The Bushfires Are Inherently Political

11/11/2019

People, activist groups, and political parties have all been accused of “politicising” the tragic bushfires that are ravaging Queensland and New South Wales. They are doing this by trying to bring attention to the climate emergency and holding the government accountable for their ignorance and inaction. But it wasn’t us who started it, and as someone who just found out their best friend is on high alert* to evacuate their home because it might burn down, let’s lay it out for the dense fuckers who can’t comprehend reality.

• Climate change denialism has had direct impact on these fires.
• Cutting funding to emergency services politicised these fires well before they even started or got this bad.

• Scott Morrison has refused to meet with Greg Mullins and other Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action members.
• Morrison, has, however, offered his thoughts and prayers and spoken in solidarity with firefighters in what I can only describe as a pathetic PR attempt to look human.
• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian trying to dismiss climate change discussion during this PR run is a political stance.
• She did admit that the conditions this year are the worst they have ever been, while in the same interview claiming there was no issue with resources but there was “fatigue” – I wonder fucking why? A corellation perhaps?
• Trying to accuse the Greens and environmental groups of being at fault is politicising the fires. They have never been against controlled burning, nor have they been in power to implement such policies if they were.

• All the commentators and ignorant morons who sparked this unnecessary vitriol towards the Greens are only politicising the issue further while blatantly turning a blind eye to all Coalition hypocrisy. Sky News has been having a blast.
• Recovery and rebuilding will be political as communities work to get their lives back in order.
• “Thoughts and prayers” and “not today” are the same phrases used by gun lobbyists and Republicans in the US whenever a mass shooting happens. People have died in these fires.
• Billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies and projects contribute towards increasing our emissions and the threat of climate change.

Anyone who tries to tell you the Greens or ‘lefties’ are to blame, tell them to fuck off. If anyone tries to tell you that we shouldn’t politicise the bushfires, blast them with an explanation on how it is impossible not to. If anyone tries to tell you climate change has no effect on the fires, show them the evidence and the words of those who actually know their shit.

I’m angry about the fires. I’m angry at all levels of government. I’m angry about the ignorance that festers on the Internet. We should all be angry, and we should all be demanding better.

Because for some, their lives depend on it.

*Updated 12/11/2019: There was a misunderstanding, my friend has not yet had to evacuate but is on high alert with smoke surrounding their land. They will also not be receiving notification as to whether they need to or not due to a lack of resources, a lacking that the NSW Premier so causally said did not exist.

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