No War No Warming

I am participating in the No War No Warming actions on Capitol Hill because I am sick at heart about the continuing waste and carnage of the Iraq War and at the lack of government action on climate change. The devastation caused by this war lies heavily on my conscience. I see the faces of my grandchildren in the faces of the children of Iraq, many of whom have been killed, maimed, orphaned, and denied access to basic necessities of life. Likewise, I hear the cries of the families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and I know that many more human lives will be diminished or lost due to the ecological destruction caused by climate change.

I know that I am complicit in both war and climate change to the degree that I consent to my government's policies, whether through my active support or silent consent. I continue to be outraged by the arrogance, callousness, and moral paralysis exhibited by so many government leaders. The majority of people in our country favor withdrawal of US troops and action on climate change, yet the war continues and the oil lobby continues to thwart effective action.

Democrats continue to fund this unjust war, the Bush Administration continues the drumbeat of war against Iran, and corporate arms merchants and oil companies continue to dominate the political process. I am a citizen in this so-called democracy, so I am responsible to challenge government policies that cause harm. I have written, called, and visited those who supposedly represent me in Congress, as have so many people. I will continue to do so. But that is not enough. I will stand with my sisters and brothers on Monday as a witness to the necessity and hope for major change in values and worldview, and in the institutions and systems that dominate our world.

I ask myself sometimes, what will I tell my grandchildren in the future? If we live and thrive through the grave, multi-faceted crises we face as a species, I hope I can tell them how I contributed to the struggle to build a peaceful, just, and sustainable world. And regardless of what the future holds, I hope I can look them in the eye and tell them truthfully that I did everything in my power to turn things around.