Getting arrested for the first time with a group of religious leaders for protesting climate change in front of the White House did not seem very radical to me. It actually seemed to be a sane response to a critically important issue.
"Wouldn’t it be correct to classify as radicals those people who are willing to change the temperature of the entire planet -- with total awareness that they are destroying it in the process?" asks Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org. He goes on to say, “Environmentalists are fighting to preserve the planet as humanity has known it for thousands of years. They’ are fighting to maintain constancy and what can be more conservative than that?
I have been thinking a lot about civil disobedience in the past year. Although I am concerned about the state of our world, I never considered myself an “activist” until recently.
"Wouldn’t it be correct to classify as radicals those people who are willing to change the temperature of the entire planet -- with total awareness that they are destroying it in the process?" asks Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org. He goes on to say, “Environmentalists are fighting to preserve the planet as humanity has known it for thousands of years. They’ are fighting to maintain constancy and what can be more conservative than that?
I have been thinking a lot about civil disobedience in the past year. Although I am concerned about the state of our world, I never considered myself an “activist” until recently.
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders…and millions have been killed because of this obedience…Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves… (and) the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem." Those are powerful words were written by Howard Zinn, an American historian, author, playwright, and social activist. He was a political science professor at Boston University for 24 years and taught history at Spelman College for seven years. He continues, "Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it."
I remember, as a young teen, my mother standing up in an audience and “speaking her mind.” I was so embarrassed when she stood up by herself. Now, as an adult, I understand how important it is to speak our truth. This past week, I attended a training session for people who were willing to risk arrest with acts of civil disobedience against the Keystone Pipeline. As we introduced ourselves and said why we were interested in this training, one man said, I always learned “that you were either part of the solution or part of the problem I want to be part of the solution.” I too, want to be part of the solution.
I invite you to consider how you might be part of the solution. What is important to you? Who are the ones who will support you in your own activism? I believe that together we can change the world and create a thriving and just world for future generations.
I remember, as a young teen, my mother standing up in an audience and “speaking her mind.” I was so embarrassed when she stood up by herself. Now, as an adult, I understand how important it is to speak our truth. This past week, I attended a training session for people who were willing to risk arrest with acts of civil disobedience against the Keystone Pipeline. As we introduced ourselves and said why we were interested in this training, one man said, I always learned “that you were either part of the solution or part of the problem I want to be part of the solution.” I too, want to be part of the solution.
I invite you to consider how you might be part of the solution. What is important to you? Who are the ones who will support you in your own activism? I believe that together we can change the world and create a thriving and just world for future generations.
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