The Challenge Trump Presents to Environmentalists, and, by Extension, To All Humankind
Some people comment, “Why so vitriolic about Trump? If you don’t like him, fire him in 2020.”
I understand that. It’s true that most of the horrific positions that the federal government will have taken by the time we get through these next four years can quickly and easily be undone under the incoming administration. But this isn’t universally true.
Gorsuch, of course, is likely to remain on the Supreme Court long after Trump is gone; regardless of what happens to Trump, there is nothing that can be done about his presence on the bench. Fortunately, even he has a limited shelf-life.
So what’s the big deal? The environment. Once we’ve screwed up the climate, the oceans, and the planet’s biodiversity beyond a certain point, it won’t be coming back; it will be completely outside the grasp of humankind to halt the catastrophe. Physics has no pity; we won’t get a second chance.
We have one opportunity to make this come out right, and this raw, immutable fact is what creates the level of urgency found in the actions of millions of people around the globe.
You may be interested in this speech at the oil pipeline demonstration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tygYLLhFVDw&t=365s
Frank,
(passionately) “it may be that Standing rock may be another Selma !”
Or, then again, maybe not ! The bishop and his little band of supporters are fighting a losing cause, for the wrong reasons.
The fight against pipelines is over. it was always based on false premises and misinformation. The Standing Rock Tribe have ceased activism in favour of a deal through the courts.
The native Americans of Morton County regret the manner in which they and the whole county suffered from a plague of outsiders who created bitter and violent disruption, divided Native American’s and departed leaving a huge pile of rubbish behind for the locals to clean up.
The tribe lost massive revenue for their Casino,and learned to their shame the only people willing to help clean up the garbage abandoned animals, and trail of destruction left by the interloping radicals, were their neighbours.