How We Will Lose Our Democracy?
City By City.

By Patrick Gean-Ali

   --Community Organizer, Detroit Sierra Club

When Barack Obama was sworn in for a second term last Monday in Washington D.C., we witnessed the beginning of a presidential term that may provide one of our final opportunities to preserve our democratic, environmental and economic health both here and across the globe.

The fact that President Obama's inauguration coincided with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's holiday was a fitting reminder that a lasting legacy is at stake.

Some may think that's being overly dramatic.

But from a ground perspective here in Detroit, it's as clear as MLK's Mountain Top vision.

As we commemorate the dream, the Detroit Sierra Club's 100 Days of Climate Legacy Action and Presidential Inauguration brunch join forces.

A host of community residents, activists, environmentalists, union members and Sierra Club volunteers galvanized to offset the threat of corporate lawlessness and public unaccountability.

The 100 Days of Action aims to bring together a coalition of citizens concerned about the grave threats rampant corporate lawlessness and public unaccountability present to our environmental, economic and social well-being.

We took the opportunity to strategize about how we can encourage President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to secure a legacy by rebuilding a healthy environment, economy and society with a series of administrative actions from now through Earth Day .

As challenging as these ideals may be, we inherit the world's best opportunity to realize them.

The question is whether our generation will carry the 20th century's hard-earned progress around environmental, labor and civil protections forward or betray it out of the short-sighted greed, insecurity, historical amnesia and fear mongering offered by the corporate agenda.

Here in Michigan, we've all seen the governor, state legislature and local Detroit city council show blatant disrespect for the clear public rejection of Emergency Manager Laws by repackaging it like an unwanted Christmas gift.

State officials also showed why the constitutional amendments were needed to guarantee collective bargaining and a clean energy future by moving to strike down collective bargaining restrictions. 

The assault on collective bargaining--a right that birthed the middle class in Michigan--came despite clear indications from exit polls that showed public support for bargaining rights and clean energy minus altering the state constitution.

At the city level, the disregard for public will has been just as blatant.

Detroit Public School System Emergency Manager (EM), Roy Roberts insists he's still the H.EM.I.C. while Mayor Dave Bing and the city council believe they're justified in firing city attorney Krystal Crittendon for  fighting valiantly to fulfill her duty by opposing the EM agenda through legal channels.

The election validated her position and that of the Michigan Sierra Club, which officially endorsed the proposal to repeal the Emergency Manager Law.

Instead, it only demonstrated the disregard some elected officials have for the public will.

At the federal level, we trust these trends are not repeated.

Obama's inaugural address signaled that he is prepared to lead the way toward a clean energy future and the  equitable society most Americans support.

His second term signifies a general public rejection of runaway corporate unaccountability.

We now have a president with the opportunity to act administratively without waiting for congressional gridlock to fade.

People want change we can believe in--it's time to deliver.

Please join us for a series of community engagement actions over the next 100 Days of Action, and on through the month of April culminating on Earth Day, to encourage President Obama and the EPA to stand by the sacrifices of MLK and so many others.

No figure in American history has had greater potential to honor and live up to Dr. King's legacy than President Obama.

Where King had a dream and a vision, this President has been given a most precious opportunity by the American people to build a world where we can all prosper.

None of it can happen if the current climate disruptions are not addressed through necessary investments in clean energy.

Of all the challenges facing the President and our society, climate disruption is perhaps the most urgent.

Doing that will at least give us a chance at overcoming the others.

We owe it to ourselves, our children and each other to take action now.