Extinction Rebellion

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/­2019/nov/20/extinction-rebellion-founder­s-holocaust-remarks-spark-fury

Incredible.

Twice in 17 hours, who would have believed it.

Yeah, was a reply to you, that is why the link is quoted.

Ah, I see now.

Probably would have helped if I'd hit the reply button. Ho hum.

Please don't. At this point I'd vote Brexit party if they promised to get rid of that damn thing.

I love these comic strips that came out of Occupy. They seem kinda relevant to this thread:
https://srslywrong.com/reconciliation/occupy-comix/

Bleat.

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And from the man himself:
A response to the article in Die Zeit:
I am very sorry for the words I used. And I wish to apologize for the hurt and offense they have caused.
My intention was the exact opposite of "downplaying the Holocaust". It's because of the unspeakable horror of the Holocaust that in talking to the German press, I was referring to it as the way to communicate the unimaginable tragedy of what is happening now today with climate change and ecological collapse around the world.
The Holocaust led to all of Europe saying "Never again", yet we’re not seriously acknowledging and acting on what is unfolding before our eyes, as we pump ever greater quantities of CO2 and other pollutants into our atmosphere, while simultaneously tightening
immigration controls, already turning whole regions of the world into dead zones, especially the oceans.
In the interview I talked about the “terrible emotionality which Auschwitz caused” (which did not appear in Die Zeit’s free short article) as a way to highlight the lack of emotionality regarding the climate crisis and the unfolding genocide that is already claiming countless lives in the Global South and some in the North with increasing heat waves and floods.
The world needs to pierce the denial on the horror that climate breakdown and ecological collapse will bring them, unless there is an urgent and radical change of course on many fronts. The worst impacts can still be averted, but slow acting governments, a global media that downplays climate change in favour of sensationalism, or even promotes climate scepticism, are preventing the change we need from happening.
I realise that in the interview I got sidetracked into an unnecessary debate about where the Holocaust sits in terms of horrific genocides. I see now my cultural insensitivity. I understand that such a debate is obscene and offensive, in particular for all those who remain haunted by memories of what occurred and for all those who lost people they loved.
I am sorry for the crass words that I used. I do not feel the need to apologise for drawing attention to the genocide that is happening now. We must learn from the past, from tragedies like the Holocaust and other genocides, to prevent the horror of the near
future. Despite my poorly phrased statement, I still strongly demand action on the preventable genocide that so many are ignoring across the world.

Roger Hallam may have been one of the people who started XR but he certainly doesn't represent it in its entirety. It is very clearly a non hierarchical group and he hardly holds sway on all tactics and actions. He's one guy, clearly a bit of a loon who has some questionable opinions on the holocaust.

XR will continue to fight against the trend for global ecocide with or without Roger Hallam

XR Critical Mass this Sunday

Bikes against Bulldozers: the big Heathrow lie-in

https://www.facebook.com/events/s/bikes-against-bulldozers-the-b/2444825619139598/

Details below and in the Facebook link

https://t.me/joinchat/NDJ0NFTL8h645TBk-nSkZg

Boris Johnson said: "John McDonnell, I will join you. I will lie down in front of those bulldozers and stop the construction of that third runway." In the upcoming election what are our political parties doing to meet the UK's legal target of net zero by 2050? Or XR's second demand of net zero by 2025? The building of a third runway is incompatible with either target!

We need investment in cycling infrastructure NOT fossil fuel infrastructure if we are to prevent social and economic collapse!

On this day cyclist will reclaim the streets from Hyde Park to Heathrow in a critical mass ride of epic proportions to invite Boris Johnson and John McDonnell to fulfil their pledges and meet us at Heathrow to lie down in front of our giant inflatable bulldozer. Johnson's empty words are an example of the hypocrisy and greenwashing evident from all political parties - that is why we declare ourselves in rebellion against the political system which has let us to the six mass-extinction and the climate crisis.

We declare ourselves in rebellion against the rules of the road that put car users before vulnerable cyclists - we are all vulnerable, vulnerable to food shortages, vulnerable to water shortages, to power outages and vulnerable to the climate and ecological breakdown.

