It’s Getting Hot In Here

On November 4, a group of coal and oil billionaires decided to throw a party on the Boston Common. And why not? They certainly had a lot to celebrate! After all, they had recently been making record profits due to their successful efforts to buy off politicians and stifle environmental legislation. As they downed glasses of oily syrup and gorged themselves on coal muffins, they had a hearty laugh at the expense of the American public.

This sickening display was not about to go unchallenged, however! A determined group of 21st-century patriots crashed the party, demanding a fair stake in their democracy and calling for independence from fossil fuels. Appealing to the hearts and minds of the public, they laid out a compelling vision for a clean energy future. However, it soon became clear that the oil and coal barons just didn’t get it, and the patriots then decided that they had to step things up a notch. In a bold manuever they charged at the billionaires and snatched away their coal crates and oil barrels! Then, as the billionaires recoiled in fear, the patriots channeled the revolutionary spirit of the Boston Tea Party and dumped the coal and oil all over them! Finally the patriots roped up the billionaires and paraded them around, and the public cheered heartily knowing that the good guys had won.

This public street drama, which was witnessed by nearly 300 people, took place as part of the “Boston Coal Party,” a local event organized in conjunction with the Nov. 4 International Day of Action on Climate Change. Following the act of street theater, a diverse array of speakers highlighted the need for strong action on climate and environmental issues. Maura Cowley of the Sierra Student Coalition talked about the Campus Climate Challenge and the hundreds of student climate/energy initiatives that are taking the country by storm. Shanaya Coke from the BOLD Teens, a high school group in Dorchester, MA, discussed how youth in her community are working on environmental issues hands-on. Brian Thurber of Clean Water Action had his sights firmly set on the golden dome of the State House a block away as he emphasized the need for Massachusetts’ next governor to support renewable energy projects and get the state back on board with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Finally, Reverend Fred Small of Religious Witness for the Earth harkened back to the civil rights movement in describing the moral imperative of the climate crisis before us, leading the assembled crowd in several sing-alongs in a truly inspiring presentation.

An impressive array of local organizations co-sponsored the Boston Coal Party – from United for Justice with Peace to the Massachusetts Climate Action Network to Billionaires for Bush (and their proclaimed subsidiary Loyal to Big Oil), it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the action! And of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention the dynamic youth presence at the event! The BOLD Teens made a fine group of patriots in the skit, and students from Tufts, BU, BC, Northeastern, Lesley, Wellesley and MIT all came to show their support as well. As they held up colorful signs bearing creative slogans like “All aboard the clean energy train” and “Dump King Coal,” the youth showed that they are on the cutting edge of the movement for a just and sustainable future. Students and youth also played almost all the patriot roles in in the skit. The billionaires, on the other hand, all appeared to be adults in some form or another.

Is all this a telling commentary on who will be the leaders of a clean energy future? I believe so!