This week, we have been bombarded with a Persied shower of bad news coming at us thick , fast, and
unsustainably. Julian Assange, one
of a handful of journalists to have penetrated
the gold curtain to expose those elites who wield the power oppressing the
planet’s peoples, showing
signs of psychological torture, unable to hold a conversation; intensifying anti-abortion warfare
against women. (In fact, I even considered a headline “Growing babies for
Fun and Profit.”) But that is what is happening to women. Why? because the
birthrate is falling and the captains of capital need new consumers and new
cannon fodder to wage their perpetual wars, and operate their increasingly
lethal technology.
And just this morning, I read 75%
of congress, both houses demand #45 boost intervention in Syria, and
pressure Iran and Russia. We know the military is responsible for 93% of the
U.S. use of fossil fuel. Dahr
Jamail writes we are now at 415 ppm, the hottest this planet has ever been
in millions of years. Tornado warnings (two of them) were posted in New York
City. The market has tanked over the tariff war being waged first against
China, now Mexico. And the war makers are busy at their drawing boards
preparing the next full scale military aggression, this one against Iran.
As a coping strategy, I sometimes resort to reading
astronomy to gain a more distanced perspective. And it allows me to see that
building walls, even privatized walls on private property on a small stretch of
real estate bordering Mexico, indicates we have not yet come down from the
trees in our ability to think.
What we still refer to as migration, caravans of desperate
people, either crossing the Mediterranean, or the southern U.S. border is
really a manifestation of the planetary response to global warming—as is a
falling birthrate. I am reminded of a remarkable phenomenon I first read about
maybe 20 years ago: a migration of tiny, finger-sized frogs stretching over one
thousand miles marching across much of China.
At the time, what I found most remarkable is that that any humans had bothered
to notice at all, let alone written about it.
Immigration is our migration of frogs, living beings fleeing
one habitat, in search of a friendlier one. But we still imagine in our
pre-historic mind set we can counter vast planetary movements by building walls,
and forcing women to give birth.
How can we as the planet’s people begin to untangle our Gordian
knot? We can learn to ask questions. For example when do such signs as a
falling birthrate, and an uninterrupted migration stream become not just
political phenomena, but transcended the political domain to take on planetary
dimensions? Then we need to learn to address current political realities, not
with baby carriages, rock concerts, balloons and pussy hats. The time of Mr.
Nice Guy is over, especially when an
overwhelming 75% of congress proves itself to be warmongering. We need
to engage in serious disruption of the status quo. We need a full blown peace
movement asap. Sticking with old-style tactics in the face of rampant fascism is
tantamount to political neurosis, and leads to planetary suicide.
Next, we need to imagine clear ways to think about our
planetary dilemma. We can learn something from the predatory/prey cycles first
described by Italian physicist Vito Volterra in the 1940s, who described the
differential declines between sharks (the predator) and mackerel (the prey). Predators
continue to thrive well beyond the point where prey experience a population
crash. This concept is a useful one if we imagine human agency as predatory and
the planet as prey. It is equally useful if we imagine the entrenchment of the
elite as predator; and of the world’s oppressed people as prey.
And having learned to
think about the two domains, the political, and planetary, we need to learn to
think more clearly about planets and their civilizations as users of energy.
Astrophysicist Adam Frank, writing in Light of the Stars: alien worlds and the
fate of the Earth, proposes five planetary stages, all defined by the
way in which a planet organizes its use of energy. He sees our present planetary
dilemma as we pass now through our narrow energy use bottleneck into a Class 5
planet, as one in which we must learn to wring work and change out of sunlight.
To that end he proposes what he calls an intentional, agency-motivated civilization.
That means that humans who speak nearly 8,000 separate and
distinct languages, with their corresponding nearly 8,000 different cultures,
must somehow find common cause which allows them to overcome their differences
long enough to engage in a concerted, and coordinated effort to respond
appropriately to our present global challenge. How might we accomplish that? As
of now, we have embarked on a children-led crusade, but at present Earth is still
without any coordinated plan to accomplish what it must. Technology alone
cannot do it. It’s time to come down from the trees.
For starters, we must think locally, act globally. The
planet you live on just might be your own.
Tell dinosaurs Pelosi and Schumer: Stop war with Iran talk
at:
Tell congress to halt Saudi and Emirati arms sales now at
Urge congress to co sponsor H. Rec. 152 calling for formal
ending to Korean War at:
Sign the petition to free the Kings Bay Plowshares
peace-maker’s petition at:
End wasteful military spending (it’s a start) at:
Protect Undocumented Californians from
ICE data brokers at:
Tell congress to support the Women’s Health Protection act
at
Protect abortion rights at:
https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-overturn-roe-v-wade-1?source=share_chain
https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-overturn-roe-v-wade-1?source=share_chain
Tell Supreme Court “Don’t overturn Roe vs. Wade! Don’t
criminalize abortion at:
Best news of the week: Pilgrim Mark I nuclear reactor, same
G. E. model that exploded at Fukushima, on Cape Cod (where there was never any
way to evacuate) shuts down for good.
