More than 40 youth climate activists who support the Green New Deal resolution were arrested for staging a sit-in at the Washington, D.C. office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky). on Monday. (Photo: Sunrise Movement)
Feb 24, 2019
Hundreds of Kentucky high school students and climate campaigners with the youth-led Sunrise Movement descended on the Capitol Hill office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday to deliver 100,000 petition signatures and stage a sit-in to make clear to lawmakers that young people want a Green New Deal for their communities and futures.
"All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
--15-year-old Lily Gardner
For calling on McConnell to heed public demands for federal lawmakers to pass policies that will phase out fossil fuels and combat the global climate crisis while also creating green jobs and a more just economy, more than 40 demonstrators were arrested:
\u201cBREAKING: arrests happening now outside #OilMoneyMitch's DC office\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112701
As recent polling shows more than 80 percent of Americans back key elements of the Green New Deal put forth by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the mobilization to increase pressure on McConnell comes after the majority leader announced last week that he plans to rush a floor vote on the resolution, which critics denounced as a ploy to fuel divisions in the Democratic Party.
"Kentucky youth traveled here today because their state needs a Green New Deal. Mitch McConnell's Green New Deal vote is a political stunt to score some points for his wealthy donors," Sunrise Movement executive director Varshini Prakash said in a statement. "We're here to warn him and all senators: if you refuse to back the Green New Deal, young people will remember next time you ask for our votes."
Demonstrators who carried signs that read "Oil & gas $$ or our lives?," "Green New Deal," and "Mitch, Look us in the eyes" as well as supporters posted updates on social media from Monday's demonstration with the hashtags #OilMoneyMitch and #LookUsInTheEyes:
\u201cYoung Kentuckians with @sunrisemvmt were just kicked out of #OilMoneyMitch's senate office because he won't #lookusintheyes as he condemns our generation. \n\nJoin the livestream: https://t.co/eTkLp9cibC\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551112496
\u201c\ud83d\udea8 Stand with the young folks risking arrest in Washington, DC today to stand up to #OilMoneyMitch & fight for the just climate solutions we need.\n\nIf you're in the US, call your Reps to ask them to co-sponsor the resolutions for a #GreenNewDeal: https://t.co/EhEdyGq9LV\u201d— 350 dot org (@350 dot org) 1551113261
\u201cSinging in #OilMoneyMitch's DC office: which side are you on?\n\nAsk all of Congress to stand with our generation by signing this petition asking them to support the #GreenNewDeal https://t.co/dDxKbtPBxT\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112467
"I am here because people in my community don't have jobs, are starving and turning to opioids and dying," 15-year-old Lily Gardner of Lexington, Kentucky said in a statement. "Mitch McConnell refuses to do anything about. His own constituents--high schoolers--have traveled here to meet with him. All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
Both from McConnell's office and outside the Capitol Building, the youth demonstrators shared why they felt compelled to visit their senator in Washington, D.C.--with some pointing to warnings from a recent U.N. report that the international community has just about 12 years to pursue "rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented" systemic changes needed to avert climate catastrophe:
\u201c\u201cThe Green New Deal is for my brother who has asthma and everyone in Louisville who suffers from pollution.\u201d - Jenny\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551113982
\u201c\u201cI\u2019m here for my family\u2014because people back home in Kentucky have had to put up with this crisis for far too long.\u201d \u2014Olly, Kentucky\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551114191
\u201cErin, a young Kentuckian: \u201cWe have just 12 years to address this crisis\u201d\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551111197
\u201cYoung Kentuckians w @sunrisemvmtlou....\n\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f visited #OilMoneyMitch's office in KY multiple times last week\n\u26fa\ufe0f camped out when he wouldn't meet with them\n\ud83e\uddf3traveled to DC to confront the Senator directly \n\ud83d\ude94 are now getting arrested bc he is too cowardly to #LookUsInTheEyes\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551113524
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who is among the scores of co-sponsors of the Green New Deal resolution, voiced support for the sit-in at McConnell's office on Monday, urging the youth climate activists to "keep fighting."
