Open Letter to “Climate Change Activists” who Disfigure Public Art

What you are doing is not “action;” it is destruction! Why have you decided to be a destructionist – as well as a thief of other people’s hard earned time?

I hope it’s not because you want your picture in the news. That’s too bad, because no one watches the news except for old fogies like me.

I will tell you why you are flopping around looking for something to destroy. It’s because you are scared to the depths of your being that we (humanity) are screwing the world up. We are poisoning the air. We are poisoning the oceans. We are ruining climate patterns and the flow of the oceans. We have made the world unlivable for some species – and maybe even ourselves.

Lesson One. The way to win a revolution is to bring more people over to your side.

If your basic thought is that there is no art on a dead planet, why then would you destroy art? Your current actions tells everyone that you are giving up – that our Planet is already dead. Destruction has become your goal.

Well, I say you are wrong. Our planet is not dead. Our Planet is definitely in serious trouble – and we are the only species that can stop it.

Your process should not be to destroy things of social value. Stop that nonsense. Do not destroy art. Do not steal the joy people get from humanity’s art. That makes no sense.

Your path should be one that calls people to action. It should be a path that informs them. It should be a path that encourages people to do what they can to stop the destruction of our Planet which is happening all around us.

Do not delude yourself that just because people are mad at you that you are having the right effect.

Lesson Two.  Making people mad at you will not make them join your revolution.

Most likely the people who enjoy going to museums and seeing great art – and sometimes not so great art – (but it’s still art) – those people are probably more on your side (i.e., to save our Planet) than the people who do not/could not care about going to see the art. In other words, you are attacking the very people that you want to have on your side and working with you.

You are alienating them. You are an embarrassment to them, and they are not going to join you.

Put your energy into helping all people – art lovers – art admirers – artists – people who have heard of the art piece – people who have not heard of the art piece – people who don’t feel they have time for art – help all of them to understand what they can do to reduce their personal negative impact on our Planet.

Stop tearing down, and start building up.

Pull back from the edge of anarchy – develop a positive action plan – and help everyone understand what they can do.

I would bet that you will have a better effect on changing minds that way rather than by your telling people that what they care about (or don’t care about) can be ruined (even if it is temporarily). You only look like dolts.

DBD = Don’t Be a Dolt

Your fear makes you blindly lash out. What is the difference between you (who steals from someone the enjoyment of viewing a work of art), and a person who takes a can of spray paint to a national park? There is none. To hell with your platitudes and ‘reasons’ of why you did it. The results are the same. You are stealing from someone the joy of being in the presence of something beautiful.

I totally get you want to protect the national beauty of our Planet and its ability to support life. I spent my entire professional career doing that.

How do you do it? One person at a time. You have to explain it to them.

I bet that when your image flashes on TV with the damage you have done to someone else’s day – no one is watching. They got up to get a drink of water. Your actions are just like a television advertisement for children’s cereal – I don’t need to watch it.

So what are you to do with your feelings, with your anger – with your fear?

Do something beneficial with your time. Start communicating with people. Tell them about the Keeling Curve and what it shows. Stand outside the art gallery and give them a card with information that will actually inform them of what is happening – or what they can do in their own lives to help defend our Planet. Your action will inform them and help them get involved.

·       You – and they – can change how they live – can change how they treat their neighborhood as well as their Planet.

·       You – and they – can write an article about a company that is working to make a change to help save our Planet.

·       You – and they – can write a letter to a politician.

·       You – and they – can support the companies and politicians that are trying to make a difference in our culture of destruction.

The change will happen one person at a time. It will happen at a national level only when the governments (read as ‘politicians’) are pushed to make a change – or we change the politicians.

And I will say that for the vast majority of people, all you are doing right now is just pissing them off.

Stop making people mad – and make them glad that they can make a difference.

HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN DO.

Stop destroying our national treasures – and stop stealing our joy. Think of helping rather than getting your picture on TV.

Stop wasting your time plotting destruction – and start building.

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AI Image produced using Meta AI by the author specifically for this article.