Ted Glick, coordinator of the US Climate Emergency Council (USCEC) and on the 99th day of a climate emergency fast, along with a number of other people, continues their sit in at the office of Senator Mitch McConnell. They are demanding a meeting with Senator McConnell to discuss the need for a strong renewable energy package to be included in the Energy Bill currently being negotiated within the Senate.
Senator McConnell’s office is scheduled to close at 6 PM. Glick and others plan to refuse to voluntarily leave at that time and will risk arrest if necessary to press their demands.
“Negotiations are going on in the Senate between Republicans and Democrats as we speak,” Glick said. “We are demanding in those negotiations that they have to retain a strong renewable energy mandate.”
To do otherwise, he said, “is morally wrong, wrong for the planet and wrong for our pocketbooks.”
http://www.alternet.org/environment/70312/
Ted Glick when he was active with the Berrigan brothers defense comm. in the early 70′s, pledged to fast until the Vietnam War was over. That war didn’t end till April 30th, ’75. Moral witness needs to balanced with a certain level of pragmatism, ‘ya think?!
***UPDATE***
Ted and his wife were arrested at around 6:30 PM tonight.
We can’t allow double-speak like this to continue from our elected officials. Senator McConnell says that he supports renewable energy then leads the charge to defeat it in the Energy Bill.
I was there for most of Ted’s courageous sit in. Its an open challenge for all of us to be vigilant watch dogs and hold our elected officials accountable.
The action was a success with articles in the two major Kentucky newspapers.
http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/story/256473.html
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS01/71211024
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/12/11/mitch_mcconnell_george_bush_dick_cheney