This first column as Sierra Club president, originally published on August 14, was supposed to be an opportunity to introduce myself, talk about my vision for the Club, and reflect on the beautiful, peaceful, diverse rallies in which I participated at La Lomita Chapel and the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.
The rallies were held to protest the Trump administration's proposed border wall that would cut through the refuge, sever wildlife migration corridors, block human access to the Rio Grande, and waive more than 30 environmental laws and regulations. But the events in Charlottesville in August compelled me to change focus.
In condemning the violence at the white nationalist rally that left at least three people dead and 19 injured, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said, “No one who took to the streets of Charlottesville fueled by bigotry and brandishing the symbols of fascism that so many Americans fought and died to tear down has any claim on the mantle of patriotism.”
The Sierra Club and more than 40 other community partners encouraged our members and supporters to attend Indivisible rallies around the country to condemn white supremacy and stand in solidarity with Charlottesville. Ever since, we’ve been getting questions asking why Sierra Club is involving itself with issues that aren’t strictly "environmental.”
The short answer is that our democracy is in jeopardy, and we will not be able to achieve our environmental goals if we do not have a functioning democracy.
I was talking with my husband just this morning, and we agreed that somewhere along the line the term “patriotism” became disassociated with progressive values. White nationalist groups and some on the far right believe that they are the true patriots, the standard bearers of American values and what our country stands for. In my opinion, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Patriotism is a belief that your country is worth defending, not a belief that democracy should be subverted; a belief that laws should be followed, not trampled by zealous autocrats; a belief that voices should be heard and that compromises must be made. Our country and our democracy are being threatened by those who claim to be the “true believers” in America and its core values but who practice nothing of what they preach.
I would argue that the Sierra Club is one of the most patriotic organizations in the nation. For 125 years we have preserved the natural beauty and sanctity of our land, for the people and by the people. We have fought for clean air, clean water, and defended our country’s special places and sacred sites from those who would exploit them for their own personal gains. Our national parks, which author and environmental champion Wallace Stegner famously called, “the best idea America ever had,” are an intrinsic part of who we are, and of what makes our nation unique.
We must reclaim the language of patriotism. And we must join the battle to preserve and protect our democracy. That is why we cannot sit on the sidelines and remain silent when domestic terrorism like white nationalism rears its head as it just did in Charlottesville. We are struggling for the soul of our nation. If we lose our democracy, we cannot prevail in our mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet.