Dear Melissa,
Yesterday, President Barack Obama set the agenda for his second term -- and what a note he struck! The president vowed to fight climate disruption and make the United States a leader in clean energy, devoting more time to this critical topic than any other issue. Just as importantly, he celebrated the value of citizen action, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, and underscored that standing up for what is morally right is a profound act of patriotism.
In the President's own words, "You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time -- not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideas."
1 The Sierra Club, 350, and our coalition partners agree strongly, and take the president at his word. That's why we'll be in Washington on February 17 for the Forward on Climate Rally, creating the momentum and pressure needed for bold climate action. Join us -- RSVP today! It's our power as a democracy. Even our fiercest friends in office are looking for our support and conviction to make change happen. Change -- real change -- doesn't happen behind doors or in the hands of the few. It happens with us, and when they hear our voices, our leaders act.
And there's plenty of change for us to address. Rejecting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is the first step for the climate, but it must be followed by many more -- including critical federal standards for new coal power plants, auto fuel, and fracking.
Big Oil and Big Coal will use all their power against us -- but we're used to that. As history has proven time and time again, when we stand together, our voices can speak louder than corporate polluters' dollars. You can make Sunday, February 17, a day of citizen action that Washington will never forget -- sign up to join the biggest climate rally in history, stop the toxic Keystone XL pipeline, and create tangible pressure and momentum for further climate action. President Obama said the right things yesterday, but he'll need the force of the American people at his back to make this change happen. That begins anew at the Forward on Climate Rally.
Thanks for all that you do,
Mike Brune
Sierra Club Executive Director
PS -- Traveling to Washington, D.C., is not always an easy task, and we wouldn't ask you to do it if it wasn't absolutely critical. But if you can't make it to Washington, there are two other important ways you can help prepare for the rally --
sign up to phone bank and recruit attendees from home, or
chip in $10 to help make sure we can pay for expenses like buses, stage equipment, spreading the word, and more!
References [1] Obama, Barack. "Inaugural Address by President Barack Obama." WhiteHouse.gov. Accessed 22 January 2013. Picture credit: Architect of the Capitol, Public Domain
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