Editor’s note: This is part of TNR’s Letters to Legislators Series.
Dear Governor Scott,
As you are certainly aware, during the week of September 20-27 climate change activists around the world will participate in a “Global Climate Strike and Week of Actions.” The objective is to promote acts of civil disobedience in order to intimidate governments into adopting more militant climate change agenda.
Rob Roper: As you know, the climate change activists have already successfully — and illegally — disrupted a session of the Vermont House, stopped the Strolling of the Heifers parade in Brattleboro, and shut down traffic in downtown Montpelier.
Here in Vermont, climate activists are currently holding training sessions to teach people how to disrupt and/or shut down events, block roadways, close off buildings, and to skip school and work in order to impact policy decisions. Here is the email sent out by “Sonia” of 350.org, Bill McKibben’s activist group, on July 18:
One of the ways you can start preparing is to join us for a Nonviolent Direct Action training – a powerful tool for social change! If you’re looking to be part of impactful actions in September and beyond, or want to take your activism to the next level, then these trainings are for you.
These workshops will be hands-on and interactive. Through role plays and experiential activities, we will learn the importance of collective action and its connection to collective liberation, the basics of NVDA (nonviolent direct action) theory, creative tactics for shutting things down to spotlight injustice, and legal factors to consider, all with a focus on how to use NVDA strategically within a campaign.
Please join us:
Wednesday, July 31, 6-8pm, Grace Church, Rutland. Click here to register. Co-sponsored by Climate Disobedience Center.
Sunday, August 18, 10am-4pm, Bugbee Center, White River Junction. Click here to register. Co-sponsored by Climate Disobedience Center and Extinction Rebellion.
Saturday, September 7, 10am-4pm, Burlington. Click here to register. Co-sponsored by Climate Disobedience Center.
Click here to pledge to join youth and adults around the world in striking on Sept. 20! If you’d like to get involved in organizing strikes and actions in Vermont, contact Leif: mobilize@350vt.org.
See you in the streets! Sonia and the 350Vermont Team
As you know, the climate change activists have already successfully — and illegally — disrupted a session of the Vermont House, stopped the Strolling of the Heifers parade in Brattleboro, and shut down traffic in downtown Montpelier. Sometime very soon 350.org will bus activists to Bow, New Hampshire in an attempt to surround and shut down the coal-burning Merrimack Station, that supplies 440 Mw of reliable electricity to the New England grid.
While we strongly support the First Amendment rights of concerned citizens in a free society to speak their piece and to associate to advance their interests, we also understand the need for rule of law as well as the protection of the rights of citizens going about their business who want no part of this kind of mob action.
To this end, we would like your assurance that:
- you and your public safety officials are well aware of what’s coming.
- you have plans in place for preventing or minimizing the impact of these actions on the lawful activities of non-participants.
- you are fully prepared to support the arrest and prosecution of persons who break the law, and
- you will insist that persons convicted of organizing and fomenting these disruptions actually serve time in the appropriate correctional institution, during which they can reflect on how their wrongful behavior seriously inconvenienced and harmed police departments, businesses, schools, utility managers, and their fellow citizens.
Thank you for your urgent consideration.
As a public policy organization, we would also like to know what changes in Vermont’s criminal statutes might be necessary and desirable to enable law enforcement and prosecutors to more effectively deter and punish similar actions in the future.
Respectfully,
Robert Roper
President
Ethan Allen Institute
Due to Phil Scotts’ enjoining of self to VT Progressives – the closeted Marxist wing of the Democrat party – preferring the more normalized version of ‘socialist’…or socialist if one prefers…I feel quite comfortable calling Benedict Scott Comrade Phil.
This Devils Handshake form of government has been identified as a “centrist freeze” aka triangulation or a form of it.
Both parties create a fascistic alliance aka one-party rule solely to stay in power. By agreeing to the demands of the dominant party which in VT is the Progressive – aka Marxist – rather than staking policy positions which benefit the people this allows cowardly lion Comrade Phil to stay in power…but also negates any reason for a Dem/Prog challenge as its an easy business-as-usual status quo where the laundrylist of Prog pipedreams are now low-hanging fruit.
This is why personally pledge no fealty to the Republican hopeful simply bc its the choice of party bosses.
Comrade Phil has turned out to be an epic fail just as Peter-the-shnoz Shumlin was for Dems and all of us really. Someone check the Exec office water cooler on fifth foor pls.
Voted for him once and left gov choice blank until Scott. Voted for this traitor once…then either write-in for Stern or surrogate. Interestingly Stern had a good showing which should be a wakeup, Annette Smith also did far better than I expected.
Not willing to continue business as usual or we will continue with status quo usualness.
We need someone who will go big and take on the Communists of the VSSR and use vetopen exec power to reject what leftist legislature coughs up during session, shakeup the VT Employees Union, close agencies where possible, issue school vouchers and open magnet schools, and truley take back our state. Go big ir go home.
Editor/Webmaster: Offtopic alert, feel free to delete above two comments by stardust…should have been and since have been posted to “John Klar: Contesting the progressives’ takeover of Vermont”.
Sorry for mixup – stardust
I disagree. Would not have read those comments had I not visited THIS page. Timely “mixup”.
The only constant is change. Their strike will not stop it, no matter what politicians do, which is usually nothing, except, pass some new taxes. How naive.
Perhaps we could shut down some of their classes when they’re not out protesting. I’m sure they’d appreciate that.
Normal people who just want to live and let live will be disrupted according to all reports. Here’s what I think. If people are too ignorant and keep voting for these disruptions and do good-er groups supported by out of state money, then let them suffer. I believe it’s the only way you will finally wake up those who just refuse to stand up to bullies. I would have never thought that my birth state would turn into this circus of the unusual. Let the Mad Hatter fiasco begin and watch the complaints from those who have ignored the political take over of Vermont. Groups here and groups there all asking for your money to steal your freedom and you give them more. Hey, enjoy your stress but keep voting for the same party that allows this to happen. Welcome to QZ!
Thanks, Rob, for making such a clear statement.
This civil disobedience is a disgrace. Teaching children how to interfere with normal life for a trumped up excuse of climate change. What are you thinking? Or are you even thinking! You should all be locked up and the key thrown away.
We do believe and follow the Constitution, your freedom of speech ” Protest ” but when your
agenda stops every day ” Citizens ” from there normal duties, things like a Job an appointment
or just ” don’t ” want to hear your nonsense and you imped this …….That the problem !!
Strike all you want for any and all nonsense that’s floating around your nimble little mind, and
I hope law enforcement handles it swift & firm …………..Officers If help is needed, just ask any hardworking Vermonter !!