I was wide awake until 3am last night watching President Obama take questions from students in Shanghai, China, after announcing over the weekend that the expectations for the United Nation's climate meeting in Copenhagen next month will be significantly scaled back.
Seeing a president who wants to be a part of the solution to the negative effects of harmful pollution and dirty energy address a crowd of young people should have been rewarding. Instead, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that he has yet to engage with the young Americans in the youth climate movement in the same way. Especially since we're here, rallying around these essential issues using the grassroots organizing skills he championed during the election, trying to underscore the "fierce urgency of now" he encouraged us to believe in.
Maybe if the president had engaged with us more deeply, he would understand that young people know we can't put politics before progress on climate and energy.
Sadly, President Obama isn't showing the leadership on the climate crisis that millions of young people expected from Candidate Obama. It's game time, but instead of making the winning basket, he's called for a delay of game.
After an emotional week for the members of the youth climate movement, who have staked so much hope on the promise of passing legislation in congress this year and sealing a binding agreement in Copenhagen, we've had to deal with managing our expectations and reframing how we approach the opportunities that are still ahead of us.
I kind of find this interesting. Thought I'd share it with y'all. My favorite "it is prohibited to ...paint your face when participating in public gatherings or demonstrations."
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