\u201c.@senatemajldr claims that a #GreenNewDeal is unattainable, as if he suddenly cares about climate. Instead of his obstruction, we need these bold and transformation solutions to save our planet and economy. Keep fighting, @sunrisemvmt!\u201d— Senator Jeff Merkley (@Senator Jeff Merkley) 1551113235
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alexandria ocasio-cortezchildrencivil disobedienceed markeygreen new dealmitch mcconnellpeople powersunrise movementus senate
Hundreds of Kentucky high school students and climate campaigners with the youth-led Sunrise Movement descended on the Capitol Hill office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday to deliver 100,000 petition signatures and stage a sit-in to make clear to lawmakers that young people want a Green New Deal for their communities and futures.
"All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
--15-year-old Lily Gardner
For calling on McConnell to heed public demands for federal lawmakers to pass policies that will phase out fossil fuels and combat the global climate crisis while also creating green jobs and a more just economy, more than 40 demonstrators were arrested:
\u201cBREAKING: arrests happening now outside #OilMoneyMitch's DC office\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112701
As recent polling shows more than 80 percent of Americans back key elements of the Green New Deal put forth by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the mobilization to increase pressure on McConnell comes after the majority leader announced last week that he plans to rush a floor vote on the resolution, which critics denounced as a ploy to fuel divisions in the Democratic Party.
"Kentucky youth traveled here today because their state needs a Green New Deal. Mitch McConnell's Green New Deal vote is a political stunt to score some points for his wealthy donors," Sunrise Movement executive director Varshini Prakash said in a statement. "We're here to warn him and all senators: if you refuse to back the Green New Deal, young people will remember next time you ask for our votes."
Demonstrators who carried signs that read "Oil & gas $$ or our lives?," "Green New Deal," and "Mitch, Look us in the eyes" as well as supporters posted updates on social media from Monday's demonstration with the hashtags #OilMoneyMitch and #LookUsInTheEyes:
\u201cYoung Kentuckians with @sunrisemvmt were just kicked out of #OilMoneyMitch's senate office because he won't #lookusintheyes as he condemns our generation. \n\nJoin the livestream: https://t.co/eTkLp9cibC\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551112496
\u201c\ud83d\udea8 Stand with the young folks risking arrest in Washington, DC today to stand up to #OilMoneyMitch & fight for the just climate solutions we need.\n\nIf you're in the US, call your Reps to ask them to co-sponsor the resolutions for a #GreenNewDeal: https://t.co/EhEdyGq9LV\u201d— 350 dot org (@350 dot org) 1551113261
\u201cSinging in #OilMoneyMitch's DC office: which side are you on?\n\nAsk all of Congress to stand with our generation by signing this petition asking them to support the #GreenNewDeal https://t.co/dDxKbtPBxT\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112467
"I am here because people in my community don't have jobs, are starving and turning to opioids and dying," 15-year-old Lily Gardner of Lexington, Kentucky said in a statement. "Mitch McConnell refuses to do anything about. His own constituents--high schoolers--have traveled here to meet with him. All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
Both from McConnell's office and outside the Capitol Building, the youth demonstrators shared why they felt compelled to visit their senator in Washington, D.C.--with some pointing to warnings from a recent U.N. report that the international community has just about 12 years to pursue "rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented" systemic changes needed to avert climate catastrophe:
\u201c\u201cThe Green New Deal is for my brother who has asthma and everyone in Louisville who suffers from pollution.\u201d - Jenny\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551113982
\u201c\u201cI\u2019m here for my family\u2014because people back home in Kentucky have had to put up with this crisis for far too long.\u201d \u2014Olly, Kentucky\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551114191
\u201cErin, a young Kentuckian: \u201cWe have just 12 years to address this crisis\u201d\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551111197
\u201cYoung Kentuckians w @sunrisemvmtlou....\n\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f visited #OilMoneyMitch's office in KY multiple times last week\n\u26fa\ufe0f camped out when he wouldn't meet with them\n\ud83e\uddf3traveled to DC to confront the Senator directly \n\ud83d\ude94 are now getting arrested bc he is too cowardly to #LookUsInTheEyes\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551113524
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who is among the scores of co-sponsors of the Green New Deal resolution, voiced support for the sit-in at McConnell's office on Monday, urging the youth climate activists to "keep fighting."
\u201c.@senatemajldr claims that a #GreenNewDeal is unattainable, as if he suddenly cares about climate. Instead of his obstruction, we need these bold and transformation solutions to save our planet and economy. Keep fighting, @sunrisemvmt!\u201d— Senator Jeff Merkley (@Senator Jeff Merkley) 1551113235
Hundreds of Kentucky high school students and climate campaigners with the youth-led Sunrise Movement descended on the Capitol Hill office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday to deliver 100,000 petition signatures and stage a sit-in to make clear to lawmakers that young people want a Green New Deal for their communities and futures.
