“To use the world well, to be able to stop wasting it and our time in it, we need to relearn our being in it.”
-Ursula K. Le Guin (on taking care of the planet)
By Andrea Loewen
@ms.andreajoy
A monthly round-up of Resistance Research, including quotes, news, analysis, inspiration, and action items. Let’s break this regime down into actionable items and take it down, bit by bit!
This Month’s Action:
Climate change got more real than ever this past month. This is fighting time. This is the scene in the big war movie where the enemies outnumber the heroes 20 to 1 and they have to decide: are they going to fight back, or give up? Are we going to, at the very least, go down fighting? Are we going to embrace hope?
This action is for every single one of us: make sure our governments take this report seriously and institute a carbon tax, the only thing scientifically proven to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This is the time to take calling your representatives seriously and do the thing. Call the Minister of Environment. Call Justin Trudeau (you’ll get his office, it’s fine). Call your provincial leaders. Call your civic leaders. If you live in another country, call your equivalents to all of these people. I am cashing in on all of the times we didn’t actually take action to take this action. Here is an example script:
“Hi, I am (name). I am very concerned about climate change and the new IPCC report. I am calling to let (representative) know that I am in strong support of a carbon tax and other necessary climate action to be taken. (Now, if you are one of their constituents, say, “I live in your constituency.”) Thank you.
Feeling nervous? Get together with a couple of friends and do it together! Cheer each other on!
This Month’s Reading:
WTF List (Keeping Up With the News):
The World is Burning: Quite literally, and sooner than we thought. The IPCC’s special report on what happens if we get to 1.5 degrees of climate change is terrifying, especially since we have already made it to 1 degree.
A Man Assaults a Native Woman – And Never Sees a Day in Jail: Unfortunately, this headline could be about any number of events, but this one is specifically about a man who strangled a woman until she passed out and then masturbated on her. He plead guilty, but the judge gave him no jail time because he probably won’t do it again. (This is in America, but it’s the same story in Canada.)
Shitty Media Man Sues Creator of Shitty Media Men List: Stephen Elliott, one of the men in the Shitty Media Men list, is suing its creator, Moira Donegan, for $1,500,000.
Meet the Kids Trying to Put the Government on Trial for its Climate Policies: A group of teens in the US are suing the government for its climate policies. Incredible!
Action Inspo and Instructionals:
Let these alternate guides and examples of resistance inspire you!
How to Demand Action on Climate Change: A great roundup of the first set of steps we all need to take.
After Facing Criticism, a Top Scientific Journal Says No More ‘Look What Good He’s Done’: The prestigious journal Science will no longer publish letters defending people accused of harassment or assault if the argument is “but he was nice to me!” or “but his science was so interesting, he can’t have assaulted anyone!” Progress!
Meet the 17-Year-Old Boy Calling Out His Classmates for Objectifying Women: Just to be clear, this should be normal behaviour, but for now (as with Science journal’s new stance), this bare minimum standard is exciting news.
Canada’s Most Prominent Black Activist is Fighting Doug Ford. He Als Has a Message for White Liberals: The message? Stop copping out on actual action. Don’t use the fact that it’s worse in America to let it stay bad here.
‘We’ve Let Our Members Down’ MEC Promises to Increase Diversity in Advertising: The CEO of MEC has written a letter of apology and change for the fact that their advertising has almost exclusively portrayed white people in the outdoors – they were simply not reflecting reality, and have committed to change.
Analysis, Opinion, and Enrichment:
These will help you better understand how what’s feeding the madness and expose you to perspectives different from your own (regardless of their direct connection to Trump’s madness).
This is How the Rich Steal From America: A case study of how the Trump family organized to skip out on taxes and keep all their money in the family line.
Thanks For Not Raping Us, All You ‘Good Men’, but it’s Not Enough: A beautiful treatise on the rage and frustration women are feeling right now.
Behind the Hype on Walmart’s Sustainability Efforts: They are putting on a decent show, but what’s happening behind the scenes?
The Synagogue Killings Mark a Surge of Anti-Semitism: Despite political rhetoric, more than half of religious hate crimes in the US target Jewish groups.
How to Break Away from the Gender Binary: Despite our best intentions, it can be hard to break your brain out of the “two genders” model in favour of something a little more holistic. Here’s a great collection of suggestions to get you started.
Andrea Loewen is a writer, theatre-maker, and choreographer in Vancouver, BC. She writes for a variety of online publications, including Loose Lips Magazine and Vancouver Presents, as well as her own site, The Receptionist Blog. Her first book, Feeling Better: A Field Guide to Liking Yourself is set to release in February of 2019. www.andrealoewen.com
