A handful of musicians have joined forces on an open letter addressing accusations of hypocrisy hurled towards artists who have been vocal amid the climate crisis. The open letter, penned by grassroots movement Extinction Rebellion, scorches the criticism laid against musicians by conservative media and tabloid trash.
Many of the most notable names in music, including Thom Yorke, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker, Phil Manzanera, Robert Del Naja, Warren Ellis and Natalie Imbruglia have cosigned the letter.
“Dear journalists who have called us hypocrites, you’re right. We live high carbon lives and the industries that we are part of have huge carbon footprints. Like you — and everyone else — we are stuck in this fossil-fuel economy and without systemic change, our lifestyles will keep on causing climate and ecological harm,” the letter begins.
“There is, however, a more urgent story that our profiles and platforms can draw attention to. Life on earth is dying. We are living in the midst of the 6th mass extinction.
“Climate change is happening faster and more furiously than was predicted; millions of people are suffering, leaving their homes and arriving on our borders as refugees. Alongside these people who are already paying the price for our fossil fueled economy, there are millions of children — called to action by Greta Thunberg — who are begging us, the people with power and influence, to stand up and fight for their already devastated future. We cannot ignore their call. Even if by answering them we put ourselves in your firing line.”
The letter continues, “The stories that you write calling us climate hypocrites will not silence us. The media exists to tell the public the truth. Right now there has never been a more urgent need for you to educate yourselves on the CEE (Climate and Ecological Emergency) and to use your voices to reach new audiences with the truth.
“We invite all people with platforms and profiles to join us and move beyond fear, to use your voices fearlessly to amplify the real story. Thousands of ordinary people are risking their freedom by taking part in non-violent civil disobedience. We’ve been inspired by their courage to speak out and join them. We beg you to do the same.”
Extinction Rebellion are a “non-violent civil disobedience activist movement” who are petitioning for governments to declare a “climate and ecological emergency” and take immediate action to address the current climate crisis.
