Friday, August 19, 2011

A Teachable Moment

One of the things we all love about this whole thing is how it gets people's attention focused on the environmental disaster that is the Tar Sands, which many people have either not heard of or don't understand.  As we have been publicizing our trip and raising money, we have had an opportunity to explain why the pipeline is such a horrible idea, and why developing the tar sands is so dangerous and destructive. 

Margie and Tantoo, being movie stars, bring attention from people who normally only care about celebrity gossip and trivia.  The entertainment editor of the Toronto Sun interviewed Margie about her involvement and wrote this article:  http://www.thestar.com/article/1041422--margot-kidder-marches-on-washington.  The article was also posted on CommonDreams.org which is a progressive news website that publishes breaking news from a progressive viewpoint that has appeared across the spectrum of news sources.

Also on Common Dreams is an article from Yes! magazine by Bill McKibben, one of the organizers of this action.  He mentions how inspiring he found the message from four Montana grandmothers (he can't resist mentioning that one of us is Margot Kidder who played Lois Lane).  That seems to be how we are going to be known for this event - the Four Grandmothers from Montana.  Well, there are worse things we could be (and have been) called.  And if it brings inspiration, or attention, or an opportunity to open people's eyes to how important this issue is, then it is a badge we will wear with honor.

Words (and pictures and videos) of support

Today the first training for the first group of protesters has begun.  Tomorrow they will go to the White House gates and be arrested for sitting-in.  It all begins now.

We have received many letters and emails thanking us for going and cheering us on.  For every one of us at the Tar Sands Action, there are probably a hundred people who would like to be there with us.  According to the organizers of the action, this is the biggest civil disobedience for the climate ever.  

The organizers of the action have sent us a link to a Flkr album with pictures of people thanking those of us who are going to DC for the protest.  These beautiful pictures make us feel humble and loved.  Here is the link:  http://www.flickr.com//photos/350org/sets/72157627346811329/show/

Meanwhile, Josh Fox, the director of the documentary Gasland about the disastrous method of extracting natural gas called fracking, has released a video showing why this action is so incredibly important.  Here is the link to his video: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/video-gasland-director-josh-fox-issues-call-to-action/

If you would like to support this action, please call the White House on August 23rd, the day we are there being arrested.  The phone number is 202-456-1111.  Tell them that you support the Tar Sands Action sit-in that is going on outside.  Tell them that you have friends there.  Tell them that you urge President Obama to deny a permit to the Keystone XL pipeline. 

Thank you.