Letters to the Empire I
54Island of Lost Souls
FYI
I have changed the title of this hub to fit with a series in which it will be the first. More information will be found in Letters to the Empire II which will be posted soon.
RWP
A Modest Attempt
Sunday, June 14, 2009
In cooperation with the Environmental Defense Fund http://www.edf.org/warmingwildlife, I just sent the following message, which I edited and personalized, to:
- Senator Jeff Bingaman Jr.
- Senator Tom Udall
- Representative Ben 'Ben Ray' R. Lujan
I also sent a copy to the White House to the attention of Mr. Obama.
Climate change is already altering the rich natural heritage of America and the Earth. It is threatening countless species, including sea birds, butterflies, sea turtles, wild cats, fish, and scores of trees, not to mention humans, across the landscape.
If we don't act now to eliminate our greenhouse gas emissions, thousands of species, possibly including our own, across America and around the world are doomed.
Global climate change and the disasters it will bring to Earth are not matters for debate or subjects for interesting cocktail conversation. They are, in fact, a very real and present threat to the survival of the human race.
If, through either arrogance or anthropocentric
delusions of human supremacy, you have convinced yourself that these issues
will be nothing more than a minor inconvenience provided one is sufficiently
wealthy, I strongly suggest you re-evaluate the situation.
If you, like most politicians and corporatists, are
incapable of considering anything beyond your own narrow self-interest, then
please forgive me for wasting your time with an appeal to your morality.
If, on the other hand, you are at least marginally
human, I beseech you to consider your children and theirs and the world you
will be leaving for them.
This isn’t about saving whales or owls or any other
exotic fauna or flora. It is ultimately about saving the human species.
The catastrophic conditions that we now face, brought about in large part by the blind greed of capitalism, will not be mitigated by the continued pursuit of the same corrupt, greed-driven policies. It is long past time to acknowledge that either the capitalist era or human
"civilization", and I use the term reservedly, must come to an end.
The supremacist paradigm, which is today embodied in capitalism, has failed repeatedly throughout history simply because it cannot succeed. It is the self-defeating, unthinking mentality of the non-productive parasite that lives upon the vitality of its productive host thereby destroying said host and itself into the bargain.
The global climate crisis is a direct result of unrestrained capitalist, consumerist gluttony. To deal with the one we must first put an end to the other.
I urgently beseech you to support the elimination of America's global warming pollution.
I would like to use this hub, with the comments it elicits if there are sufficient numbers, as a petition to the same people I sent the original letter to. I further hope it will prompt others to take at least such minimal action to make our "representatives" aware of the fact that we're still here. So far they seem disinterested in the welfare and concerns of their constituents.
If you actually believe that climate change is a non-issue, kindly keep it to yourself. Hopefully you'll be around long enough to explain to your grandchildren why your personal gratification was more important than their survival.
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Comments
If we don't "deal with it" now, it will deal with us.
I cannot agree more with all what you said. I suggest you post your message again, with this Hubpage in attachement with all our comments...if you decide so, it will be small petition, so we can all sign it...while commenting.
Thank you Tatjana-Mihaela.
I will give your suggestion serious consideration.
I'm not sure I could do that without letting everyone know their comments were going to be used for that purpose.
I second with Tatja. :D
Well, you just let us know. Add few words which would replace the sentence "I am not particurarly concerned with comments on this"...so everybody would be informed.
The people who still refuse to acknowledge or deal with climate change, ColdWarBaby, are the same ones who, for the most part, have the power to initiate the actions required to do so. Unfortunately, they are predominantly capitalist who care only for the here and now -- not for other people or for future generations. I happen to know a few of them. I doubt that reason or petitions will influence them. I wonder if you don't feel just a little bit like Don Quixote.
Yes William, I've been feeling that way for a very long time.
My worst fear is that I may be forced to put aside my pen in favor of a more lethal weapon.
I'm too old for violent revolution.
I've taken you up on your suggestion Tatjana. Let's see what happens.
How right you are! From a purely self-centred point of view CWB, we need to act and we need to act NOW! We're so busy talking and trying to reach a consensus that we forget that any time wasted could be disastrous!
Amen. We are nearing the point of no return.
Thank you Shalini. The hour is indeed getting late.
To some extent Ralph, we have already crossed the Rubicon.
Great harm will result.
Now we can only act to mitigate.
It is time for humanity to wake up to the catastrophe it faces if it doesn't change it's ways soon.
I think the convergence of catastrophic elements at this particular time is unique in history CJ.
