The President’s New Clothes
Many even gathered outside the huge white house where he lived to plead with him to reconsider his plans or—leave.
“He’s the President we need in this moment of crisis!” said one climate leader at the annual gathering “The greatest Climate President in United States history!” said another Even his onetime opponent decreed, “Four more years!” Everything had gone just as his closest advisors had predicted. The President looked satisfied as he rose to speak - “There are many threats to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but climate change is the only truly existential threat!” The audience rose and cheered!
The next day as land and sea temperatures reached all-time highs and fire, and ash and smoke shrouded the north, news came to the President that a most revered council on climate— indigenous keepers of ancient wisdom, clarion voices of the frontlines, elders and children and scientists across the world, the council whom the President repeatedly claimed to believe and listen to and whom he had urged all citizens to believe and listen to, disagreed with this praise—and they dared say so!
Many even gathered outside the huge white house where he lived to plead with him to reconsider his plans or—leave. From behind his guarded garden gates they chanted, “What of Willow, Dakota Access, Line 3, MVP, the Forests of Cop City!?” “Broken Promises!” some shouted “Not one more fracking well! Not one more pipeline! Can you not see that this is an emergency!? There is not a moment to waste! Now Mr. President—Now!”
They were not let in. And ordered to leave. But they refused. Some even handcuffed themselves to the gate.
The President watched and listened from his office window. “How curious,” he thought. Am I not the greatest Climate President in our history?” He summoned his closest advisors and asked them directly. “Am I not the greatest Climate President in our history?” “Yes,” said his advisors, squirming and nodding nervously. “Without compare to any President before you!” “Then why are our people risking their lives to block these pipelines?” he asked “Why are our children fasting? Refusing to go to school?”
The President said, “goodnight,” and excused himself. He readied for bed and soon drifted off to sleep and dreamed of himself in an underwater city engulfed in flames. He stood at the podium in the center ring of a great Global Climate Conference. Everywhere he looked there were throngs of people, sea creatures, trees, plants, birds some weeping, many fleeing, many sick, dying, some cursing his name. How could you not see? How could you not know? And as the dream was ending the unmistakable voice of his beloved mother whispered directly into his ear. “You know the way my son. Do it now… there is no longer time to wait… Wake up Joey - now…do it NOW!”
Illustrations B. Saltzberg
