Dear Friends,

Within the next month, I plan to commit civil disobedience, which may well lead to my arrest. It’s a big step for me—the first time in my life I’ve done this—but saving the climate for our children feels that important. Will you support me, not by getting arrested yourself, but by taking a bus to DC for a different and legal event?

As many of you know, I’ve felt increasingly called to work to prevent catastrophic climate change. (If you think “catastrophic” is an exaggeration, please read Bill McKibben’s Rolling Stones article.). We all have an exciting opportunity to make a difference by joining 350.org and the Sierra Club in Washington, DC on February 17 for a march against the Keystone XL Pipeline, which is both an important issue and an important test of President Obama’s commitment to the encouraging words in his inauguration speech. The Earth Quaker Action Team (pronounced “equate”) is organizing buses from the Philadelphia area and beyond; please sign up here: http://get-on-the-bus-eqat.eventbrite.com

There will not be civil disobedience that day, no risk of arrest for the tens of thousands of people expected to attend, but a huge showing at the march should make my smaller act of civil disobedience even more effective. We know from history that we are best able to overcome powerful entrenched interests (like the fossil fuel industry) when the two are combined—mass numbers of people taking a stand (like the 1963 March on Washington) along with smaller numbers of trained nonviolent activists willing to demonstrate the seriousness of their cause by taking bigger risks (like those who sat down at segregated lunch counters in the South). The Sierra Club, which has never engaged in civil disobedience before, has recently come to the same conclusion.

It’s kind of scary taking this new step, but I’m mostly excited and grateful for all the support I’m getting. I hope you will join me in DC on 2/17 and spread the word to others. If you can’t, please consider making a donation toward the buses or for any legal expenses we might incur at the other action. (You can use the donation option on the bus registration page or send a check to 4510 Kingsessing Ave. Philadelphia PA 19143. To be tax deductable, they must be over $50 and made to the Gandhian Foundation, which is EQAT’s sponsoring organization.)

Prayers, of course, would also be welcome! If you want to receive an email or text the day of my action so you can hold me in the Light, please send a message through the contact page of this site or to me directly.

With gratitude,

Eileen