Students, elders strike to save your climate

Elders carried signs reading “Wake Up, the House is on Fire.” One teen asked, “if your house was on fire, would you just sit there?” and another spoke of “the (melting) polar caps are our alarms; we need to stop the fire burning in our homes now” werer part of some 250 Skagetonians of all ages gathering at the Skagit County Courthouse Friday. Hope and despair for the future of the planet – and theirs and their children’s very uncertain futures – were voiced by teens, elders and a seven-year-old.

At least 50 teens participated, though Renada Alsilimy, the Mount Vernon High School senior who organized the teen contingent, hoped 100 came from her school. She said her principal and science teacher were there. The students carried signs – three shared holding a large “There is no Planet B” – and several others offered their concerns for their future.

One young woman reported “My friends are afraid of having kids. They don’t want to put them on the planet.” Her positive note: “If we don’t fix it, then kids will not survive. They will live in a wasteland. If we don’t fix it now, it will never get better,” brought cheers. A semi-truck honked from Kincaid Street at that moment, bringing more cheers.

A young man followed. “My parents told me not to have kids – they would be in a world of hell. Are we really the last generation?” Shouts of “No! We want more trees” came in response.

Two female teens shared the megaphone, one saying, “We’re very emotional now. Climate change is a huge global problem that needs to be addressed.”

Elders spoke in what seemed to be a spontaneous outpouring of democracy. Two women referenced their participation against the Vietnam War, marching for Civil Rights, gender equality and healthcare. A mom with four kids, one on her shoulders and one in a stroller told the crowd “I don’t need any more. Don’t give me any more scarves.”

Alix Foster was one of perhaps a dozen people from the La Conner area. She took the megaphone to promote registering to vote at 16 and her perspective as an organizer for Sister Districts, a national organization committed to flipping red seats blue. She told the crowd that is what their efforts did to Washington state senate in 2017, winning a special election that provided the Democratic Party majority control. The impact of grass roots campaigning brought larger gains in 2018, creating strong blue majorities in both houses. She suggested volunteering now to help turn Virginia’s legislature blue this November.

The older man following offered his theory that “we are the fourth branch of government. It is up to us to promote ideas, legislation that will do what needs to be done for the people,” he said.

A woman told the crowd the Mount Vernon city council will be considering a plastic ban bag – similar to the one passed in La Conner in 2018 – and asked people to show up in support. A coal train heading north drowned her out.

Teens marched out chanting “Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Climate Change has got to Go!” Only their actions shaping their futures will determine if they work to make their words real.

Margaret Simpson, of Mount Vernon, promoted the rally to the adult community on social media.

Nationwide strikes are called for Friday and future Fridays. The week began with world leaders discussing their commitment to climate change solutions at the United Nations. Will it end with students and adults again speaking from this county’s courthouse steps?

Last week some four million people participated in a predicted 5,800 marches and rallies worldwide the environmental organization 350.org reported.