We Reset and Recommit
An Earth Day message to move us forward.
After the Senate voted this week to approve toxic mining in Minnesota’s treasured wilderness recreation area, conservation leaders responded en masse. I’m grateful for their insight and rapid information sharing, and I am following their lead on how to best respond.
In all of this, one message in particular stood out to me. Ingrid Lyons, Executive Director of Minnesota’s Save The Boundary Waters rallied supporters with words I think we all need to hear right now.
If they resonate with you, please pass them on.
“The movement has never been stronger. People are coming out of the woodwork. It is across the nation in the news. People know about the Boundary Waters, and they know the betrayal that the Senate just voted on this week. And that is critical.
It is also important to know that you may read a headline that we lost the vote. But the vote was close until the bitter end. We made people who thought this would be easy, sweat until the last second. And that’s thanks to you, that’s thanks to the partners, and that is a tremendous victory. Because we’ve made a point that if you wanna mess with the Boundary Waters, you’re gonna have a hell of a time. You’re gonna have to work for it. And we’re not gonna let this slip by.
And that’s the other thing I want to say: It is not over. We’re gonna rest, but then we’re going to recommit. I’m gonna take a nap, and then I’m gonna get up, and I’m gonna keep fighting. Because this was a battle in the war, and we’re gonna win the war. I promise you that. We will win the war.”
Lyons’ fiery words are emblematic of the passion defining the resistance right now. While Republican leadership continues to turn a blind eye to the destruction of our public lands in favor of corporate interests, the rest of us are not standing for it. We band together with force, and we will be triumphant in the end.
With love and hope for the future,
Stephanie
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What battles will you recommit to this Earth Day?
Listen to Lyons’s full statement here:
Just sent this to four friends. It gave me hope. Not just for the BWCA, but for other matters environmental, political, societal, and personal.