Extinction Rebellion Boston Statement on Supreme Court's West Virginia v EPA ruling

Extinction Rebellion Boston Statement on Supreme Court's West Virginia v EPA ruling

Do we need more evidence that our system is broken?

On Thursday, the US Supreme Court voted to gut the Environmental Protection Agency’s  authority to regulate planet-heating emissions.  This not only invalidates the US government’s most powerful tools for mitigating the climate emergency, but it attacks the very idea of government action to combat large-scale crises.  This decision is driven by an extreme ideology that prioritizes short-term profits for the rich over the well-being and future viability of the human species—as well as the vast majority of living species on Earth.

Our government's most basic duty is to protect its citizens. But this and other recent Supreme Court decisions make it clear that our government has broken this social contract. Our political system is beholden to corporate interests that only care about maximizing profits for weathly executives and shareholders, while lining the pockets of our corrupt politicians. These kinds of government decisions that ignore human well-being and protection of our biosphere can no longer be tolerated. Intentionally delaying or slowing down a rapid transition away from fossil fuels is premeditated mass murder. We risk losing everything. This is why we rebel.

For those who understand how bad things are looking on our current trajectory, there are only two options: lie to yourself and stay in denial or take what you consider to be meaningful action. We're in unprecedented circumstances and our response must be proportional. Our leaders have failed. NGOs have failed. Petitions, rallies and marches have failed. But we have the benefit of learning from previous mass movements throughout history and the tactic that has worked again and again is nonviolent civil resistance. We need general strikes and mass sit-ins. We are civil because we are nonviolent, and we are disobedient because to obey is to comply with a system that is killing us.

We're in the end game. What happens over the next few years will determine the fate of humanity and all of the other species of life with whom we share this incredible planet. It is up to all of us to rise up and save what we can.