Dear mindful rebels,
Inspired by invitations from frontline and indigenous leaders to stand up for environmental justice, we are joining with other local Buddhist and mindfulness groups to support the People vs. Fossil Fuels week of direct action at the White House October 11-15th. The organizers are expecting hundreds of people to travel to DC to risk arrest and call for Pres. Biden to live up to his promises and 1) stop approving new fossil fuel infrastructure projects and 2) declare a Climate Emergency. The climate crisis is already being felt most acutely by disadvantaged communities, but President Biden can take action now (on his own) to reduce the impacts on communities here in the US and around the world. If you can only coming to one action with us this year, choose this one!
We encourage you to join as many days as you can Monday the 11th thru Friday the 15th. On Tuesday, October 12, as a group, we are joining a convergence of the Buddhist/mindfulness community and other people of faith. Key details:
· Please sign up here to let the organizers of the main event know how many people to expect and learn the action agreements. You're also encouraged but not required to respond to this email to let us know you're coming.
· Join the Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) training in McPherson Square at 6:00 pm on Monday, October 11 (and/or at 6 pm any evening the the night before you plan to take action); plans for the following day's action will be reviewed and a legal briefing provided.
· On Tuesday, meet in McPherson Square between 7:30-8:00 am. We will gather in the southeast corner of the Square and will have signs identifying Buddhists + Mindfulness practitioners.
· The organizers of the week are requiring everyone to be vaccinated to attend. Anytime between Sunday and Tuesday morning, please visit a registration tent upon arrival at McPherson Square to show your vaccination certificate (a picture of it is acceptable) and receive a wristband.
· We will make the short walk from McPherson Square to the White House together with the larger Faith contingent at 8:00 and join the sit-in.
· Those who do NOT wish to be arrested can leave the sit-in if and when the police give a warning of arrest. We don't know what action the police may take; they may allow the sit-in to continue without any intervention.
· Depending on the outcome and duration of the sit-in, there may be a gathering of the Buddhist/mindfulness group in the afternoon before returning to McPherson Square at 3:00 pm to participate in a sharing/debriefing event with one another and with others in the Faith Delegation.
We are excited and hopeful about this event, which offers a unique opportunity to create a more visible Buddhist presence in the ongoing fight against fossil fuels at this critical time, as well as support indigenous and front-line activists fighting for environmental justice in communities across the U.S.
Also, in the evening of Friday October 15th, XRDC will have a cathartic Truth Blasting Parade! The chapter will be dancing out climate anxiety and sharing climate truth. More details will be forthcoming in the main XRDC newsletter.
We're looking forward to seeing some of you next week!
XRDC Buddhists + Meditators
0 comments:
Post a Comment