No One is Coming to Save Us
Today hope seems to be a stone in the pit of my stomach, heavy and sick-making. I dared to hope that the election in the UK, which returned a labour Government, would deliver a more just society, people that cared about people and the natural world, who would take action on the eco-crisis. So far they’ve titivated with policy (lifting the wind farm ban and ensuring the rail network in public ownership when their franchises end). Nothing major and game-changing has been announced, simply more of the same - ‘growth’ and ‘economy’ the biggest concerns. And today a convicted criminal has been elected to the Whitehouse, controlling one of the most powerful economies in the world. Despair trumps hope today (pun intended. You’ve got to try and smile…)
The current president is likely to pursue policies which would put many people in the US and other parts of the world at risk of suffering, hardship and potentially, escalating conflict. His proposed policies on The UN, Israel, Ukraine and women’s rights - to mention a few - could have devastating consequences. I’m not political commentator and have no clue about the intricacies of US or even UK politics. However, I do know we need to forge strongholds of decency and security in what is an increasingly scary and turbulent world.
I can do nothing about the election result today, apart from to acknowledge my feelings of despair and dislocation. I avoided the social media circus for the most part and kept my head down in work, making food, walking the dog on the beach - the ordinary extraordinary actions that go to make up a life. And that’s what we need to do, I guess, carry on, but we can’t ’carry on regardless’ as the war sentiment extols. We must carry on with intent. We need to lean into our communities- those whose positivity and action make a difference. We need to be architects and activists in our own story and that of our communities. We need to be players not substitutes, waiting on the sidelines. How this looks will be different for everyone. If you feel isolated, seek out people with similar interests and make your own community, draw in others. We are only powerless if we believe we are. We may not have the billions of the power-crazy dictators and would-be demi-god-dictators, but people power is power nonetheless. You only have to look at the history of resistance across the world to see what can be achieved.
Acknowledge your sadness and despair today, this week and use it to motivate you. You are not alone. You are not powerless. The ending has not been decided. We can still re-write history. Use your skills and creativity to do what you can. The time for worrying about what people think or being uncomfortable has long since passed. No one is coming to save us: not Keir Starmer, certainly not Donald Trump, Superman or Superwoman come to that. We are not on our own, however, there are millions of us who believe in a fair and just world for everyone and everything; who value life on earth in whatever shape it takes; who have values of decency, justice, fairness and care - it’s powerful stuff.
So, a clarion call from the indomitable spirit of Maya Angelou - and so many others - ‘And Still I Rise’ - Let’s rise up. Now is the time for courage.
If you don’t know where to start, check out your local transition group or community group, involved in climate action.
https://transitionnetwork.org/
Large organisations like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Amnesty work for climate and world justice and have local spin off’s. Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion both have local action groups. Also check out the Climate Action Network.
https://climatenetwork.org/
I have been very disappointed by the Labour government so far, and saddened by the US election result. Yesterday I watched Shirley, the biopic of Shirley Chisholm, a black woman who sought the Democrat nomination to run for President in 1972. It's an inspiring film, but sobering too, but certainly an ideal film to watch just now (available on Netflix only as far as I know).