Posted in Alternet from a transcript of a speech given by former Vice President Al Gore at Sierra Club's National Environmental Convention and Expo in San Francisco on Sept. 9.
Gore: A Moral Moment
Winston Churchill ... said this about the government then in power in England -- which wasn't sure that the threat was real -- he said, "They go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all powerful to be impotent." He continued, "The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedience of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences."
(President) Gore is asking of us to take action. I do feel that we are entering a time when our actions have consequences, when we can make the most difference. But it is no longer enough just to march, to stay informed, to pen letters to editors / representatives (what I term laptop activism). It's time to act. But how?
more below
Gore adds,
It is time now for us to recover our moral health in America and stand again to rise for freedom, demand accountability for poor decisions, missed judgments, lack of planning, lack of preparation and willful denial of the obvious truth about serious and imminent threats that are facing the American people.
...
We must disenthrall ourselves with the sound-and-light show that has diverted the attentions of our great democracy from the important issues and challenges of our day.
...
This is a moral moment. This is not ultimately about any scientific debate or political dialogue. Ultimately it is about who we are as human beings. It is about our capacity to transcend our own limitations; to rise to this new occasion; to see with our hearts, as well as our heads, the unprecedented response that is now called for; to disenthrall ourselves; to shed the illusions that have been our accomplices in ignoring the warnings that were clearly given; and hearing the ones that are clearly given now.
...
This is your moment. This is the time for those who see and understand and care and are willing to work to say this time the warnings will not be ignored. This time we will prepare. This time we will rise to the occasion. And we will prevail.
A month ago, I went to a reception on restoring scientific integrity put together by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Representative Brian Baird told the audience this: money talks. Support politicians that represent your beliefs. Support the PACs or organizations that represent your beliefs. Volunteer.
I want us to visualize positive change. To think, not about defeating Bush but promoting freedom and justice (The Moveon.com sticker Defend America / Defeat Bush comes to mind as a negative instead of a positive frame).
As Gore said, this is our moment. Please share your ideas / things we can do or are doing now to bring about change.