Downtown demo blocks René-Lévesque
A demonstration by Extinction Rebellion, determined to make their concerns very clear this week, is currently happening on René-Lévesque. The relevant city camera is here. A lot of police are on site.
I just had CBC radio on, and they were explaining that people would have to go around the area, yadda yadda. Someone here commented recently – I’m trying to find it – about who the media are talking to. Obviously the CBC crew does not feel they’re talking to climate activists, but to the silent majority who simply want to get home from work.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m generally pro-CBC, but all the media will be talking in the same way this evening. Nobody is going to be saying “If you want to join this important protest, get off at Peel or Bonaventure and walk over.” They’re going to be saying “Get in your car and drive around it to avoid it.”
This tendency to normalize is what’s going to kill us eventually.
Tim S. 19:00 on 2019-10-08 Permalink
To be fair, I suspect much of radio’s audience is drivers. And maybe people listening at work who will eventually have to get home.
Lawrence Joseph 19:19 on 2019-10-08 Permalink
I think the point is that these same drivers are a main part of the problem. So rather than just being told how to “drive around the nuisance,” it might help to also drive home the problem being raised by Extinction Rebellion.
Faiz Imam 19:44 on 2019-10-08 Permalink
The take that annoyed me the most today was the idea that “these blockages are causing so many cars to idle and create more pollution, isn’t that defeating the point of the demonstration?”
I saw it EVERYWHERE, and its nonsense. Its basically the same as the criticism of environmentalists who drive or fly anywhere.
Yes doing so causes *some* pollution, because we live in a society, but the hope is that the wider systemic changes we can encourage would more than make up for the small effect.
A thousand cars idling for an hour is nothing compared to the long term effects of reducing sprawl development, or stopping a new highway, etc.
Daniel 08:04 on 2019-10-09 Permalink
This is a really good point that I haven’t heard made before. Thanks, Kate.
Daniel 08:48 on 2019-10-09 Permalink
I should say: Thanks to the original commenter for making the point and to you, Kate, for highlighting it. 🙂
Hamza 09:36 on 2019-10-09 Permalink
let it come down .
the media/anglosphere’s buried what happened in this city and province in 2012. the capitalist-class somehow thinks everyone ‘forgot’ 2008 and 2012.
we don’t forgive. we don’t forget.
Chris 20:05 on 2019-10-09 Permalink
Faiz, yeah, that bugs the hell out of me too. Why are those cars idling?! If you’re immobilized because of protest (or whatever) turn your fucking engine OFF!