I hope your weekend golf trip in the warmth of Florida provided you a chance to rejuvenate and work on your swing (the golf one, not Tiger’s former type of swing).
While you were caught in a sand trap this Sunday afternoon, .017% of the US population was in your back yard discussing a completely different type of sand. Far from the bleached perfection that is unwillingly encountered in golf resorts, we were (are) concerned about the thick black tar sands.
0.017% of the population though is a interesting number to think about, a number that takes some breaking down to see it’s real significance.In a nation of roughly 314 million people, that percentage translates into about 53,000 people. And like our great nation, that figure was comprised of individuals with their own thoughts, passions and pursuits, from different ethnicities and cultural heritages, young and old, well traveled and small town residents. Some were highly educated while others spoke their mind, unhindered by formal education. Many were what’s referred to as “middle class” but let’s be clear that others were wealthy and a great deal fell below that damn line we refer to as poverty.
Ok, ok, there may have been a few Canadians as well – many representing the first nations and other indigenous groups – but they have a large stake in seeing that their boreal forests and wetlands continue to serve their vital ecological roles rather than being stripped away and poisoned. They want to ensure that locally their communities are not being harmed from the environmental health catastrophe that happens in pockets and could easily happen at a much grander scale in the event of a mishap.
For the 53,000 of us this Sunday, Washington D.C. was frigid and the wind tunnel’s were in full effect. We stood on the National Mall, in the shadow of the spire set in remembrance of our first President shivering from chills but also from excitement. We danced and shouted and screamed and cheered. Our mood was joyous but determined; for we took notice that the momentum that’s been building over the past few years has begun to extend its reach.
The hurricane of citizens who recognize that addressing climate change is the most important task of our time is growing and gathering strength, much like Sandy did as it approached the eastern seaboard this past October. The campaign of citizens however seeks only to destroy the things that stand in the way of our collective wellbeing and the wellbeing of future generations; our addiction to fossil fuels and the fossil fuel companies who’s business model inherently calls for the destruction of the environment and with it our health and opportunity to lead whole lives.
This force of nature however showed this Sunday afternoon that our power does not tend toward one of destruction unless provoked – in which case it can come with full force – but naturally is one that builds and supports. WE are the bridge fuel to a cleaner and better future, not fracking and natural gas and especially not tar sands.
The power and optimism that was on display today was exciting and I am proud to have stood/marched with my fellow citizens to urge you to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and to follow through with your multiple promises to move #forwardonclimate.
So what does it mean to you, to your administration, to Secretary of State Kerry, to the United States Congress, to the citizens of this country, that 0.017 percent of the population showed up this afternoon? Does that constitute an appropriate constituency to take an issue seriously (and we know you are taking it seriously)? The number seems small, but we must remember that we were there in person. We showed up.
Today’s head count doesn’t represent the many thousands and millions who stood in solidarity with us but could not make it. The 53,000 individuals traveled from great distances to exercise our First Amendment in our nation’s capital. We’ve written thousands of letters and have signed hundreds of petitions. We did not have the same number of hours with your staff and the staff of Congress that the fossil fuel lobby has had, but then again they bought their way in. You’ve felt us coming.
Money excites people in a tantalizing way that is fleeting when considering its true contribution to happiness. But when you feel the vibrations of people marching and screaming with vigor and joy, something primal is brought fourth from the depths; a sense of pride in humanity and connection to one another. This stays with you and can continue to build.
Mr. President, there is momentum in this country to build a better future and it’s in your hands to squelch it or lift it up so that it can continue to grow. It is imperative that you reject this pipeline.
Sincerely, Adam J. Meier
P.S. –During Inauguration ceremonies, many reflect that our democracy differs because of the peaceful transition of power from the incumbent representative to the new one. However, today I got a clear glimpse of what that translates to for individuals of our nation.
Today, the D.C. Police Force did not block our freedom with force or even the show of force. Our peaceful protest was met by police blockades of protection. They ensured our safety from traffic and that orderly conduct was kept. I’d like to thank them.
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