Media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, February 17, 2024

Today, The Saners movement executed a unique and unusual action aimed at uniting all sane and caring people, to get them focused on and actively supporting immediate and serious climate action for the planet.

Acting on behalf of the group, founder Ray Katz demonstrated how opposing factions on a contentious issue—in this case women’s choice vs. anti-abortion advocates—could remain opponents on that issue, but unite in common cause for the immediate and long-term future of the Earth.

Delivering coffee and donuts to both sides in front of Planned Parenthood at 1144 Locust Street, Mr. Katz handed a bag of donuts to each side, along with cups. But the coffee was supplied in a cardboard box with a dispenser and, he notes, both sides would need to share. The Saners intends to enlist support of activists currently focused on other issues (all sides!) to consider actively supporting a movement to protect our common planetary home.

The Saners is a dynamic non-violent movement advocating for an immediate worldwide emergency program, led by climate scientists, to slash fossil fuel use and repair the planet. They are also proposing to reform civilization itself to establish a more humane and sustainable society, respecting life and Nature.

The group takes its name based on the contention that to destroy the habitability of the planet we all live on, or to allow others to. do so, is literally insane.

CONTACT:

Ray Katz
ray@wearesaners.org

HERE IS THE TEXT OF THE NOTE DELIVERED ALONG WITH COFFEE AND DONUTS

To escorts and protesters—

I’m a climate activist with a nonviolent grass roots movement called The Saners. (WeAreSaners.org).

To be honest, I’m not too involved with other issues.

As you know, things are looking bad everywhere. Some mornings, it’s hard to even get out of bed. And yet, strangely, when I look at the conflict in front of Planned Parenthood, instead of fear and despair—I feel hope. Because although I favor one side (I’m a donor to Planned Parenthood) and strongly oppose the other (I don’t believe a zygote is a child)—I see people standing in the cold because they believe in something and they care. That’s true of both sides.

Meanwhile, as this and other conflicts continue, the Earth is being cooked with fossil fuels and nothing meaningful is being done to protect our planet. All children—born and unborn—are in deadly danger, unless we quickly and effectively address the climate crisis.

Last week, as I walked home from an errand, I passed Planned Parenthood. Escorts were lined up on one side and protesters on the other. I thanked the escorts for their work, and even had a friendly exchange with the protesters.

But we can’t ignore the climate crisis because that will overwhelm everything else. And while we are at it…do we need to be locked in the same pattern of mutual anger, fear and hostility forever? Can’t we disagree—even fiercely—and yet remember each other’s humanity?

Let’s try something different!

Today, I am bringing you coffee and donuts.

Each side is getting a bag of donuts. But the coffee? You will NEED TO SHARE. You are getting your own cups, but there’s one box of coffee with a dispenser. You don’t need to love each other. But you can treat each other with dignity.

We all pop out of nothingness and into short mysterious lives, and then we are gone. How will we spend that precious and rare time? Fighting for a cause? Sure. But let’s also try to be kind to each other as we go through this strange and wonderful and terrifying experience.

Enjoy the coffee and donuts.

I’ll be back to see how everyone is doing. On a Saturday afternoon. Ideally, with more coffee and donuts. Let’s try to be responsible adults and keep the Earth habitable for everyone’s children. I hope we can all agree to do that.

Ray
ray@wearesaners.org