Our critical mass will cause disruption but just a token disruption to make real in a small way the catastrophe that is sure to come if political will is not bent towards tackling this emergency.

Fly flags and play music and wave bulldozer banners to show that we do what we do with joy and hope that we can still make a difference - that we can still change course to brighter future.
Join the Telegram chat now for details and to share ideas about how we can make this one to remember! https://t.me/joinchat/NDJ0NFTL8h645TBk-nSkZg

Direct action right here folx

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That's a lot of grim bees.

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🔔 UPDATE 🔔 A large demonstration group of cyclists are riding towards Heathrow area by an undefined route.. The demonstrators are heading westbound on the A4 between Hammersmith and Hogarth Roundabout. Expect delays.

https://twitter.com/TfLTrafficNews/status/1203640171138371584

Some shit going on in Venice where the XR brand has been used for "violent and obscene" graffiti. Local XR group has publically disassociated itself - but it's so easy for anyone to do, whether not-on-message but genuine activists, or people deliberately trying to discredit or give bad press to the group.

yea, stuff like this happens

Scottish branch claims 3 activists have boarded a gas rig in Dundee harbour belonging to Shell. Gas production rigs are generally stationary, so they might mean a drill rig. But the only Shell vessel I can see in Dundee is an FPSO called Curlew that's there for cleanup before it's sent to Turkey for scrapping. Hopefully they'll post photos at some point?

Update - it's a Valaris-owned drill rig that Shell had an option on Nov 20-Apr 21.

Does anyone know of groups working at trying to wrap the idea of living within the planets limitations in a positive way? Ive become acutely aware of how much our generation takes being able to jump on a plane or in car for granted and to do otherwise feels like society thinks Im the one wearing a hair shirt.

Theres been so much talk these days of this post material economy but the experiential economy is probably no better for the planet. Id love to see a framing of what i see as necessary societal change in a positive way celebrating local spaces, locally produced food and the joys of repairing rather than picking up something new.

Extinction Rebellion has been like a breath of fresh air but I believe it needs a carrot as well as stick if were to get people to change and feel good about it. Does this ring a bell for anyone and is anyone doing interesting stuff in this space.

Sounds like you are looking for an organisation like the Transition Towns movement

Noting that more and more people are claiming to be XR spokesmen but aren't anything more that self serving psycho/sociopath attention seekers that jump on any bandwagon that gives them the attention that they grave.

Is there any point in discussing Hallam's comments?

Extension rebellion sounds too.mich like an apocalyptic cult is you read some.of what the groups writes.

I saw on the groups logos.on a VW 70s camper van
Very petrol powered and inefficient. It's that kind of irony that makes folk think the group is not shall we say in the real world. I woder how many of the groups supporter drop e to work this morning or where driven. I ride daily. That does not make me a saint but encouraging that instead of apocalyptic doom and gloom will have more success in the long run.

The groups leader needs to u understand making the group sound like your preppers marginalised it. Yes preppers
They prepare for impending global doom. I see no difference between he physiology of preppers and and exction rebellion activists. There always an apocalypse to prepare for. It practically religious. Christianity has the apocalypse to prepare for by doing gods work so your soul is saved or that's one interpretation of the more fundamentalist strand of the religion. Same thinking. It turns most folk off.

I think you've completely missed XR's point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjMmq09BCEA&frags=pl%2Cwn

Never mind, you're not alone. But I strongly suggest if you are really bothered by climate breakdown you try to do something about it.
Loosely it can be broken down into two things: Do what you can do, and persuade the major causes of climate breakdown to do something about it.
What you can do is relatively tiny and ineffectual, but it helps and it makes you feel good.
Putting pressure on governments institutions and the media has a massive impact.
That's what XR is doing, and for a young organisation breaking new ground with entirely new structures and ideas it is having a remarkable impact. Sure it's a bit whack at times, not everything works as planned, but even the queen thinks it is commendable.

Seven arrests from the drilling rig occupation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-51008524

I think you've completely missed XR's point.

I think so too.

Your posts are bordering on illegible (for me). I mention it because I value your input.