Thursday afternoon, standing in the warm afternoon sun next to the Ohio River with 2,000 other Unitarian Universalists, I listened to speakers remind us that it was up to each of us to say NO to poisoned air, soil and water . . . and to demand more sustainable practices from energy companies who desecrate our natural resources. One of those speakers was Tim DeChristopher, an American climate activist and founder of the advocacy group Peaceful Uprising.
A Unitarian Universalist and soon-to-be seminarian, DeChristopher in 2008 protested a Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease auction by successfully bidding on 14 parcels of land for $1.8 million with no intention of paying for them. DeChristopher served 21 months in prision for his act of civil disobedience, during which time he said he felt “freer than at any other time in his life.”
The liberation he described at following his passion for justice was inspiring. A few minutes later, a volunteer handed me a small vial of Ohio River water that had been purified. Rev. Mel Hoover then led us in prayer, to give thanks for the water that sustains us all and for courage to take the steps necessary to save our planet.
As I listened and prayed, I gazed over the heads of the crowd towards the river. At that moment, I saw a lone duck flying overhead, neck outstretched, wings beating rapidly, making its way west. I thought about DeChristopher’s words. We are not the only ones imprisoned by human dependence on fossil fuel and our fears. We have imprisoned our wildlife. I had a vial of clean water in my hand and could turn on the faucet in my hotel room for more. That duck, however, was carving its life out of the Ohio River’s polluted depths and muddy banks. What poisons coursed through its beautiful body as it took flight? Why didn’t I see more ducks flying by on that sunny day?
May I remember that our interdependent web of existence is calling me to act for freedom . . . my own and for all living things. May I find the courage to do my part.