Our Next Global Manifestation -- April 22-29
With hosts of others, I was in Washington for the Inauguration and Women's March. I believe we were all deeply transformed. The energy was catalytic. It felt historic, an occasion that was going to change things decisively. There was deep intention in the air.
It is telling that the number that showed up for the Women's March was larger than those who gathered for Trump's inauguration. This is unprecedented in U.S. history, that the protest has been larger than the inauguration. It was perfect that this was organized by women. The Women's March was the far truer vision of America's destiny and it ignited a global movement.
Taken all together, there were more than 300 parallel protest events across the country, which marked the largest single day protest in the history of the United States, with hundreds of conjoining events worldwide for a total of nearly 650. This constituted one of the largest global manifestations ever convened. More are taking place with each passing day.
This is unprecedented for any incoming president. By every measure, including polls, Trump's support is weak and eroding. A majority of Americans, joined by people all around the world, are deeply concerned and opposed to what Trump represents and the direction he is taking the United States and the world.
Now what was foreboding is turning to rising alarm with each egregious action from President Trump on all fronts in his opening demonstrations of his presidency. All over the world, people are stupefied at what he is doing.
What strategy can we implement that will unite the extraordinary diversity of people and issues that came together Jan 20 - 21 into a coherent focused movement that will stop a man that was unstoppable by 16 other Republican candidates, unstoppable by the Republican Establishment on the way to the Convention, and unstoppable by the Clintons on election day? All against a backdrop of intrigue with Putin to illegally influence the 2016 Presidential campaign, and while inciting American voters to fear and hatred while demonstrating repeatedly total disregard for the most basic civilities.
Even as we fight on all fronts, it is the crime that he is about ready to commit that we have to focus on as our organizing principle. As egregious as he has been in the past, what Trump now plans as his meta move with Putin is even more dangerous. It will bring to an end the world as we know it.
Trump colluded with Putin to gain the presidency. That was a crime against the American people and the U.S. Constitution. Trump is now colluding with Putin and Exxon Oil to bring on the pipelines and drill for oil in the Arctic. This is a crime against humanity and against Nature. It will tip climate change into irreversibility. At the precise moment when oil needs to stay in the ground, Trump wants to bring on the Keystone and Dakota pipelines and exploit one of the most fragile tipping points in climate change. Like Gilgamesh and Enkidu killing Humbaba and cutting down the sacred forest, Trump and Putin are planning an assault on Mother Nature with the intent to kill. It is just about as simple and devastating as that.
With Trump's presidency, we have come decisively to the edge of the cliff. We have now arrived at the time of ultimate reckoning. We have come to our "Hitler Moment." Either we stop him, or Trump will destroy the world as we know it.
On every count, in every way, for every reason, the time has come to take our Final Stand. Trump cannot be allowed to prevail.
Let us continue our rising momentum of protests and acts of resistance and let us plan together for our next global manifestation. There is a perfect next opportunity toward the end of Trump's first 100 days - the week between Earth Day April 22 and the Washington DC People Climate March April 29. Let us focus on spending that week together wherever we are around the world, even more numerously, more forcefully, and with even more diversity.
To consecrate our gathering, we should invite the elders of Standing Rock and other native elders to preside over our councils as we deeply dialogue on how we can learn from the Earth as we move forward strategically with Trump. We would invite as many native peoples as can come. We should gather as immigrants and native peoples all over the world, both to stand with all those immigrants and refuges that are now being excluded by Trump, and as a way of asking forgiveness and returning our native peoples to their rightful place as our brothers and sisters and elders.
In the spirit of connecting with the Earth, people should be invited to actually sit on the Earth in any public places where the earth is still exposed in urban communities and surrounding areas. People everywhere around the world would be invited to celebrate the earth in whatever ways that are generative to them.
People would celebrate the earth in all kinds of ways during the week of April 22-29. All kinds of 350.org/Greenpeace creative actions would be encouraged. Artists of all kinds could celebrate. People could gather in groups and clans. The vibe would be happy peaceful people gathering on public spaces and celebrating with the elders their connection with the Earth, dialoguing concerning the great issues of the day. Absolutely no violence of any kind, only loving regard for all sentient beings.
Thus from Earth Day through the Climate March the whole world would come together in a massive celebration of the Earth and with the common demand that Trump redirect his presidency away from exclusion and making America great again to inclusion and making Earth Great again.
Bottom line: it is time for the Earth to trump Trump.
It is time to proclaim: No Arctic Drilling, No Pipelines, No to a Host of other Outrages/Make Earth Great again!
Immediately we must mobilize a potent impeachment strategy. This is at the heart of what John Lewis was saying when he said that Trump is not "legitimate." It may be that the only thing left with which Trump finally could be stopped is due process. Nothing else has been able to stop him. It may well be that at our most desperate hour, it is our own Constitution that serves as our last hope. It authorizes impeachment proceedings for rogue presidents. Impeaching Trump is a constitutionally protected act. It is an urgent necessity and may be our only hope.
Let us call up the courage of the 1960s and Civil Rights days and the spirit of Gandhi and Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi. Let us gather with all native peoples as immigrants. Let life of all spectrums and colors be welcome.
From Earth Day to the Climate March, let us sit under the elders. Let us sit with each other. Let us sit on the Earth. Let us sit together, march together, stand together, celebrating Earth together, in massive numbers all over the Earth.
With our sitting, with our marching, we will take our stand. We will sit and march and stand with loving finality and with the prayer that somehow energy is released through these actions that can effectuate everything we all hope and pray will some day grace our earth - a world in peaceful harmonious abundance with all life.