Climate Strike
As we made our first loop around the main quad, there were people on the side who joined in with our shouting and slowly merged in with us. More people funneled in from different directions, growing the stream of bodies. I remember looking across the main quad and seeing the front end of our snake of protesters beginning to make its next loop while so many were still trailing behind me.
The sound of our voices all chanting in unison created a loudness that was impossible to ignore. We made our points clear with rhyming phrases that were easy to remember. Generally I’m a quiet person, but the energy of the crowd and the urgency of the issue led me to shouting louder than I ever have before.
A couple of times, I remember thinking to myself “aren’t we bothering people?” and “I hope I'm not inconveniencing anybody.” I had to remind myself over and over that being annoying is the point. People won’t pay attention unless we make them. If no one listens, then nothing will change. Of course I was exhausted, dehydrated, and losing my voice, but it was worth the temporary pain. We needed to raise awareness of this ever-growing issue.
It’s nice to know that there are so many other people around me who also care about saving our future. Knowing that there are even more people across the planet who feel the same way is even better. It’s amazing to think that a 16 year old half way across the world was able to put these strikes all into motion.
I was thinking the same thing and trying not to be an inconvenience, but similar to you reminding myself that's the point. I remember looking around and seeing how almost the whole quad circle was filled with people chanting. I was amazed by the unity but also during the speeches I was impressed with what Greta Thunberg's movements have become - it's different when your in the moment vs. just hearing about it or even reading an Instagram post.
ReplyDelete