They’re not gonna take it!
More than 50 demonstrators gathered outside the home of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) near Prospect Park on June 9 at a youth-oriented protest to demand that the lawmaker sign the ambitious Green New Deal, according to one parent who attended the event with his two children.
“This was a very explicit request to sign onto the Green New Deal, which he has not done,” said Stephan von Muehlen.
Von Muehlen brought his sons Conrad and Sheppard, who wrote letters to New York’s senior senator pleading for action on climate change.
“I worked on a letter with Conrad. It basically said that climate change is scary,” said von Muehlen. “They’re the ones that are going to have to live with the consequences if we don’t act.”
Another protester said the youth-centric protest was necessary to capture the legislator’s attention, and put the climate-problem in perspective.
“He’s made a lot of references lately to his grandkids, and how they are going to inherit the environment we’ve made,” said Robert Wood. “So it was important to have kids deliver this message to him.”
The young climate warriors hope their message will finally reach the Democratic Senate leader, who has yet to sign on as a co-sponsor of the ambitious Green New Deal resolution.
“The time for coming together and compromising is kind of over. And the younger folks recognize it,” said von Muehlen.
While Schumer is not among the 13 Senators who have signed on as sponsors of the resolution — which was introduced in February by Queens Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey — a spokeswoman for the senator said he supports the concept, and applauded the children’s effort.
“Sen. Schumer supports the goals and aspirations of the Green New Deal, believes young people and students – like those at this event – deserve enormous credit in elevating the climate crisis in the national dialogue, and looks forward to working with them,” said Paige Tepke. “If he becomes Majority Leader, he would make passing an ambitious climate bill a top priority.”
