Okay; fair point. But these climate change activists still aren’t Rosa Parks.
1 Like
I’m with ya. But complaining about the way protesters are protesting without considering what they are protesting is kinda missing the point.
1 Like
Rosa Parks wasn’t Rosa Parks until she was.
That is, Rosa Parks wasn’t anybody in particular, until she did the thing she’s famous for. You don’t know who the next Rosa parks will be, and you don’t know how much of their fame will down to those who aren’t the next Rosa Parks.
16 Likes
Translation: the means are justified by the ends?
Hmm. No. You’re using the wrong translation software.
Translation: Don’t whinge about being mildly inconvenienced by protesters who are literally trying to save the planet.
13 Likes
You’ve heard of the “five stages of grief,” I’m sure.
You’re describing the second stage, “Anger.”
You are correct that protesting is pointless UNLESS the protesters PERSIST until their opponents reach the “Bargaining” stage. That’s when concessions are offered and progress can happen.
11 Likes
This is what White moderates said about the Civil Rights Movement as it was happening:
This is what White people thought about MLK:
12 Likes
8 Likes
Why’s that? Because climate change only affects privileged white people?
6 Likes
The prospect of massive economic harm has so far failed to stop Brexit.
2 Likes
Nope, that’s diminishing her. She was an activist before she did the bus thing.
2 Likes
Yeah, this [I am deeply sorry to say].
Let us not forget that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by a fellow Indian, who blamed Gandhi for the politically-based murders/massacres/deaths of their countrymen.
Thank you for correctly reminding us how activists are viewed in their own time, and how history [which is largely written by the victors or so this aphorism goes] views the same activists over the long term.
Part of the problem as I see it is that we will always need these activists 1 because we know here and now in the U.S. only too well how hard-won gains and evolution in society are quickly eroded.
Not to belittle her important work and sacrifices in any way: Rosa Parks worked for the liberation of African Americans.
Here’s another woman working for the liberation of the entire planet (with apologies to those bOINGers here who don’t like crossposting from Twitter, but this person said it a lot better than I ever could):
https://twitter.com/rob_sheridan/status/1118541273424519168
I agree.2
To all allies of all backgrounds and all persuasions who work for justice, which at its intersection addresses race, environment, equity, and a thousand other important things we need to live: thank you for your work and solidarity.
Last I checked, we have one planet. There is no “undo” button. The stakes are incredibly high.3 There is no app to download to get this kind of work done. This work is going to require every one of us to give a damn, and get off our collective butts and do good things.
Raise the knowledge
Revolution is internal
Help yourself at any time
Evolution isn’t over
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
We’re about to use our mind, yeah
Bless you Bill McKibben for saying the words that need to be said.
7 Likes
I used the metro in Newcastle the other week for the first time in ages, and there’s no longer mobile signal. They used to have repeaters, but they’re gone. Could be an anti bomb tactic, could be an anti passenger tactic. It’s hard to tell these days.
3 Likes
Sure, but she didn’t have the same name recognition before doing the bus thing. And that’s my point, she wasn’t Rosa Parks, Champion of Civil Rights [fanfares of trumpets], she was “just” an activist, the same way these activists are “just” activists, doing the same things Parks was doing.
Maybe one of them will do a thing in just the right way at just the right time to get that same national and international recognition to become the next Rosa Parks, but like Parks it will be because of the work they’ve put in already and the work that their compatriots have done and will continue to do that something gets done.
Being the next Rosa Parks means nothing without these other protests that don’t have a Rosa Parks, Champion of Civil Rights [fanfares of trumpets, harp arpeggios, and showers of rose petals], emerging out of them.
9 Likes
Fixed that for you.
6 Likes
Agreed. I apologise.
Though I still have nothing but contempt for these people.
Okay; to rephrase:
“… these climate change activists still aren’t Greta Thunberg.” 
Two points to clarify:
- I’m not even vaguely belittling the importance of climate change.
- I’m not criticising climate change activists, I’m criticising these specific people, commiting these counter-productive actions for their own gratification and misplaced sense of self-importance.
2 Likes
Yes, yes you are. That’s exactly what you’re doing. It’s called concern driving trollies.
12 Likes
Brexit appears to be the platonic ideal of an outside context problem, tho. Or just really, really fucking stupid.
(It’s stupid)
4 Likes
What?
If it’s really necessary to clarify: I was saying that I’m not criticising all climate change activists i.e. everyone who campaigns, in any way, on any aspect of climate change.
I am definitely criticising these specific people, who happen to self-identify as ‘climate change activists’, for their specific actions, which I consider utterly pointless.
I suspect, admittedly without evidence, that they’re doing it for self-gratification: amusement at childishly “sticking it to the man” and the warm fuzzies of doing “something, anything” to demonstrate nothing more than their self-righteousness.
I had to look up a definition of ‘concern driving trollies’. The very first I found begins:
Concern driving trollies involves someone opposing an idea or viewpoint, yet acting like they’re an advocate for the cause.
I genuinely am not doing that. I honestly do not have a blanket hostility to all people opposing climate change. Conversely, I don’t remotely claim to be an “advocate for the cause”.
2 Likes
