The call for corporate accountability from the Occupy Wall Street protests fits very well with the Sierra Club’s strategic priority of confronting the power of coal and oil and gas companies, companies that have wrecked communities, polluted our environment, and dominated the political process.
In a message to Club activists, Conservation Director Sarah Hodgson wrote:
In a vibrant democracy, peaceful protest and demonstration is among the highest form of citizen engagement in the democratic process. Since the founding of our republic, ordinary citizens have accomplished extraordinary things by joining together to express their convictions. It is our heritage to speak truth to power, and our nation’s historic respect for peaceful dissent has helped the United States enact civil rights legislation, promote human rights internationally, and end unjust wars. Citizen engagement has brought this country out of its darkest hours and helped us fulfill our promises of justice and equality to millions.
The Sierra Club affirms its support for the exercise of political expression through the Occupy Wall Street protests. Corporations that pollute our air, land and water, that put greed ahead of community good, public health and the nation’s economic well-being must be held fully accountable. In our work around the country, we have seen first-hand how international coal and oil companies have wrecked communities, polluted our environment, and dominated the political process. We stand with Occupy Wall Street protesters in saying “enough.”
The Sierra Club called on members to take this stand…
I stand with the 99% against the corporate greed that puts polluters’ profits ahead of our communities’ health. Corporate polluters such as oil and coal companies, who use their massive profits to attack fundamental worker, health and environmental protections, must be held accountable for the damage they inflict.
I stand with the 99% to demand a clean energy revolution, that will create millions of jobs and save Americans money on health costs for treating pollution-related illnesses such as asthma.
Happy birthday OWS, and many, many, more…
