Everyone in attendance at the Green Earth office for this evening’s emergency meeting is on edge. The low murmur of hushed conversation buzzes through the air as people’s eyes dart about the room nervously, as though they themselves have been charged with terrorism. The tension is so high you could cut it with a bread knife. You’ve never seen a group of innocent people act so guilty.
Feeling a bit flushed from the bike ride over, you settle into a chair and drink deeply from your water bottle while you wait for the meeting to begin. Finally your team leader enters the room with a couple of other nervous-looking folk, who, if you had to guess from the look of their business casual attire, probably belong to board of directors for the local chapter, or maybe regional, even national. The murmurs cease and people find their seats, when all are assembled the team leader calls the meeting into order.
“Thank you all for coming here this evening on such short notice, but as I’m sure you’re all aware the events that have unfolded over the past day require an immediate response. We’ve invited you all tonight because you’ve all worked hard on this campaign. You’ve demonstrated your commitment to the Green Earth Society and the ethics we stand for, and we value your opinions.”
Immediately someone from the board of directors steps forward and takes over, speaking with a sense of purpose.
“Obviously we need to distance ourselves from any illegal activities. We’ve released a statement to that effect already, but we need to formulate a media strategy going forward. We’ve invested a lot of time and energy into this campaign, and the Green Earth name is associated with the health of this river. From now on though, industry is going to frame the argument as ‘responsible law abiding business owners versus fringe environmentalists with no regard for the rule of law.’ We need to challenge that myth and empower our fellow citizens to embrace the legal system as a tool for environmental protection. What we need to do now is figure out how to do that. So please, let’s start brainstorming.”
An awkward silence falls over the room while people shift self-consciously in their seats, indicative of their level of discomfort with having to deal with this sort of situation. You see a need for someone to step forward and break the ice.
“I don’t see why everyone is so nervous,” you say with sincerity. “No one is going to accuse us of colluding with criminals, and if they do we’ll make them look the fool. The saboteurs, whoever they are, have spoken, and we probably won’t hear from them again because they need to lay low. But their illegal activities illustrate how inadequate our laws are for environmental protection. We tried to stop the polluters using the legal system, it didn’t work. Are we then surprised when someone with less patience takes recourse outside what the law provides for them? That doesn’t mean that we support their actions. We see their actions as a consequence of a failed government policy. And that only emphasizes how desperately we need to change the laws to protect our natural systems. This controversy has captured the attention of the public, who have never been more anxious for answers. People are going to be looking to us for leadership, and the ball is firmly in our court.”
A small ripple of applause resonates through the air as your co-workers admire your courage and conviction, but the next person to speak is not so sure.
“The public does not condone this kind of criminal activity and neither do we! If we’re perceived as onside with eco-terrorists we could lose membership in our organization, which means we lose funding, not to mention it could ruin our reputation as a credible source.”
“You are entirely missing the point. This isn’t George W’s America where ‘either you’re with us, or you are with the terrorists’. That’s a false dichotomy. When the law does not reflect the values of civil society, you don’t cower in fear and blind obedience; you change the laws. This is our democracy, these are our courts.” A quick glance around the room tells you that people are not convinced. You need to do more to get them onside.
“Look at it this way. Do peace activists who oppose the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan support radical fundamentalists? Are activists against the prohibition of marijuana in league with the Hell;s Angels? Or is it that terrorism and organised crime are responses to failed policies, and that further militarisation and police intervention will only aggravate an already messed up situation? There has never been a greater need for us to stick to our principles and continue to advocate for legal reform with cool-headed reason, lest we slip into hysteria and fear. That is what our opponents want.”
You’re right of course, and everyone knows it. For a moment there is silence. An austere-looking member of the board of directors is first to speak.
“That is exactly the kind of moral conviction we need to foster in our membership. I want you in charge of PR for this campaign from now on. We’re holding a press event tomorrow on the river bank. I want you speaking for the Green Earth Society and taking questions. Can you do that?”
Original photo by: Samantha - Wiki Ed