Friends,
Andrew Bolt has done it again. He’s attacked people we look up to, in order to draw attention to himself.[1]
We don’t generally pay attention to what Andrew Bolt says, but this time we’ve made an exception. His piece on school strike founder Greta Thunberg, a girl four decades younger than him, paints her as a confused individual undeserving of the platform and movement she’s worked so hard to build.
Bolt’s piece not only insults everyone who sees Greta with the courage she actually has, but it also uses her mental health to discredit her. Which is just shameful, to young people and anyone with mental health challenges.
But, this isn’t the first time adults have attacked us. Remember when ScoMo told us to be less activist? [2] Remember when Canavan said that we’d only learn to join the dole queue, which was an insult not just to us but to people grappling with real economic pressures? [3]
But, friends, remember: if they say anything about us at all, they acknowledge us. If they go after us, they show us that they’re scared of us. What are these insults gonna do? Make us stop? No, they are just going to add fuel to the fire in our bellies!
Let’s keep this fire going. Can you join us on the streets on the 20th of September?
We were 15,000 members strong on November 30. 150,000 members strong on March 15. Let’s show the haters we’re only growing in size and power across Australia on September 20.
See you on the streets!
In solidarity,
The School Strikers for Climate
References:
[1] Greta Thunberg, the teen behind climate strikes, hits back at Andrew Bolt column, The ABC, 1st August 2019.
[2] Scott Morrison tells students striking over climate change to be 'less activist', The Guardian, 26th November 2018.
[3] Climate change protest will lead to dole queue, minister tells students, Sydney Morning Herald, 30th November 2018.