemselves.rnThat vision is not of the Peaceable Kingdom when “nonernshall hurt or destroy in all God’s holy mountain,” but only ofrnthe liberal society, where we are at liberty to try our luck, and tornmake, and enforce, such bargains as can be seen as fair. In movingrntoward its realization we should aim to incorporate insightsrnand working practices from earlier moralists. Status society,rncontract society, virtue ethics, and utilitarian ethics all contributernsomething to our understanding. Legislation and internationalrntreaty take shape over many years, according to nornone principle. What matters most is the direction that we arernheading. And we will of course see no improvement as long asrnthe demand exists for something that we cannot achieve withoutrninjustice. Even decent people choose to ignore the costs ofrntheir favorite foodstuff, favorite game or pastime or ideal way ofrnlife. Once they begin to understand those costs, they may eventuallyrnmake fewer demands. Until they do, all legislation tornprotect the land, and the creatures that we share it with, will bernmere words. The change, if there is to be a change, will startrnwith individual decisions, individual surrenders.rn2nd “Byronic” EtudernOur City Bountifulrnby Dan Michael MagnusonrnJust out beyond my city’s bountiful skirtsrnWe drive the late Augustan days in laughterrnMy children wrestle in the undipped grassrnTop off the afternoon with “Haagen Daez”rnI Wok an early dinner Then to chase out againrnTo “K” and “Wal” Our neighborhood doubly blessedrnMy iron son off to the “Y” Christian and KaraternHow multicultural all of us have becomernLater on she says “Perhaps let’s go drive up northrnFor some evening moonlight on the river TreesrnAnd let’s take the kids to see the MonsterrnOut at Byron*” I smile and turn the sacred keysrnIn the ordinary exhaustion of the afternoonrnShe takes our son with her Wherever it is she goesrnWhile I and my daughter To the other side of townrnHow my necessity now flowers where my children dreamrn(“*Byron, IL: location of a nuclearrnpower plant on the Rock River)rn16/CHRONICLESrnrnrn