There is no letter this week. At least not one to the Prime Minister. I’ve been writing this letters for almost a year and I’ve finally burnt out. At first I was disappointed in myself, but then I realized that activist fatigue is normal, and ok. I’m going to get back at these letters next week, so please come by my website then. In the meantime I have this to say: It’s a very stressful time. I’m about to go to High School for the first time, during a pandemic. There’s the day to day climate anxiety and the stress of being alive. There is the worry for my at risk loved ones and the stress of trying to protect myself and them from COVID-19. The US election is also coming up and I recently realized how much is really at stake in this election. I guess I’d never really given much thought to it, but four more years as Trump will set the world back so far on Climate. So far we may not recover. The other day on CBC radio’s Cross Country Check-Up they had a call in show with the question, ‘What is at stake for you in the US election.’ I was too nervous to call in but I did send them this email which I doubt they will read on air so I might as well put this writing to good use:
To Cross Country Check-Up
I must admit I didn’t listen to much of your show today. I burst into tears on the first caller and made my mom turn off the radio.
I’m 14 years old and my FUTURE is at stake in this election. Your guests and first caller managed to mention the word climate once between them, and only in a list of other things.
It also made me very upset to hear someone say that while they don’t necessarily agree with some things Trump says, but he’s good with the economy. That is an EXTREMELY privilege position to hold. If you are anything but White, racist sentiments coming from such a powerful position can be life threatening. Hearing the president say racist things makes people more sure about their own racism and that will creep across the border to Canada too. People also didn’t mention that if Trump gets four more years, he’ll probably get another supreme court judge and might be able to make abortion illegal. That will make it easier for the subject to be brought up here in Canada.
I don’t know if any of these points where touched on in the conversation after I turned the radio off, and I’d like to make it known that I don’t do that often. I just couldn’t take people talking about their tiny little stakes in this election when mine is as big as my future. It was also very hard to hear a man call Trump a good leader when I know they’d never in a million years say that about a female politician who spat so much BS day after day.
Thank you for your time
Amelia Penney-Crocker
Anyway… I’m not sending the Prime Minister a letter this week but I will be back next week. I want to remind any of my fellow activist reading this that rest is important. Looking after yourself and your mental health is good for whatever movement you are supporting. Stay rested. Find moments of joy. In order to have the strength to carry on you must look after yourself.
Oh, and to anyone who might have the ability to vote in the US. PLEASE vote for Joe Biden. I know many people object to the ‘at least he’s better then Trump’ narrative because people shouldn’t be settling for the least bad in the leader for their country. But you have to think of your children. Four more years of Trump will likely mean an unliveable future. With Biden we have a chance.