A Call to Action
Middlebury students on strike, circa 1970
“Back in the day, if students wanted to get something done, they would stage sit-ins overnight in the administrative office and refuse to leave until they got what they wanted. Nowadays, you start a Facebook group”. –Shirley Collado, Dean of the College
Compare the quick ease of clicking “Join” or “I’m attending” on Facebook to sacrificing a weekend, and the possibility of disciplinary action, picketing ankle deep in snow. I’m talking about unified direct action, with policy depth and creative messaging. This past year I’ve sensed weariness among friends disappointed by the empty rhetoric of politicians who call for change without enacting it. There’s disillusionment with the international climate process and politicians’ inability to set aside national economic interests and collectively commit to strong and legally binding emissions reductions. The pulse, from what I can tell, is to take a stance of compromise and call for moderate “politically feasible” asks. My fear is this: Young people have historically stood as a strong force advocating civil rights. It’s what people expect. If our enthusiasm, public action, and voter turnout wane, decision makers dismiss us as apathetic and are not held accountable for acting in our interest. That’s pretty terrifying.
