Reader’s Corner
Reveling in and discussing ideas and books, together.
How Do You Walk the Talk?
Last month, a University of Utah graduate student was convicted for derailing an illegal oil and gas auction that would have sold off a huge chunk of Utah’s public land. And in February, thirteen Kentuckians, including Wendell Berry, walked into their governor’s office and refused to leave until they got what they wanted: a promise from the governor to pay attention, finally, to the havoc wreaked on Kentucky by mountaintop-removal coal mining. Others around the world are participating in local currencies, launching local businesses, and staying closer to home. Still others are committing to shop less and live more.
Of course, activism encompasses many possibilities and many creative forms. Not all of us have to get arrested or sell off our belongings to stand up for our beliefs, but some of us might. Will you? If not, how else might you translate your beliefs into action—and walk the talk? What joys and struggles have you found along the way? What advice can you share with others who aspire to do the same?
It’s easy to speak eloquently about our various ecological and social crises. But the real challenge is to match those beliefs with action, and walk the sustainability talk. Now, with the planet teetering on the edge of rapid change, such action is more important than ever.
Orion welcomes your thoughts, stories, and comments.
1 Jim on April 12, 2011
Having gone through nonviolence training as part of actions in the late 70’s, and having had the chance to have informal seminars with Gene Sharp, who more than one person in the mideast has tweeted as an inspiration, I am struck by the informality with which folks try to train & prepare for NV action.
Rosa Parks didn’t just think up not changing her seat on the spur of the moment. Not only was she secretaary of the local NAACP chapter, she went through a structured nonviolence training at the Highlander Center beforehand. The rightwing, in highlighting this fact, seemed to realize it’s importance more than progressives.
How might we work with groups like the International Center for Non-Violence, or Gene Sharp’s Albert Einstein Institute to train folks for nonviolence. But also very crucially, how might we engage in a reflection process to learn from our “praxis”?
Strategic nonviolence and Gene Sharp seem to be taken much more seriously in Egypt than here.
A big thank you to Tim for his courage.
The person who really prodded me to begin thinking about nonviolence was Kentucky resident Thomas Merton, through his writings, and a class devoted to discussing them.
2 Scott on April 13, 2011
Thanks for your thoughts, Jim.
In case any readers are interested in the two organizations Jim mentions, here are two helpful links:
http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/
http://www.aeinstein.org/
There are others concerned with nonviolence, peace, and civil disobedience, including the Center for Nonviolent Communication and the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies.
Also, for those who missed it, Wendell Berry, Tim DeChristopher, and Teri Blanton joined Orion staff last night for a live, web discussion about the future of environmental activism. Listen to a recording here: http://www.orionmagazine.org/community/calls.html
I was struck last night by many things Wendell, Tim, and Teri said, but here’s something from Tim that seemed especially important:
“Sacrificing my freedom was everything I did up until the auction… Even when I do have to serve my time, I’ll feel far more free than I ever did before.”
3 joel on April 16, 2011
i am an activist but never have risked arrest because of others’ dependence on me. i know that i have made impacts despite that decision. activists are needed at all levels. my advice is to be a free agent—even some of the time, if you a part of a group. get to know people in organizations which are fighting for a livable planet, but don’t get bogged down in their agendas. set your own goals for what needs to be accomplished, and work with groups when their efforts are aimed toward yours, but work on yours alone when needed.
i have built good alliances with groups, found people that share my concerns and goals, but am also an unknown entity when i approach a project that concerns me, and have found that the powers-that-be are less guarded or dismissive, and provide me with much more info than they would with an environmental group. i have had some really surprising (and unexpected by the entity i engaged with) successes when working alone. nowhere near tim’s! but let him be an inspiration for the possibilities that exist for the environmentalist who is willing to strike out on his/her own.
4 Earthspeakorg on April 28, 2011
We were visitors to Willits in Mendocino County CA in1997, when our son took two sips of creek water, becoming sick, his skin turned green, and he was dead within 36 hours. We discovered a chrome plating plant on the Superfund list and tested for chromium. Our lawsuit, first filed In ProSe under the Clean Air & Water Laws gives us authority as citizen attorneys general. We are still proceeding, but how can citizens actually ENFORCE environmental laws—especially when ‘clean-up’ is impossible, as it is with heavy metals. Fighting constant battles against corporate lies and coverups…
5 Mariya philip on August 31, 2011
It is really hard to gather a group of people who are willing to work against these environmental problems. Lot of people will come if there is a speech or get together, none will come forward for a protest march.
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