Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise hold tax day Climate protest at the Federal Reserve in Boston
By : TheRhymeRula
On tax day (July 15th) I was fortunate enough to come across and participate in a rally/protest in Downtown Boston where climate activists demanded Massachusetts and federal governments to stop using our tax dollars to bail out polluting fossil fuel corporations. I want to address that even though I’m familiar with climate change and some environmental issues, I wasn’t aware of the extent of detrimental effects our government can do to its people who want to live in a clean, safe, and equal environment, on a national and global level. With that said, I want to give some background information for the reasoning behind this uprise and civil unrest. Local members in Boston and Greater Boston that represent an international grassroots movement in this case Extinction Rebellion (XR) were joined by activists from Sunrise Boston, a youth-led climate group to go forth with their mission. Their objective was set on demanding that Massachusetts and the federal government stop using tax dollars to subsidize and bail out fossil fuel corporations.
There is a necessity for a transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable, sustainable sources of energy that prioritizes the most affected and vulnerable people. Furthermore, there’s a call for action to establish indigenous sovereignty and remediation led by and also includes black people, indigenous, and all minority communities that have a lot to lose if nothing is changed.
To give a better context in terms of how the federal government is bailing out fossil fuel corporations, estimates will be presented. The federal government provides massive subsidies to oil, natural gas, and coal companies. These subsidies estimates suggest that the U.S. handed over $649 billion in subsidies and tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry in 2017. According to EnergyPolicyTracker.org, the U.S. is delivering $58 billion in unconditional bailouts to fossil fuel companies during the COVID – 19 Pandemic.
“Oil executives knew decades ago that their industry was disrupting the earth’s climate and causing global temperatures to rise, ” said Matthew Kearney from Extinction Rebellion Boston. “Rather than lead a transition to clean renewable energy sources, they buried their own research, attacked independent climate science and expanded drilling, all with the benefit of government subsidies.
I agree with Mr. Kearney’s sentiment because all these hazardous actions being done to our lands and climate is something we’re going to experience every day, and the gradual and dangerous effects it accumulates will damage our planet. Moreover, big lobbyists and fossil fuel companies are banking off these environmental injustices they are responsible for. The whole system is rigged, political lobbying and corrupt money go to the highest bidder. The government is for sale. We need a rebellion against the fossil fuel companies and it needs to be consistent because they’re lining up their pockets off the back of hard working-class people who bust their ass for a better environment and future.
I want to close by spotlighting Extinction Rebellion, an organization that is on the front lines demonstrating non-violent disobedience against governments so criminal inaction on climate change can face its deserved justice. They demand governments, news media, and polluting industries, to tell the truth about the climate emergency. They’re demands even reached Massachusetts governor Charlie Bakers, the U.S. government, and governments around the globe. A call for legally binding policies to reduce carbon emission to net-zero by 2025 is the objective. It was an interesting experience being a part of and learning about this movement and the negligence our government shows towards their citizens who want to live in a cleaner and safer environment. We and I mean the U.S. needs to set an example so we can assist the rest of the world with these issues. Some believe that corruptions are the predators, and in a sense, they’re not completely wrong, we’re the prey that has what makes them even bigger than they already are and that’s our tax dollars.
Money for jobs and education, not for bailing out corporations.
To learn more about this the link to the organization is provided below.
Comment if you would like to chime and give this post a like so I know this post gave you a new level of understanding and awareness on environmental issues. Also give my page a follow so you stay up to date with my posts. This post says Part 1 which will give way to Part 2 which will talk about our racist fossil fuel energy system. As always peace and keep it real.
Website : https://xrmass.org/
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