By Dan Bloom
CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan –On Earth Day 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama, who I voted for — twice — issued a White House proclamation that I’d like to comment on this way as both a literary theorist and a climate activist.
You said in your remarks, sir: “Over four decades ago, Americans from all walks of life came together to tackle a shared challenge, [and on this 2014] Earth Day, we remember that when Americans unite in common purpose, we can overcome any obstacle.”
Any obstacle? Mr. President, who are you kidding? This is not bedtime story time. We are facing the very extinction of the human race if we do not stop carbon dioxide emissions soon, like yesterday. And we need to just stop burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. In fact, Mr President, it’s time to really tighten the noose around coal and oil and gas. Now.
As you say, Mr President: “Today, we face another problem that threatens us all. The overwhelming judgment of science tells us that climate change is altering our planet in ways that will have profound impacts on all of humankind […and the] consequences of climate change will only grow more dire in the years to come.”
That is why, Mr Presidemt, you and your advisors need to sit down and read a good cli fi novel like Flight Behavior” by Barbara Kingsolver over in Virginia or Odds Against Tomorrow by Nathaniel Rich down there in New Orleans. Cli fi? Oh, that’s a new genre of literature that is modeled after the sci fi term but this time it stands for climate fiction novels and movies. Wake up calls, Mr President. Alarm bells, Mr. President. Have you read a good cli fi novel lately?
You say you have taken executive action to prepare our nation for the [possibly unspeakably severe] impacts of climate change in the future and that “we” — whoever ”we” are — remain committed to averting the most catastrophic effects. Basically, sir, you are fiddling while the Earth burns. Twiddling your thumbs and looking presidential. It aint enough, Mr President. Your great-great-great-great grandchildren are going to remember what you did and what you didn’t do.
Mr President, you say you are ”engaging organizations, businesses, and individuals in these efforts … to forge a cleaner, healthier future, […at the same time accepting] our responsibilities to future generations and [meeting] today’s tests with the same energy, passion, and sense of purpose.”
Mr President, that is White House nonsense! We are facing the most existential threat to the fate of humankind in human history and you are issuing blah-blah-blah proclamations proclaiming nothing, really.
Instead of encouraging ”all Americans to participate in programs and activities that will protect our environment and contribute to a healthy, sustainable future.” why don’t you encourage all Americans to sit down and read Flight Behavior or Odds Against Tomorrow before it is too late to wake the citizenry up?
Read a powerful cli fi novel recently, Mr President? You should. They contain prescriptions that America needs right now. And not just America: the whole world as well. We are in deep trouble, sir.
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Danny Bloom is a freelance writer and inveterate web surfer based in Chiayi City, Taiwan. He may be contacted via dan.bloom@sdjewishworld.com… San Diego Jewish World seeks sponsorships to be placed, as this notice is, just below articles that appear on our site. To inquire, call editor Donald H. Harrison at (619) 265-0808 or contact him via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com