Foreign
Taliban claims progress made at Afghan talks in Moscow.
Glasgow City Council drops defense industry in new ethical
events policy.
BirthStrike a UK online community declare decision not to
bear children in the face of global warming and government inaction.
Israel’s settler railway runs into a snag when French trade
unions and human rights organizations band together to celebrate Alstom’s
withdrawal from Jerusalem Light Rail linking Jerusalem and West Bank
settlements.
UN chief: Fossil fuel subsidies mean using public money to
“Destroy the World.”
UN special rapporteur on torture calls for freeing Julian
Assange, claiming that Assange would likely face a political show trial were he
extradited to the U.S.
New Filipino law requires all students to plant ten trees
if they want to graduate.
In Colombia, Jesús Santrich, a representative of Colombia’s
new legal political party, Revolutionary Alternative Common Force (FARC) is
freed, and no longer faces extradition to—yes, of all things—the United States.
German activists disrupt Israeli intelligence officer
accused of painting all anti-Zionists as anti-Semitic.
Glyphosate now banned or restricted in 17 countries worldwide.
Domestic
Tide of U.S. public opinion turns in favor of Assange.
Chelsea Manning’s legal team files motion to reconsider
sanctions.
Renewable energy costs decline further, making fossils and
their backers more obsolete than ever.
76 retired U.S. generals and diplomats warn #45 against war
with Iran.
As global climate
crisis continues unabated, Alameda, California will be among first Bay
Area cities to confront major sea level rise.
Judge Carlton Reeves temporarily blocks Mississippi fetal
heartbeat law.
Sanders leads top 2020 contenders on Greenpeace climate
scorecard (while Biden wimps out dead last).
“Enough is enough” at Town Halls nation-wide, Democrats get
earfuls from constituents who demand impeachment hearing.
In Louisiana’s Death Alley, activists march for a Green New
Deal Revolution, demanding end to petrochemical pollution in Black communities.
Just one day after airline sued them for an “illegal work
shutdown,” mechanics at American Airlines, U.S. largest airline after merger
with U.S. Airways, threaten “bloodiest, ugliest battle” in U.S. labor history
New York State Appeals Court recognizes farmworkers right to
organize.
Colorado becomes first state to cap cost of insulin.
#45 sued to save eight species on the brink of extinction.
Comcast dumps ALEC (but continues attack on labor).
Judge Timothy Hillman, in a federal Massachusetts federal
court, finds that 14-year-old FCC guidelines do not bar claims by those having
EHS sensitivity to cell phones or Wi-Fi can go forward.
Activists have yet more work to do as California State
Assembly votes to pass AB 857, the local public banking bill with 41 yes votes,
the bare minimum to keep the bill alive.
AOC calls for ban on revolving door as study demonstrates
2/3 recently departed lawmakers become K street lobbyists.
Johnson $ Johnson, the big pharma company that brings you
tendon destruction, is on trial in Oklahoma for its role in the opioid crisis
with production of fentanyl.
SCOTUS declines to hear challenge to inclusive Pennsylvania
school district bathroom policy in victory for transgender students.
Maine becomes 17th state to ban conversion
therapy.
More than 200 economists send letter to congress endorsing
medicare for all.
As Pence warns U.S. “can more than double” tariffs on China,
treasury note yield tumbles.
Unless Democrats develop spine to impeach, professor who
correctly predicted last 9 presidential
elections says #45 will win in 2020.
Thanks to advocates and legislature support, Oklahoma passes
bill expediting commutation process for misdemeanor offenses, and stops
revocations back to prison for people still under probate for felonies no
longer existing.
Border congressional members, among them Xochitl
Torres-Small, and Henry Cuellar and Veronica Escobar send letter to House
Appropriation requesting grants be made to FEMA to reimburse governmental and
NGO groups along border providing humanitarian assistance to refugees released by
ICE and CBP.
Pioneer Valley Workers Center announces formation by seven
members of a new farm coop.
Following mass protests in St. Louis, Missouri’s last
abortion clinic safe for now under federal judge’s order.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposes rule limiting
what debt collectors can do to pursue overdue bills.
Baltimore teachers manage to unseat sore loser incumbents.
Pentagon fails audit: Asks for a raise.
Man suspected of rhino poaching killed by elephant, and devoured by lions.
Climate-denying administration rebrands fossil fuels as "Freedom Gas" (like Freedom Fries but greasier).
Big tobacco funds McConnell, who pledges he won't get cancer.
Geographically challenged: Florida Gov. de Santis sued over state meeting in Jerusalem.
Pentagon fails audit: Asks for a raise.
Man suspected of rhino poaching killed by elephant, and devoured by lions.
Climate-denying administration rebrands fossil fuels as "Freedom Gas" (like Freedom Fries but greasier).
Big tobacco funds McConnell, who pledges he won't get cancer.
Geographically challenged: Florida Gov. de Santis sued over state meeting in Jerusalem.
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