Watching the media coverage of the school climate strikes, all I saw was white faces – definitely not a reflection of my friends, my community, or the broader diversity of British society. Despite climate warming hitting the global south hardest, why are so few people willing to engage with this fact? What can groups like Extinction Rebellion actually do to change this, and why should they change it anyway?
The short, frank answer is that the tactics of Extinction Rebellion are designed by and for middle-class, white Britain. Their central rhetoric about a dystopian future fails to cut through for those of us already faced with a nightmarish present, surrounded by poverty and austerity .
Meanwhile, the tactic of being purposely arrested strikes an uncomfortable note for many people of colour, given the adverse experiences people in my community have had with the police. The climate movement’s failure to stand in solidarity with our political struggles adds to this sense of disconnect.
Extinction Rebellion is an example of peak Guardian in its self-righteous, smug, conceited, we-know-best pomposity. But they forgot that intersectional politics eventually turns upon itself. Because, yes, usually these creeps are invariably middle-class white people who like to patronise everyone, especially minorities, with their racism of low expectations.
They are getting bitten on the bum by their own (when they aren’t getting thrown off tube trains). Couldn’t happen to a better bunch.
Agreed. But the spelling is odd: “peak Guardian in it67ys”
OK, I’ve corrected it. A cat on the keyboard.
I also agree. Except
they can’t be both usually AND invariably anything. One or the other but not both.
Ha! That’s me not properly proofreading.
My question to the anti-Adani protesters is always: “why do you hate poor people in India?” These hypocrite do not give up their lifestyles, but want to deny the poorest people on the planet the opportunity to be lifted out of abject poverty by cheap, reliable energy, to have access to clean water, to receive a basic education and to be free of diseases we do not see in our developed nations. And, of course, they don’t want to buy off of these people because of the concept of food miles. Better to do some shopping in an Oxfam shop so that those in poverty we cannot even comprehend can get a few scraps off our western tables.
“…when they aren’t getting thrown off tube trains…”
Don’t worry, our Police Farce is here to make sure those who did that are shown the error of their ways!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7592483/Police-search-evidence-against-commuters-carried-attack-XR-protester.html
I suspect that witnesses will be hard to find.
No one saw anything. Honest, guv.
With any luck LOL
According to the XR website the reason why London commuters lost their rag was because they are all stressed out about climate change and the fear of a total ecological collapse.
It isn’t because we are a bunch of stupid deluded tossers who are trying to screw up everybody’s day, it’s definitely not that.
They are also trying the “they don’t understand” shtick. I seem to recall that one being used when we voted to leave the EU. We are all thick, apparently.
I am 100% sure that I know a hell of a lot more about the subject of climate change alarmism than they do.
Good luck to the BTP in finding anyone who saw anything.
How about this one?
https://summit.news/2019/10/18/uk-police-investigate-transgender-being-turned-down-for-porn-role-as-a-hate-crime/
Made I larf!!
Steve, that’s brightened my day.