In August 2021, I lived in a first floor apartment in Hackensack NJ. Late that month, Tropical Storm Henri submerged the streets around us. Seven days later, Hurricane Ida delivered a vicious follow-up and the water rose to within one inch of my door. When I went out the following day, it was devastation. The flood had tossed around parked cars, washers, dryers, refrigerators and two by fours from a nearby construction site. Waves of water had toppled a telephone pole. Basements were floodwater black holes packed with mud. Neighbors were hauling water-logged, soiled, trashed furniture and belongings onto the curb to be taken away. Garbage was everywhere. People walked around silently with vacant expressions, trying to put their lives back together.
Yesterday, the agency that formerly functioned as the Environmental Protection Agency repealed its Endangerment Finding, the 2009 scientific conclusion that carbon dioxide, by causing climate change, threatened public health and welfare. This is the latest environmental abomination by an administration hell-bent on destroying every law and regulation that doesn’t hand polluters as much money as possible. It’s also spitting in the face of God, who - in a good book that way too many in the current administration pretend to value - looked out after six days of hard work and declared that the entire planet, and all of its incredible life, was awesomely good.
There’s nothing to say right now except that GreenFaith will fight this with everything we’ve got. If you are a casual reader of our emails but haven’t gotten involved, this is your time to rise. Soon, we’ll be inviting you to organize actions and to speak out in the coming weeks, calling on Congress to stop the decimation of the laws and regulations that hold our society together.
That may not seem like much. But that is flat out wrong. The only thing that overcomes tidal waves of moral ugliness is an upsurge of ethical resolve. Plus - inducing despair is the purpose of the blitzkrieg that’s underway. I won’t pretend not to feel depressed at times. But I’ll be damned if I’m throwing in any towel.
Our Muslim sisters and brothers speak of creation as an ayat - a sign that points to Allah. All of our human faiths and spiritualities look at nature and see a gift, a trust, a revelation. I’m ready to redouble my commitment to protect such a stunningly beautiful sign, offered so generously.
I hope you are too.
In faith,
Rev. Fletcher Harper
Executive Director, GreenFaith
Building a Worldwide, Multi-faith Climate and Environmental Movement.
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