Happy Friday! I’ve really been appreciating the Lenten study on climate + faith that Dana, Defrocked Substack readers are doing together on Thursday evenings, and today’s thread grew out of those conversations. There are three Thursdays left in Lent, and you’re welcome to join us on Zoom at 7pm EST - just let me know, and I’ll share the link.
I saw this meme on Instagram last week, and couldn’t stop thinking about it. On the one hand, UGH. Some parts of the world - especially the parts governed by the comfortably rich + powerful - really do feel like they’re stuck in an endless, replaying loop. Over the last four years, I’ve been some measure of bored, disappointed, and horrified at the intractability of everything from the church’s stiff-necked refusal to adjust its worship practices during a global pandemic to the U.S.’ stubborn support of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.
Also, why is so much television so BAD and predictable? How come I have to resort to curating my own social media feeds to get actual, on-the-ground accounts of global events? Why are my choices for President “an octogenarian whose best speeches are about grief and a septuagenarian whose speeches are barely speeches”? Can *anybody* tell me how the heck to find and listen to good music without having to subscribe to an algorithm-ruled service? So much of life is so TEDIOUS.
On the other hand, when I pay attention to the places and people who don’t necessarily show up in headlines, I’m reminded that humans are infinitely creative and curious and always, always getting up to interesting, generative, way-making stuff. For instance:
Driving through town yesterday, I saw this campaign banner - a full-scale, flag-sized endorsement - flying from a nondescript Salem, Virginia porch:
I laughed out loud because it was so unexpected and delightful. And while we’re in the realm of electoral politics, I have been buoyed and encouraged by the tens of thousands of primary voters casting their ballots as “uncommitted,” in order to remind the current president of our just how deep our refusal of his genocidal policies will go.
In this season’s Lenten study, I’ve been reminded by people like Ayana Elizabeth Johnson that despite the doom and gloom of mainstream climate reporting, we already have all the solutions we need to course-correct our deadly reliance on fossil fuels; the trick is simply in implementing the incredible practices and technologies that human creativity has already invented.
I’ve also been learning about the long-haul protests here in Appalachian against the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a movement that has managed to transcend party affiliation and united people against a truly egregious alliance of government and private corporate interests.
This week, protestors hung banners, handcuffed themselves to cars blocking pipeline access routes and right now, a protester calling themselves “Ricky Bobby” is moving into day two of blocking construction by sitting INSIDE the pipeline. All of this despite the fact that last year, Congress gave the pipeline blanket permission and carte blanche to move ahead to completion.
I've been wondering, are those watermelon slices on that banner? Does anyone know the significance of that symbol?