Letters to the Editor
-
I sold my Prius and bought a large truck
And I feel much more secure in it. If Nissan sold a larger truck in the US, I'd have bought that model instead.
People drive like jerks. I appear to be the only soul in California with functional turn signals on their vehicle. I look both ways at intersections. I stop for yellow lights.
I felt way too much hate being directed my way when I drove my Prius. And I've had sportcoats I felt more secure in. It was a neat gadget.
I don't have a commute. I'm don't care that the truck gets shitty mileage. It's BIG and I feel SECURE in it.
WTF do you care what your niece does..? "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."
-
Head in sand syndrome?
While I agree somewhat with Cary's advice, it does seem a bit roundabout when you consider that when one gets into campaigning of any kind (political, environmental, etc etc) the main focus of action tends to centre around educating others to your cause, or at least initiating some sort of dialogue with people of differing opinions.
Maybe it's just me, but the fact that the LW can't even breach the topic with someone they are close to (are they afraid of any sort of conflict at all? the letter sure sounds like it) seems to be more at the heart of the matter than whether or not they decide to join the Gore Brigade.
-
Say it passionately, and be an example...
I'm sorry but I totally disagree with Cary here. Don't rock the boat? Why not? You love these girls. What is real love? Is real love having unruffled relationships while seething with negativity underneath? Yes China'a "gargantuan destiny" is unstoppable, but that's not the point. So, we should be complacent and stupid? Huh? The world needs more truthtellers; those who dare to speak and live from a place of integrity. Have you read "Non-Violent Communication" by Marshall Rosenberg? You might want to. He talks about how to communicate YOUR feelings and reactions about other people's actions, words, etc. By owning and communicating your experiences you help to break down these enormous walls we all live behind, the walls that perpetuate the myth of our ultimate separateness. Communicating in a responsible way, he posits, has a magical way of opening other's hearts and minds.
Tell her that you just saw Al Gore's film, that it alarms you so much, how sad you feel, how much you love polar bears. AND BUY HER A COPY! This reticence on Cary's part belies our slow-moving denial, which is exactly the attitude that Gore's film counters! As a young college graduate I say we need more people to be ALARMED, at hummers, at all of the societal symbols which tout giant egos and shrivelled common-sense.
-
Hummer Bummer
Yes yes work for or with an environmental group and talk about it. Hummers waste non-renewable resources and pollute the world. Say something about it. They can have one but you don't need to mask your disapproval. When recently in England with my five year old granddaughter we came upon a Hummer parked in the middle of a very narrow ancient cobblestone street. My granddaughter said, pointing at the Hummer "What is that?" and I said "it's a car for stupid people". Unless you live where you absolutely need a Hummer (where would that be?) or you have a Hummer like Arnie's that runs on hydrogen or vegetable oil, it just reeks of wastefulness and, yes, stupidity. Does she wear her leopard skin coat whilst driving it?
-
You could...
buy a "your hummer looks stupid" bumper sticker and surreptitiously stick it on their car next time you're in public with them.
-
Show, don't tell
I have an aunt/godmother who, if she were living my life, would have made almost every decision differently. I'm thinking about what would and would not be appropriate ways for her to express disapproval of any of my life decisions, and I think it comes down to show, don't tell.
If my aunt were to tell me outright that she disapproves of my chosen method of transportation, my reaction would be "And what does this have to do with you?" If she persisted, my reaction would be "Well, if it bothers you that much, you're welcome to stop associating with me." While I find Humers as repulsive as you don't, it just isn't your place to overtly speak out against them, any more than it would be appropriate for my aunt to walk up to me and, apropos of nothing, start lecturing me on how driving rather than taking the subway would be more appropriate to my station in life. (Really, that's how she feels.)
However, that doesn't mean you have to just take it quietly. You can, of course, take whatever political action you want. It would not be inappropriate to give a copy of An Inconvenient Truth as a gift, since it is something you've enjoyed and found quite enlightening. Although I think it would be a bit much if every gift you ever give your goddaughters was intended to dehummerize them, it would not be inappropriate to gush about any other environment-themed books or movies you've enjoyed recently. It also wouldn't be inappropriate to mention in passing how much you enjoy whatever mode of transportation you use, or to mention how small your transportation expenses are if it comes up in conversation.
You can offer to take your car instead of hers if such a situation ever comes up, you can refuse a ride in her car and, if asked why, cite ethical reason. If anyone ever brings up the dubious idea that it's unsafe to drive smaller cars because they'll get crushed, you can draw a parallel with nuclear escalation. If anyone asks you outright what you think of the hummer, you can say outright that you would never drive such a thing, and even add a "But you do whatever you think is best, dear," in that infuriating way that older generations have, clearly expressing that they think we're doing everything all wrong.
You can show your disapproval in thousands of small ways, as they come up organically in your social interations. But it is completely inappropriate to outright (and, especially, repeatedly) lecture her about her transportation choices. Why? Because she is a grown adult, and grown adults should be able to go about their lives without having to worry that other people are going to lecture them for it.