I really wonder if it isn't just time for a new player to assume the lead role on Earth.
You're preaching to the choir CWB. Of course I'm with you on this. Too bad we are already about at the point of no return.
The lethal coctail, in my view, is the admixture of corporate capitalism with short-term (re)-electionist politics.
At least dynasties _should_ have an interest in posterity (though they often don't).
I'm in as well CWB. We have to change.
I believe humanity can change - and have to change. We all need to re-evaluate our life-style and stop with misusing Earth-resources.
We need to stop to produce lethal weapons - because they are killing all of us. Pollution, radiation and war games have high impact on speeding up the climate change, as well as they destroy our genetic code. http://hubpages.com/hub/war-peace
We need to stop with overproduction of industry, because if there will be no us any more, who will buy excess of products?
We ask from the polititians of all world to overcome the animosity towards each other, to openly start to discuss environmental problems as the ones of highest priority, and urgently start to implement green solutions, to minimize consequences of climate change.
I know pgrundy, I know. I'm just hoping that if the choir gets big enough and loud enough the priests will have to listen.
I really don't want to be forced to watch the church being burned to the ground.
I agree with your assessment Paraglider. I would simply lump those two factors together under the capitalism banner. The second is the spawn of the first.
There is a vast ocean of difference between a dynasty and a parasitic infestation. As I think you’re aware, that is how I see the supremacist faction of humanity.
Thank you Jewels. You'd think it would be obvious to anyone.
I share your hope Tatjana. If the greed can be stopped, the end of war would soon follow. If we cannot learn to share, we will continue to kill.
It is already dealing with us. Weather patterns are already changing. I am shocked when leaders deny the scientific evidence at hand. (why should I be, so many are only promoting their own self interest).
Yes Paper Moon.
It seems they are incapable of thinking beyond self-gratification.
They evidently have no concern for the future.
Well done CWB, hats off to you for taking up this burden and sharing it with those that have it within their power to exact change. Let's hope that someone listens.
Thank you trooper22 but this is a burden we must all share.
Even our HubPages friends from abroad can wield the pen as a weapon. The actions of America affect all nations of Earth. It would be in their best interests to make their voices heard in the halls of Washington DC.
Let us all send letters and emails literally in the millions, day after day, to the White House, Congress, the EPA, the Treasury and any other agencies we can think of. They all have physical and email addresses and phone numbers. We could become a continuous petition with literally billions of signers. That would be a petitioner hard to ignore.
Remember a few years ago, when Colin Powell’s son was in charge of the FCC, they tried to deregulate mass media entirely.
Their phone systems, mailboxes and email servers were deluged for days in protest. They were actually forced, by public outcry, to abandon the legislation they were proposing.
I am still hopeful that, should enough people make their voices heard, we can force the government to produce some meaningful changes if only as a delaying tactic. Such a hiatus could offer an opportunity to build alternative parties to replace the miscreants currently in office. The so-called two-party system must be expanded or progress will be virtually impossible.
A peaceful revolution may yet be achieved. The alternative is unthinkable but inevitable if we stay our present course.
However arrogant they may be, the elite don’t want millions of protesters clogging the streets and bringing the nation to a standstill. They most certainly don’t want to provoke a bloody revolution at this point.
If they can be made to understand that the people will no longer tolerate their illegal and immoral actions, that they continue this course at their own peril, perhaps they can be intimidated, as they have thus far intimidated us.
There is still power in numbers. Together we stand.
I have often pictured George Bush (sr) sitting in his lavish air conditioned house with a desert out side his window. They will have the money to endure longer than most.
You may well be correct Paper Moon.
Oh, I thought you were writing to me...
Kidding. This is very impressive. Please post any feedback you get from them.
It's much more than just swapping out a few light bulbs around the house. It's a full paradigm change that everyone has to make to turn this crappy situation we're in around.
Your quite right The Empire.
The problems are vast and half measures, quick fixes or band-aid solutions are simply not acceptable.
We have reached that point where the wrong choices will prove fatal and time is not our ally.
So far the "feedback" is nothing more than form letters of no real substance. They are few and far between but I will continue the series.
Thanks for your feedback. It's certainly a lot more genuine than what I've been getting from my "representatives".
sandra rinck says:
6 months ago
I think it boils down to, if they acknowledge it as "reality" they would have to address it, so do what the politicians do, put a bit of doubt on the table, cover it up with salt and let the next generation deal with it. after all, hasn't it been the way since "politics" was introduced into the human consciousness?
Dealing with the problems our forefathers have left for future generations.