The excuses, "why protest?", are many. It takes time. It takes money. It takes planning. There is one protest opportunity around the corner.
The following is from Jon Ullman, Sierra Club organizer:
So why take your time to protest (if not money because transportation costs are covered by Sierra Club)?
Because your government is not representing your interests. Not in the Everglades. Not with sea level rise on the horizon. The examples are all around us and reasons why the time to protest is now.
Consider the Miami Herald report today, "CEO's are asked: How does the threat of rising seas affect your business planning". Not a single business person quoted said that protecting you is of primary importance. What they said is that their first responsibility is to protect the businesses who are clients.
Since none of those businesses are threatened RIGHT NOW; rising seas are a low priority or a priority only to the extent they reflect the bottom line.
In the United States, businesses will never protect your long-term interests unless they are defined as what happens next week, next month or next quarter to their bottom line.
Looking out for you is the role of government. Unfortunately, Americans have been persuaded that the problem is government, not the solution to problems that business will never solve voluntarily.
Today there are very limited opportunities to protest against climate change.
One place we can protest is where Sierra Club and its members and community are focused: at the South Florida Water Management District tomorrow. Gov. Rick Scott -- climate change denier -- and his appointees to the Governing Board of the District are ignoring citizens who are fed up with the costs of the most selfish and self-centered business in the state: Big Sugar.
Unless the Governor, the governing board, and the legislature move now, a critical land purchase opportunity -- to buy US Sugar lands in a deal vastly reduced since initiated by then Gov. Charlie Crist -- will disappear, leaving Florida taxpayers at the profit motive of billionaires who control our government.
A free and democratic government should take its instructions from citizens, because businesses will never have your long-term interests at heart. Protest, tomorrow, at the South Florida Water Management District. Make your voices heard.
The following is from Jon Ullman, Sierra Club organizer:
"Hey Miami and Broward environmentalists! Ride the train (the Tri-rail train) to the Buy Sugar land Now Protest in West Palm Beach this Thurs., March 12. Don't worry about the fare. It's on us. Miamians, we’ll hop on the P612 train from the Miami Airport/Hialeah Market Station at 7:03 a.m. (plenty of free parking) or you can join the train at the Metro rail transfer station at 7:09 a.m. Find the station address: www.tri-rail.com Ft. Lauderdale friends, you can join us at 7:47 at Ft. Lauderdale station or check the schedule for other stops in Broward at http://www.tri-rail.com/ We'll arrive at Palm Beach station at 8:45 and be transported by van to the protest and press event by 9 a.m. You must RSVP for this special train offer. Simply send an email to jonathan.ullman@sierraclub.org with your name, cell phone and what station you're getting on. Be a part of this major Everglades protest and have a great time getting there!"
So why take your time to protest (if not money because transportation costs are covered by Sierra Club)?
Because your government is not representing your interests. Not in the Everglades. Not with sea level rise on the horizon. The examples are all around us and reasons why the time to protest is now.
Consider the Miami Herald report today, "CEO's are asked: How does the threat of rising seas affect your business planning". Not a single business person quoted said that protecting you is of primary importance. What they said is that their first responsibility is to protect the businesses who are clients.
Since none of those businesses are threatened RIGHT NOW; rising seas are a low priority or a priority only to the extent they reflect the bottom line.
In the United States, businesses will never protect your long-term interests unless they are defined as what happens next week, next month or next quarter to their bottom line.
Looking out for you is the role of government. Unfortunately, Americans have been persuaded that the problem is government, not the solution to problems that business will never solve voluntarily.
Today there are very limited opportunities to protest against climate change.
One place we can protest is where Sierra Club and its members and community are focused: at the South Florida Water Management District tomorrow. Gov. Rick Scott -- climate change denier -- and his appointees to the Governing Board of the District are ignoring citizens who are fed up with the costs of the most selfish and self-centered business in the state: Big Sugar.
Unless the Governor, the governing board, and the legislature move now, a critical land purchase opportunity -- to buy US Sugar lands in a deal vastly reduced since initiated by then Gov. Charlie Crist -- will disappear, leaving Florida taxpayers at the profit motive of billionaires who control our government.
A free and democratic government should take its instructions from citizens, because businesses will never have your long-term interests at heart. Protest, tomorrow, at the South Florida Water Management District. Make your voices heard.
3 comments:
The Sierra Club is promoting the electric car race on Saturday. Odd since the car race promoters applied to the County to destroy trees and grass on bay front Parcel B. Yup. The out-of-town promoters applied to add concrete to the waterfront Parcel B.
WOW, Anonymous, what's up with That?!
waste of time. This is a bad deal for the taxpayers and this $350 Million can and should be better spent elsewhere in the Everglades.
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