Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash
Yesterday, I published a piece aimed at building and activating a huge grass roots climate movement to magnify the effectiveness of existing groups like Just Stop Oil and Fridays for Future. In that story, I gave a list of specific actions you can take personally, right now, to begin this badly needed change.
If you have not already read it and taken some action, I urge you to do so now.
And when you get back here, I’ll give you an additional tactic — an easy one that’s deeply satisfying: Speaking truth to power.
Public Servants and Business Bullies Can Listen — For A Change
Hey, those politicians who are ignoring you, and doing terrible things in support of the billionaires and corporations that give them money? You can talk to them. Yeah, they don’t like to listen…but when these letters KEEP COMING…they will be intrigued. And, ideally, worried.
I’m talking about sending them form letters — from constituents and/or customers. From YOU. Supposedly, politicians are serving YOU and should listen to their constituents. And, although they have absolutely no interest in you or what you have to say, they sort of need to pretend they care.
Similarly, corporations feel some need to pretend that they are listening to customers. They, too, don’t care about you or what you have to say. But they feel a bit of pressure to pretend to care and listen.
Let’s take advantage of this!
The Letters
The letters are pretty complete and self-explanatory. I’m putting the text here, where you can copy and paste them into your own word processing document — and then revise and mail it. There are a few blanks to fill in, and I’d like you to leave space for your own hand-written thoughts. (Writing by hand is an extra attention-grabber!)
For the politician:
Dear [ title, name ]:
I am part of a nascent but growing worldwide group of ordinary people who care about the Earth and the well-being of our children. You are a servant of a government that threatens both. This is nothing personal. In all likelihood, you are probably a gracious and kind human being — personally. (Most people are.)
But the United States government, like nearly every government on Earth (including those of China, Russia, India, the European Union, England, Australia, and so many others), are allied with fossil fuel profiteers and in opposition to the interests of everyone else.
For anyone who is sane and caring, no law, government, institution, entity or leader that severely threatens the well being of the biosphere is worthy of support, consent, obedience or — for that matter — any recognition of legitimacy whatsoever. Your leadership and your government fall into that category.
At this time, we are making no demands or requests. We expect you and your peers to continue as you have been…until this is no longer viable. We are quite certain that the climate itself will stop you — albeit too late to rescue the planet for our children. We have the work and findings of 15,000 hard-working climate scientists which show that what is about to happen will destroy your so-called civilization.
But we hope to grow our numbers and stop you and your peers in every country on Earth sooner. We intend to save the planet, our children, YOUR children, the species that share the Earth with us. And our own souls.
We are the EarthRebirth Team. You will be hearing more from us. Everyone will.
Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
[ signed name ]
For the CEO or business “leader”:
Dear [ title, name ]:
Your position and your corporation requires you to maximize profits. This is done at the expense of destroying the biosphere and dooming our children and future generations and all the species that share this Earth with us to a dismal future.
No sane or caring human being could go along with that kind of behavior. I am writing to you as a member of a small but growing worldwide group intent on ending the Earth-destroying actions of [ name of corporation] and of other damaging businesses like yours.
No business and no business leader has any right to poison the planet we all live on. There is no justification and we will never honor or respect these kinds of behaviors, nor any laws, rules or systems that permit or actually encourage this destruction. Unlike soulless corporations, we respect and care about life and about the environment we all share. We will not let you or others like you continue these actions.
You feel powerful now, but when our small group — the EarthRebirth Team — grows in numbers, as more people recognize that they CAN effectively oppose you, not through systems you control, but in open defiance of the systems you control — well, THEN you will be vulnerable. We hope that at that time, or ideally before, you decide to reject climate abuse and quit aiding the destruction of the Earth in your current capacity or in any position of influence.
We hope you will choose to fight for your children, for decency, and for a legacy that you can be proud of. This letter is your wake up call.
Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
[ signed name ]
There you have it. This is easy enough and a printed letter, in an age of email, is very noticeable — especially if you add hand-written comments.
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