civil disobedience

Cross-posted from the Coal Export Action

On Wednesday, over 30 people gathered in Helena, Montana’s Constitution Park to support the venerable US tradition of civil disobedience. Immediately before an omnibus court hearing for the 23 people arrested during last August’s peaceful protests against coal exports at the Montana Capitol, the group gathered with signs reading “Support the Coal Export Action 23,” and “No More Coal Exports.”

The rally in support of the Coal Export Action also coincided with an international week of climate solidarity, initiated by organizers of the Tar Sands Blockade in East Texas. It’s a good time to be organizing; as the Tar Sands Blockade puts it, “The aftershock of Sandy still being felt on the East Coast, it’s the hottest year on record, and families most affected by climate change are increasingly bearing the brunt of dirty extraction.”

Cross-posted from CounterPunch

It was the largest mass environmental civil disobedience in a generation.

Over 1200 were arrested over a two week period after writer Bill McKibben had called for urgent action to pressure President Obama to deny the permits for the Keystone XL pipeline. McKibben referred to the pipeline as a “carbon bomb” that would have had dire implications for both eco-systems and communities from Alberta to the Gulf Coast, and the climate as well.

I’ve worked in anti-war, environmental and anti-corporate movements for the past twelve years. I’ve been arrested doing various forms of civil disobedience ten times now. I’ve chained myself to ExxonMobil’s headquarters, helped to hang a banner on the Golden Gate Bridge for Tibet and spent five days in an Australian jail in 2005 for teaching students and environmentalists civil disobedience tactics.

Besides risking arrest numerous times, I’ve also organized dozens of similar actions as well. I always feel every action is somewhat the same, but then different as well.

It may not be obvious at first blush, but the immigration and environmental movements share a lot in common. Both are people-powered movements against the interests of a powerful and privileged few. Both struggle against issues that negatively affect the daily lives of everyday people. Both find that their greatest strength lies in organizing against the powers that be. Both movements are fighting uphill battles against ignorance and misinformation.

Because they have so much in common, there’s a lot that they can learn from one another. In light of recent news on both administrative relief for DREAMers, as well as the Supreme Court’s ruling on SB 1070, the time is right to reflect on the immigrant rights movement’s years of action, and what young climate activists can learn and apply in their own work.

The night before I participated in the Tar Sands Action, I woke up four times with the fearsome thought of going to jail. The odds were that I wouldn’t spend more than a day or two there, but the uncertainty was unnerving. When my morning alarm went off, I thought “I don’t want to go to jail. I’ve made up my mind. I’ve been so nervous over this past week and feel so shaky now, that I really think I’m not ready to risk arrest.” I put my thoughts away as I forced down a piece of toast. If I had to spend a night or two in jail – at least it would delay my hunger a bit.

I kept thinking that I should really listen to my instincts telling me not to risk going to jail. I always listen to my instincts. Then I thought, “What did the students have to face at the lunch counter sit-ins? I’m sure they weren’t able to swallow their breakfast either. And they were up against a tremendous amount of uncertainty – including their own physical safety. Despite their fears, they acted because they knew what they were fighting for was right. They knew they had to take risks to make real change. They had to ignore their instincts, too.

As I walked to the front of the White House, I felt like I was in a marathon. Supporters lined both sides of the walkway, cheering us on with a flood of thank you’s and words of encouragement. When I sat down on the cold, hard sidewalk with beautiful people of all ages, of all backgrounds, around me, I knew I was in the right place.