Whilst many will no doubt agree with some of Hallums statements to the effect that ongoing collapse of our ecosystems will put many genocides of the past in the shade by comparison, the fact remain that crassly dismissing atrocities in our history increases the likelihood of them being repeated.
Rogers increasingly consequentialist and populist narratives around climate catastrophe* is becoming en vogue amongst many in the environmental movement who would dismiss the lived experiences of those affected Historically by the same leviathan that sees us in danger of a silent planet.
" There's no climate justice on a dead planet" I've heard people say with saddening frequency, a sign not of compassion and empathy but of privileged desperation.
This emergency mindset will see only more division and Zealotry emerge as more and more people are potentially manipulated into ill informed action by moral blackmail rather than a sense of consented, informed resistance to the multiple crises facing us.
The call to forget history so all hands can man the pumps of the "climate emergency" is also indicative of a mindset that sees itself separated from the continuum of wider being, that's part of why we are here at this terrible brink in the first place.
Rogers deliberate provocation of controversy shows cunning in that it gets tongues wagging yet its likely the real issues will be foreshadowed as the story becomes all about him rather than about what's going down on this dying planet of ours.
It could be seen as also an incredible disdain for his Co workers, fellow rebels and those we are meant to be welcoming in under banners of inclusivity.
It affects the hunger strikers, the media teams dealing with the fall out, the rebels arguing on facebook..
Whilst autonomy is to be encouraged the lack of consideration for the wider team is saddening.
So many give so much to XR and yet often all many do us fire fight.
It's a waste of resources and precious time.
With folk in XR calling for terms like decolonisation and oppression to thrown out of the XR lexicon it feels like this chasing of populism is veering down a darker path altogether in an attempt to become so broadstream as to try encompassing every perspective at once.
Whilst I'm in favour of ternary thinking I can't see any deeper thought as how to the deepening shadows of authoritarianism are to be avoided though. This desperation to become saviors could instead damn us further into a deepening hell.
I'd suggest that it's time to change the guard within XR.
Time to stand back the figure heads and Co founders whom are becoming too used to the prestige, power and privilege that's a result of XRs explosive birth.
XR has never been creation of just a few.
Both Roger and Gail have shown incredible capacity, passion and motivation and like many I'm vastly grateful for all that has been accomplished thus far but XR isn't just their baby.
Indeed without the dedication of all the unseen founders XR simply wouldn't be here.
Roger would likely still be nose diving projects into the ground and plugging his PHD, Gail would still be trying to float compassionate revolutionaries, I'd still be flogging my guts out on front lines.
It's been a total sum of part's affair.
It was meant to be a gift to the world, not a vanity project for the few.
I'd suggest it's time to look at closely at how Co founders /figureheads media exposure is handled.
Calls for compassion to be shown to Roger once again highlight the privilege that figureheads have.
Where's the compassion and thought to aggrieved XR rebels and Co workers?
To those whom theses crass and thoughtless comments have aggrieved?
The "cone" of directed compassion vaunted by many is also exclusionary, this is exemplified by such acts as sending flowers to cops and not thinking of the communities whose sons have died in that same station.
It's a common issue with the limits of love.
Figureheads and Co founders need their exposure limiting and a clear policy should be set out for accountibility guidelines.
If you can't stick to them as an XR ambassador, Co founder or figure head then out you go.
To many this will seem like naming and shaming, a taboo in XR.
I personally think that principle needs tk go or to be amended, it's led to a culture of meekness within XR and with that an inability to speak to power, it has been used to shirk accountibilty and obfuscate power in ways not entirely healthy.