Up to 10 years imprisonment for climate justice – but why?
I got this email from CJF Collective today and I felt this instant urge to share it with you. The problems we face as citizens in a world where most of us without questioning just accept the structures of today’s society are outrageously big if we do not act upon them. But we have to face the problems together and not individually. The costs of a not joint fight are too big and the case of Tim DeCristopher describes this very well.
Two weeks ago Tim DeCristopher, the US climate activist charged with disrupting an auction of land parcels for fossil fuel exploration by entering the auction and bidding for land, was found guilty in a Salt Lake City courtroom. He now faces up to 10 years imprisonment, with his sentencing scheduled for June 23rd.
During his trial, Tim’s defence was not allowed to mention that the auction he disrupted was itself illegal, and that all of its sales were later overturned.
They were also not allowed to mention that he had in fact been able to raise enough money from supporters to afford the initial deposit on the land he had bid for.
And finally, they were also not even allowed to mention Tim’s motivation for entering the auctions – to stand in the way of the enormous threat of climate change, and to protect his future.
Bill Mckibben has said of DeCristopher ‘he should be getting a medal, not a sentence….He was brave by himself; we need to be brave in quantity.’
Tim needs our help and solidarity right now. Please go to his website to donate towards his defence fund and find out how else to help him – http://www.bidder70.org/
And join this facebook cause calling for Obama to pardon him –
http://www.causes.com/causes/587053-presidential-pardon-for-tim-dechristopher/hall_of_fame
Yours for Climate Justice,
the CJF collective.