"All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
--15-year-old Lily Gardner
For calling on McConnell to heed public demands for federal lawmakers to pass policies that will phase out fossil fuels and combat the global climate crisis while also creating green jobs and a more just economy, more than 40 demonstrators were arrested:
\u201cBREAKING: arrests happening now outside #OilMoneyMitch's DC office\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112701
As recent polling shows more than 80 percent of Americans back key elements of the Green New Deal put forth by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the mobilization to increase pressure on McConnell comes after the majority leader announced last week that he plans to rush a floor vote on the resolution, which critics denounced as a ploy to fuel divisions in the Democratic Party.
"Kentucky youth traveled here today because their state needs a Green New Deal. Mitch McConnell's Green New Deal vote is a political stunt to score some points for his wealthy donors," Sunrise Movement executive director Varshini Prakash said in a statement. "We're here to warn him and all senators: if you refuse to back the Green New Deal, young people will remember next time you ask for our votes."
Demonstrators who carried signs that read "Oil & gas $$ or our lives?," "Green New Deal," and "Mitch, Look us in the eyes" as well as supporters posted updates on social media from Monday's demonstration with the hashtags #OilMoneyMitch and #LookUsInTheEyes:
\u201cYoung Kentuckians with @sunrisemvmt were just kicked out of #OilMoneyMitch's senate office because he won't #lookusintheyes as he condemns our generation. \n\nJoin the livestream: https://t.co/eTkLp9cibC\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551112496
\u201c\ud83d\udea8 Stand with the young folks risking arrest in Washington, DC today to stand up to #OilMoneyMitch & fight for the just climate solutions we need.\n\nIf you're in the US, call your Reps to ask them to co-sponsor the resolutions for a #GreenNewDeal: https://t.co/EhEdyGq9LV\u201d— 350 dot org (@350 dot org) 1551113261
\u201cSinging in #OilMoneyMitch's DC office: which side are you on?\n\nAsk all of Congress to stand with our generation by signing this petition asking them to support the #GreenNewDeal https://t.co/dDxKbtPBxT\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551112467
"I am here because people in my community don't have jobs, are starving and turning to opioids and dying," 15-year-old Lily Gardner of Lexington, Kentucky said in a statement. "Mitch McConnell refuses to do anything about. His own constituents--high schoolers--have traveled here to meet with him. All we want is for him to put our lives above the interests of his campaign donors."
Both from McConnell's office and outside the Capitol Building, the youth demonstrators shared why they felt compelled to visit their senator in Washington, D.C.--with some pointing to warnings from a recent U.N. report that the international community has just about 12 years to pursue "rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented" systemic changes needed to avert climate catastrophe:
\u201c\u201cThe Green New Deal is for my brother who has asthma and everyone in Louisville who suffers from pollution.\u201d - Jenny\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551113982
\u201c\u201cI\u2019m here for my family\u2014because people back home in Kentucky have had to put up with this crisis for far too long.\u201d \u2014Olly, Kentucky\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551114191
\u201cErin, a young Kentuckian: \u201cWe have just 12 years to address this crisis\u201d\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1551111197
\u201cYoung Kentuckians w @sunrisemvmtlou....\n\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f visited #OilMoneyMitch's office in KY multiple times last week\n\u26fa\ufe0f camped out when he wouldn't meet with them\n\ud83e\uddf3traveled to DC to confront the Senator directly \n\ud83d\ude94 are now getting arrested bc he is too cowardly to #LookUsInTheEyes\u201d— matthew miles goodrich (@matthew miles goodrich) 1551113524
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who is among the scores of co-sponsors of the Green New Deal resolution, voiced support for the sit-in at McConnell's office on Monday, urging the youth climate activists to "keep fighting."
\u201c.@senatemajldr claims that a #GreenNewDeal is unattainable, as if he suddenly cares about climate. Instead of his obstruction, we need these bold and transformation solutions to save our planet and economy. Keep fighting, @sunrisemvmt!\u201d— Senator Jeff Merkley (@Senator Jeff Merkley) 1551113235
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