Charles - AND OTHERS,
The introduction to your email (whether or not it originated with you) is
literally "care"less and gratuitously insulting to those, like myself, who,
for whatever reason, do not,or indeed, perhaps CANNOT, have children. It
gives a very strong impression that anyone who does not have children is
somehow inherently selfish - and, speaking as someone who has been active in
the environmental movement for over 30 years and trying to influence others
to be similarly unselfish and to husband the resources of the planet I find
your email grossly insulting.
It may well be that it was not intended to be so - which is why I
categorised it as lacking "care" - but if you are to achieve any kind of
true COMMUNITY action you really must BE more careful. As it happens we
would have loved to have children but have been unable to do so - but that
does not mean we have ever sought to be selfish with the earth's resources.
I would be obliged if you tried to ensure that this message gets the same
circulation as the original message, so that others who are childless,
whether voluntarily or otherwise, can feel INCLUDED in the action you
propose for a "rolling blackout". It is a neat publicity ploy but I fear it
may have backfired by the uncaring introduction.
Yours sincerely
Keith Melton - DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN
BUSINESS AT NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY, UK - a lifelong environmental
activist, married 30 years but involuntarily childless!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: charles banks [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 18 June 2001 17:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fw: Blackout
if you have no children or grandchildren and have no intention of having
any, or if you really don't care about the health of the planet your
grandchildren might inherit, please ignore this message and forgive
the inconvenience.
---------------------------------------------------
"BLACK OUT THE PLANET" INTERNATIONAL PROTEST
MIDSUMMER EVENING
JUNE 21, 2001 THURS EVE,
7-10pm worldwide, all time zones
---------------------------------------------------
In protest at US President's George W. Bush's energy and environmental
policies, and at his failure to acknowledge the significance of efficiency,
conservation and alternative fuels, there will be a voluntary rolling
blackout on the evening of the solstice, June 21, at 7 pm - 10pm in
any time zone (this will roll it across the planet).
It's a simple protest and a symbolic act. Please turn out your lights from
7pm-10pm on June 21. Unplug whatever you can unplug in your house.
Light a candle to the sun god, kiss and tell, make love, tell ghost stories,
do something instead of watching television, have fun in the dark.
Forward this email as widely as possible, to your government representatives
and environmental contacts. Let them know we want global education,
participation and funding in conservation, efficiency and alternative fuel
efforts-and an end to the over-exploitation and misuse of the
earth's resources.
---------------------------------------------------
Matthew Follett
Program Director
The Green House Network
PMB 154
16869 SW 65th Ave
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
mailto:[log in to unmask]>
www.greenhousenet.org <http://www.greenhousenet.org
http://www.greenhousenet.org/>
503-639-9352
The Green House Network is a Portland, Oregon-based, 501(c)3
non-profit organization dedicated to grassroots public education about the
dangers of global warming and the need for urgent action to reduce
greenhouse
gas emissions. Our mission is to create a clean energy future that can
stop global climate change by uniting business, government and citizens.
Jane W. Gibson
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
785-864-2635
|