Photo by Chad Stembridge on Unsplash | Sanerism is the path.
The climate is collapsing now. How can a movement (our movement) proceed effectively depending on who wins this election?
It’s difficult to know what is in people’s hearts, but it’s what they DO that’s important. So, even though neither Harris nor Trump will do enough to prevent climate collapse, it does matter who wins. But in another way, it doesn’t matter.
Whoever wins, The Saners will persevere and work to stabilize the collapsing ecosphere and build a better civilization. And it’s doable under ANY administration.
HOW we do it will depend, in part, on the administration that’s elected. But neither administration will stop us.
Remember that movements have succeeded in defeating even the most brutal of dictators, so a friendly-ish government is beneficial but hardly necessary for a well-run movement to achieve its aims.
Right, Left and Center
In Harris, we have a rather traditional normal administration. Harris is very likely a well-meaning person who is “realistic” and “pragmatic.” She is schooled in politics as “the art of the possible.”
That’s how you get administrations that slightly tighten some environmental regulations - while loosening others and opening more federal lands for drilling. We can expect a Harris administration to get what little she can. She’d be part of a governnment that includes all the influences of Big Oil and other soulless profiteers.
The truth is, even a genuinely passionate climate-focused president - such as Al Gore who we elected in 2000, but the SCOTUS nixed - could do only a tiny bit (given the chance which he wasn’t) when a whole lot is absolutely required.
Harris is the Centrist, and Gore - at least on the climate issue - was something of a Leftist.
So, the most extreme protector of the climate within the system can have only very modest effects, and would be unable to even slow down the destruction by much.
Meanwhile, right-wing extremists like Bush and Trump go full speed, accelerating destruction on behalf of Big Oil.
Yet Trump is another animal. He is unrestrained and brutal. He — unlike George W. Bush— is an overt authoritarian who would gleefully shoot down peaceful protesters.
For this reason, as well as his threat to accelerate climate destruction now - when the collapse has begun - is (one reason) why I am passionately supporting Harris, and trying to defeat Trump.
But the truth is, The Saners can succeed under any administration. The strategy would be the same but the tactics would be adapted to the conditions in play.
You defy Gorbachev differently than you defy Stalin. The former won’t shoot at you when you employ nonviolent noncooperation to dismember the Soviet Empire.
Chances of Success
The Saners chance of success depends on many things: growth of the movement, selection and execution of tactics…and luck. But I don’t think success will be determined by which administration is elected. We can win either way. In most cases, under an over authoritarian, movements need to used tactics of dispersal-not concentration. That is, we don’t openly mass in one place. We, instead, would be everywhere in smaller numbers and thus nearly impossible to easily suppress.
But remember this. The cost of success in human life and unnecessary suffering would be greater under Trump. He would shoot unarmed peaceful protesters. That’s one reason I am canvassing for Harris. I desperately want to prevent that. And to prevent a national abortion ban. And prevent another Muslim ban. And to prevent other evils.
As for Gaza, if you think Trump will be nicer to Palestinians, you are stark-raving mad.
It is The Saners—who oppose all violence and defend human rights for everyone with nonviolent noncooperation—who can help that abysmal situation.
What We Do Now. What We Do NEXT.
We need to build our numbers and begin small actions. We need to be visible enough to spread our ideas, and make our agenda and approach well-know.
Today, ordinary people defying authorities to save the climate is seen as a fringe. It must become the core. It won’t be as long as climate activists are seen as soup-throwing, highway blocking “extremists” (which is silly because Big Oil ruining the entire Earth are the actual extremists).
Our clean cut and cheerful movement of nonviolent noncooperation-a deceptively aggressive movement-must grow, build and learn to execute actions. We must show people a beautiful and attainable alternative to the insanity we have today.
Nice thoughts but far short about idea with examples of “nonviolent, noncooperation.” Could someone elaborate and elucidate please?
There are many examples of nonviolent noncooperation. It is difficult to summarize. But there are many, many examples, including the desegregation of the racist American South, the ending of the Soviet Empire, and the removal of countless dictators. My favorite example is how 5 ordinary college students in Serbia created a movement that removed the dictator Slobodan Milosevic.