Will there be violence?
Is peaceful protest enough to change the system, or do we need violence?
Disclaimer: I am not calling for violence. I abhor violence. Violence often leads to counter-violence. Peace must be the ultimate goal.
The protests for proper climate policy are primarily peaceful. And this is good. But what have they achieved? Is it enough? Is it fast enough? Or do we need less peaceful protests or even a revolution?
Fridays For Future, Last Generation and Extinction Rebellion are some examples of protest groups that fight peacefully for better or even any climate policies. But what did their protests achieve?
Well, not nothing. The climate crisis is all over media, green parties got a push, and the EU, USA, and others now have a green deal.
Is it enough? No!
That’s why all these groups and more are still protesting and fighting. And also all their achievements are questionable. The media can’t deny the climate crisis anymore, because heatwaves, floods, droughts, glaciers melting, and species extinction now affect us. Green parties losing votes and the Green Deals are more greenwashing.
So what do we do? Forget peacefully protesting and become violent? Some may say blocking streets is already violent. But the only violence I see is from the car drivers and the police. And of course the violent speeches from politicians who call the protesters terrorists while real terrorists kill hundreds and thousands of people in other places.
I have a feeling the people in charge want with their words and actions the protesters to become violent. So they can fight the climate protesters and not the climate crisis. Because they can’t handle the latter, and they know if they really want effective climate policies, they have to hurt their donors. It is much easier and more comfortable for them to hurt the protesters.
They need the protesters to distract from their failing climate policies, like far-right parties need terrorists to distract from their failing migration and security policies.
Since violence itself is bad, and it would help the wrong politicians, it’s a simple solution: No violence!
But we are not getting anywhere. At least not fast enough. And weren’t the French and the American Revolution violent as fuck, but had nevertheless a great outcome? Shouldn’t we get weapons and throw the powerful into the prisons?
While I totally understand these thoughts, because they are mine, writing this newsletter got me to the conclusion, no. Violence often leads to counter-violence, and the politicians and the fossil fuel industry have the power. Also, the Russian revolutions were violent as fuck, and where did they lead them?
What shall we do then? Well, forget the weapons and get up your ass. You don’t even have to glue yourself onto the streets. But go protesting, go online, and support the protesters. Go on social media and debunk and crush the stupid comments from climate crisis deniers and trolls. Donate. Go on Reddit or Discord to find like-minded people. Go to town hall meetings or other official meetings where you can raise your voice. Vote for the parties who have the best climate policies and if there is none found one.
If you are not satisfied with the current policy. Do something. Nothing will change if you do nothing.
This isn’t a pep talk ignoring the facts. I know our enemies have greater power and much more money. In fact, there is only one thing we can do. Become a majority, a loud majority, and force the politicians to do better. It is hard because we also have to get our enemies on the boat. After all, we only have this one, and we need everyone to prevent it from sinking.
The good thing is, that the majority12 already wants better policies. Now we have to get them to make some noise.
So get up your ass and fart, and then do something for a better system.
Thanks for reading.
Yours sincerely,
Ian
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/09/what-the-data-says-about-americans-views-of-climate-change/
https://climate.ec.europa.eu/citizens/citizen-support-climate-action_en