September 11: What If?
Jon Freise
20th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
How would the world have been different if Al Gore had been president and the 9/11 moment of national unity had been used to move the country off of foreign oil? The trillions of dollars wasted in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had been put into solar panels and wind farms? Even the wildly inflated cost estimates of the green new deal are far less than the cost of those two wars. What if all the young men and women, injured or killed in the fighting, were working as renewable energy installers and maintainers? Safe and Sound. And because air pollution would have been dramatically reduced, many others would breathe easier and be safer and sounder too.
In 2001 we stood at a crossroads. And with inherited oil money in charge, we (agree or not) took a terrible, costly, and eventually pointless path to try to secure forien oil.
But history rhymes. And today, 20 years later, those are the choices our country still faces.
Now in 2021 will we choose to spend trillions fighting overseas to secure Middle Eastern oil? Continually embroiled in the fighting between Shia and Shite? Or will we take advantage of these advances in renewable technology in combination with voluntary simplicity to live better, happier and healthier lives? Step out on a path that stops making the climate worse?
The wars for oil are just warming up: Look at the negative finances of Saudi Arabia and you
can see a nation that may well plunge into chaos. Nigeria, Venezuela, Iraq, Iran all struggle
with political stability. Will we invade
and try nation building to secure “low cost” oil? That is the option the oil companies will be pushing us towards. Or, as a nation, can we make another choice? We can if we start putting out an alternate vision now, so that when the next spike in oil price hits, the next oil producing nation collapses into civil war, the groundwork of that alternate vision has been laid. Instead of just "no war" put forward a "yes" choice: climate friendly electrified transport. More importantly, a change in zoning to allow walkable neighborhoods where cars are not even necessary. And most importantly: a change of heart about what makes the good life. A breaking away from consumerism and marketing driven desires toward internal knowledge and internal satisfaction. Community, free time, family, friends, a sense of place and belonging. The satisfaction of helping something larger happen.
It is creating this alternate vision of where we might go: a place of peace, clean air, clean water. Quiet engines that don't drown out street side restaurant conversation. Quiet electrified trains gliding across the country instead of noisy planes howling overhead.
It is in creating that alternate and positive vision that the Transition Towns community has important work to contribute. Opening a mental space of joy and hope and community. Contrasting that against the current choices of empire, and war, and choking pollution and climate chaos.
The fossil fuel companies work to undermine our democracy at home(as they have undermined so many others overseas) in a desperate attempt to cling to power. Their PR machine tries to turn climate change into a fight of Left vs Right, or Urban vs Rural, or even Black vs White. They do this because the majority of people want change. They don't want to sacrifice more children to secure oil supply overseas. They don't want their taxes to go to fighting more wars. They want to stop climate change so they don't have to live in fear of their town being burned to the ground, or blown away, or drowned. Because the majority want change, the oil companies need minority rule to stay in power.
It has often been remarked that changes in energy supply bring about wars: As once powerful nations are replaced by others with the new energy supply. I think that is true. And part of the root of our current civil war (which has not quite yet exploded into violence).
I think in making the choice more explicit: tearing away the false culture war issues that are meant to blind us, that we have a chance to seize the opportunity that was given us on 9/11 2001. The opportunity to step out into a fossil fuel free future. Finding, charting, bridging an uncertain way forward toward self sufficiency, peace, resilience, and a healthier and happier life. 20 years on, we stand again at that crossroads. Let us use what we have learned in these last 20 years and choose again. Choose more wisely. Choose to imagine a positive future where climate change is solved and people are living lives with more joy and satisfaction. And share out that vision with others. This is a work as much for artists, storytellers, grandparents, and children as it is for engineers and builders. This is the heart work of Transition.
Blessings to all on this day of reflection.
Carolyn Carr
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2021 11:18 AM
To: Transition Twin Cities <transition-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Transition TC] September 11: What If?
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