“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” – Desmond Tutu
Nelson Mandela passed away over 5 months ago now. But he keeps popping into my head, and he continues to captivate the public conscience.
It is rare these days to hear a public figure speak with such conviction and such eloquence about the capacity of people and the possibility of doing better.
There is a line in Eknath Easwaran’s preface to The Essential Gandhi where he reflects on Gandhi’s leadership in Indian social movements and he says, “Called to be more than human, we looked around and saw that we were capable of it.”
Desmond Tutu expressed a similar sentiment recently, when he added his voice to the fossil fuel divestment movement, calling for an “apartheid-style boycott to save the planet“.
We face great challenges, globally. But we stand on the shoulders of giants. Giants who have modeled non-violent, creative, courageous, moral leadership, who saw beyond what was “politically viable” or what “tested well in focus groups”. Who have been part of movements that challenged us, and changed our world.
The words and actions of these folks are worth remembering, if and when the looming clouds of despair linger around you too long.
It’s part of why I am so excited to be part of hosting Rev Lennox Yearwood, of the Hip Hop Caucus for #BoldAction: The Moral Call for Climate Justice. In Vancouver, the evening of June 10th. More details below (and to be announced).
We stand on the shoulders of giants – individuals and movements – who believed so deeply in us that we rose to the challenge. Sometimes it’s helpful to be reminded of that possibility.
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News and Upcoming Events:
BoldAction: The Moral Call for Climate Justice
SAVE THE DATE:
Tuesday, June 10th, 7pm
Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard Street, Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory
Tickets online at: http://boldaction.eventbrite.ca
Featuring: Rev Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus, Sean Devlin of Truthfool Communications, + More!
Hosted by Spirited Social Change, Fossil Free Canada, the Social Change Institute, and local campus groups
Article: Divestment Strategy
