Vote for Earth and the Minoritised

There are healthy realities and joyous moments in our world. But there are troublesome ones as well. Concerning the troublesome ones, what one-word could one use to describe them?

Awry?

Conflicts and wars jam our world – wars with weapons, wars with words and ideologies, and recently tariff-wars that weaponise the fruits of the land and of the sea. Wars destroy lives and livelihoods, minds and worldviews, and upturn lands and waters that once were symbols of goodwill and independence – in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. Has our world gone awry?

Wars contribute to climate disasters. When wars stop, there is a long road to recovery. But scars remain. Rubbles remind. And even when peace is established between warring parties, it is really, really, difficult to find justice for Earth (land, sea, sky). Has our world gone awry?

Mad?

Some world, society, and church leaders deny – with words, decisions, and actions – the obvious: climate change is real, Earth is exhausted, life is at risk, due in a large part to human decisions and actions. Have our leaders gone mad?

Many years back, governments of nations that were leading in the research on the sources of energy decided to use coal and oil – which pumped tons and tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – instead of wind and solar energies. This decision was made despite scientists (like Svante Arrhenius in Europe, around 1896) showing that carbon dioxide was making the world warmer, and this was harmful to the ecosystem. Has our world gone mad?

F’ed?

On the cluster of islands now known as Australia, the evidence was clearly stated in a newspaper clipping from 1912 titled “Coal Consumption Affecting Climate.” It reads:

“The furnaces of the world are now burning about 2,000,000,000 tons of coal a year. When this is burned, uniting with oxygen, it adds about 7,000,000,000 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere yearly. This tends to make the air a more effective blanket for the earth and to raise its temperature. The effect may be considerable in a few centuries.” (Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW: 1888–1954) Wednesday 17 July 1912, p. 4)

That was 1912. We are 1 century and 13 years away from 1912, and the effect is already considerable. Despite the evidence, and the alternatives, the so-called common-wealth government of Australia continues to fund the carbon civilisation at home, and overseas – through the export of coal.

Scientists have shown convincing evidence to the causes and effects of the climate crisis, but so many people are too proud to change their ways (and too stupid to change their minds?). The climate crisis is a human crisis. We the human-kind are sacrificing the animal-, plant- and Other-kinds at the altars of capitalism and development. Is our world f’ed?

Haunted?

Governments are flexing their muscles, erecting physical and ideological walls. Before US President Trump announced that he will kill ‘woke’ (which promoted DEI – diversity, equity, and inclusion) in the USA (March 2025), we saw comparable acts of racism closer to home.

On 14 October 2023, Australia voted against the Voice Referendum. On the same day, in Aotearoa New Zealand, the National Party won the election and formed government with the ACT New Zealand party and New Zealand First Party. Since then, Māori (see here) and racial minorities (see here) are facing the wrath of the racist agreements between National and ACT. What’s going on with our world?

I ask rhetorical questions to emphasise that our world is in trouble. Our world is haunted by the impacts of destructive human decisions and actions. In and for our world, therefore, liberating actions are needed.

So what?

With the federal election approaching (Saturday, May 03), i plea for people to vote for candidates who will do liberating actions in the interest of Earth, and the minoritised. Yes, U CAN!