Reaction vs. Response

This past week, Notre Dame, iconic image of Paris, where all roads converge—that is all the national roads of France converge at a spot on the terrace of Notre Dame Cathedral— the heart of Paris is Notre Dame.  So we could say that the heart of France is Notre Dame.

 

And this past week the heart of France went up in flames.

Some images:

 

 

This past year saw the unusual weather events that characterize the acute phase of climate collapse: floods, droughts, crop failures, and immolations of entire forests and ecosystems by fire.

Some images:

 

 

This week saw the stricken faces of urban people, registering their reaction:

Some images:

 

What is the appropriate response when your planet is burning?

La Defense: Gilets jaunes joined by 14 enviro-groups

Please watch: 

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=3daIhMb6bVo

Sign: any new DHS secretary must denounce family separation at border at

https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petition/sign-the-petition-stop-all-dhs-secretary-nominees-unless-they-denounce-family-separation?detail=emailLL&link_id=11&can_id=655968a96e1bce05c463b2f640bf633c&source=email-why-the-highlander-attack-matters&email_referrer=email_530323&email_subject=why-the-highlander-attack-matters

Demand Blackrock, Vanguard and Fidelity use their power to fight climate change at

https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/demand-blackrock-vanguard?akid=232337.15341099.9Xu6v6&rd=1&source=mo.mp&t=6

Poke: dino-Pelosi to promote a less Mesozoic vision for the Democratic Party at

https://act.credoaction.com/sign/pelosi-lead-now?sp_ref=.4.195643.e.630417.2&referring_akid=32292.6821551.fiOKfu&source=mailto_sp

Sign on in support of the Declaration of the Embassy Protection Collective at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rHfMYmmNCF53YjiI70_jjIaDL5-pe1LM5Tj8ki7xUmk/viewform?edit_requested=true

And donate to the Collective at https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7315/donate_page/now

 

Foreign

Appropriate response: Decrying ‘toxic alliance’ of Macron and polluters, 14 climate campaigner groups join yellow vests to stage one of France’s largest acts of civil Disobedience: 8-hours-long occupation of La Défense, blockading Total Oil, Société Général Bank, and Eléctricité de France.

Appropriate response: Extinction Rebellion shuts down European cities.

Appropriate response: On Day 2, Extinction rebellion still occupies Oxford Circus, still parties on Waterloo Bridge.

Appropriate response: Extinction Rebellion climate protests divert London police.

Appropriate response: Brussels becomes first major city to halt 5G due to health effects.

EU condemns U.S. after #45 triggers ‘illegal’ and drastic Cuba sanctions.

Norway aviation firm orders 60 all-electric airplanes.

French court finds Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning.

Canada plans to make animal testing illegal.

North Korea wins WTO appeal on  Fukushima seafood ban.

Fire fighters save devastated Notre Dame from total destruction as workers scramble to save art works.

Appropriate response: Yellow Vest Act 22 reaches 30,000 people, despite repression.

Appropriate response: Jacunda Forest Reserve along River Madeira preserves trees and lowers emissions in Rubber Tapper Reserves, protecting forests and providing indigenous folks with jobs,

Appropriate response: Amazon’s sacred headwaters summit strengthens alliance across borders.

Appropriate response: Indigenous peoples go to court to stop Amazon from oil company greed.

Appropriate response: Berne organizes national demonstration to stop 5G on May 10.

Branding Israel with mark of Cain, South Africa breaks off diplomatic relations.

U.S. planes, tractors on EU tariff list over Boeing.

Venezuela skirts U.S. sanctions by funneling oil sales via Russia.

Appropriate response: Sudan protesters demand immediate civilian rule.

Edinburgh science festival to ban fossil fuel firm sponsorship deals.

New Zealand to be first with UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples Plan.

Domestic

Appropriate response: Four valve turners (farmers and Catholic Workers pipeline protesters) plead necessity defense before 12-person grand jury.

Appropriate response: Activists scale FERC building, demand Congress replace it with FREC: Federal Renewable Energy Commission.

Appropriate response: New York City Council passes sweeping climate bill.

U. S. arrests medical professionals in illegal opioid distribution.

  

Washington State passes public option.

Bernie Sanders rises from gadfly to front runner.

Warren, Markey, Pressley to join launch of Sunrise Movement’s 250-city road to a Green New Deal tour.

LA teacher’s union passes resolution to ensure safety from wireless technology.

Montana marchers demand justice and safety for indigenous women.

Traditional owners fighting Adano Coal Mine mount fresh legal challenge.

Appropriate response: Indigenous activists set up protest camp at South Texas Cemetery to stop #45 wall.

Starbucks, Subway, Adidas, Evocative, For the Better Good, Ecoffee, and Rimping plan to ditch plastic containers.

House cancels vote on Pentagon increase.

Bill passes making Maryland first state to ban foam food containers.

North Carolina orders Duke Energy to close all coal ash ponds in state.

32 and counting: #45 loses 32 California lawsuits.

ACLU demands investigation into pro-#45 fascist militia detaining migrants.

Appropriate response: Chef Bruno Serato, whose mother once made him cook a meal for a hungry child, has now served three million meals! (He’s an immigrant.)

Family separation: Asylum seeker and son reunited after 324 days apart.

Hunger strikes draw attention to denial of parole and bond  denied at ICE detention centers.

Appropriate response: 59 cities in 23 states and D.C. sign up to sponsor demonstrations against 5G on May 15^th.

Philadelphia DA to drop challenge in Abu-Jamal case, clearing appeal to higher court.

Appropriate response: Activists opposed to Venezuelan opposition takeover of diplomatic buildings stage 24/7 vigil to protect Georgetown embassy.

Man accused of threatening Rep. Omar remains behind bars.

Federal Court rules cities cannot criminalize homelessness.

Appropriate response: Cuban Five hero declares solidarity with Julian Assange.

Robert Mueller delivers exhaustive account of #45 efforts to head off or undermine Russia probe, all but inviting Congress (don’t hold your breath) to take action.

AG (Dis)Barr calls Wikileaks publisher innocent: “Under applicable law, publication of these types of materials would not be criminal unless the publisher also participated in the underlying hacking conspiracy.”

Question: What do you think constitutes an appropriate response?