Tag: Greta Thunberg

The Story: Time, a news magazine publishing  since 1923, chooses a Person of the Year (in less enlightened eras this was called its "Man of...

His scattergun disdain appears to condemn as meaningless any mass objection that cannot result in the instantaneous withering of the intended political target. His reference to Ceau?escu, Mugabe and Mobutu as precedents for tolerating Trump’s state visit is equally mystifying. It could at least be argued (however weakly) that in their invitation lay the desperate hope of some leverage to be ventured against murderous tyrants otherwise immune to moral shaming, economic sanction or political threats. Offering such painful truths from within this so-called special relationship can be easily understood on both sides of the Atlantic as entirely legitimate objections to the man, not the office. Paul McGilchrist Colchester, Essex • I am sure Simon Jenkins regards himself as a voice of reason, and he is undoubtedly blessed with considerable intellect. Dave Hunter Bristol • Simon Jenkins’ cogent article on Donald Trump’s visit in June is extremely well argued. David Halley Hampton Hill, London • Perhaps it’s out of a misguided notion of balance that you’ve allowed Simon Jenkins to scorn protesters against Trump’s state visit, Attenborough’s climate change programme and Greta Thunberg. He says we need debate, not direct action. Debate is only workable when the participants offer and attend to evidence. John Huntley Manchester • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers?

Nearly 200 students, community members, and political activists flocked to Low Steps Friday morning as part of a global movement to call for urgent political action on climate change. “We want our leaders to be taking action: leaders within a college setting, within a governmental setting, within a national setting. We want all of our leaders to have the power to enact this change,” Hollard said at the event. “This is a moment of great peril, but it is also a moment of great promise,” Inslee said. Bastida Patrick advocated for the Green New Deal, a set of proposed economic programs that aim to address climate change and inequality, and highlighted the role of indigenous peoples and youth in the fight against climate change. “The climate catastrophe is our present, but we cannot let it be our future,” Bastida Patrick said. “Climate change impacts marginalized communities and communities of color the most, which is why we need the Green New Deal, because it addresses both climate change and social justice.” Other outside speakers included two students from Manhattan Country School, a private K-8 school, many of whose students participated in the climate strike. “Even though they’re not old enough to vote, they still have a lot at stake for them, and they really realized that,” Grattan said. “They were really excited about participating today, so we as a school decided we wanted to facilitate that for the students who wanted to take part.” Staff writer Teddy Ajluni can be contacted at teddy.ajluni@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec.