1. Where did XR come from?
1. Where did XR come from?
Attempt: 421
Where did XR come from?
Intro / Aims
This section is about where XR (Extinction Rebellion) came from and what it's all about.
In this video, rebels around the world are reading the Declaration of Rebellion:
Watch on YouTube instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps-dAGkK0n0
In October 2018, a Group of people gathered outside the Houses of Parliament and read the Declaration of Rebellion. It is a very powerful and emotional statement of intent. It ends with these words:
“We refuse to bequeath a dying planet to future generations by failing to act now. We act in peace, with ferocious love of these lands in our hearts. We act on behalf of life.”
This is why XR came into being - to bring the worldwide climate and ecology emergency to the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Here is a video which introduces XR:
By the end of this section...
... you should know when XR was founded, what the Declaration of Rebellion is and where the XR Symbol came from.
Learning Material
The History of Extinction Rebellion
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2016: A group called “Rising Up” was created in UK - https://www.risingup.org.uk/
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Mid-2018: Extinction Rebellion was formed as part of “Rising Up”
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Oct 31st 2018: Extinction Rebellion was launched in the UK with the Declaration of Rebellion.
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Since then, other countries have set up their own Extinction Rebellion groups
The Declaration of Rebellion
The Declaration of Rebellion was read out in London on 31st October 2018, to declare the beginning of our rebellion against the government. It has also been read out in other places by rebels as they launch their own local groups. It can be read out whenever it feels appropriate. We have included it here to set the scene:
Watch the video ...
Watch on YouTube instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MG25F-RTQ4
... or read the text:
The Declaration of Rebellion
This is our darkest hour.
Humanity finds itself embroiled in an event unprecedented in its history. One which, unless immediately addressed, will catapult us further into the destruction of all we hold dear: this nation, its peoples, our ecosystems and the future of generations to come.
The science is clear:- we are in the sixth mass extinction event and we will face catastrophe if we do not act swiftly and robustly.
Biodiversity is being annihilated around the world. Our seas are poisoned, acidic and rising. Flooding and desertification will render vast tracts of land uninhabitable and lead to mass migration.
Our air is so toxic that the United Kingdom is breaking the law. It harms the unborn whilst causing tens of thousands to die. The breakdown of our climate has begun. There will be more wildfires, unpredictable super storms, increasing famine and untold drought as food supplies and fresh water disappear.
The ecological crises that are impacting upon this nation, and indeed this planet and its wildlife can no longer be ignored, denied nor go unanswered by any beings of sound rational thought, ethical conscience, moral concern, or spiritual belief.
In accordance with these values, the virtues of truth and the weight of scientific evidence, we declare it our duty to act on behalf of the security and well-being of our children, our communities and the future of the planet itself.
We, in alignment with our consciences and our reasoning, declare ourselves in rebellion against our Government and the corrupted, inept institutions that threaten our future.
The wilful complicity displayed by our government has shattered meaningful democracy and cast aside the common interest in favour of short-term gain and private profits.
When Government and the law fail to provide any assurance of adequate protection, as well as security for its people’s well-being and the nation’s future, it becomes the right of its citizens to seek redress in order to restore dutiful democracy and to secure the solutions needed to avert catastrophe and protect the future. It becomes not only our right, it becomes our sacred duty to rebel.
We hereby declare the bonds of the social contract to be null and void, which the government has rendered invalid by its continuing failure to act appropriately. We call upon every principled and peaceful citizen to rise with us.
We demand to be heard, to apply informed solutions to these ecological crises and to create a national assembly by which to initiate those solutions needed to change our present cataclysmic course.
We refuse to bequeath a dying planet to future generations by failing to act now.
We act in peace, with ferocious love of these lands in our hearts. We act on behalf of life.
The XR Symbol
The iconic symbol of Extinction Rebellion takes the form of a circle (representing the Earth) and an hourglass (representing that time is running out).
The symbol was created by a London artist known as ESP in 2011, and can be used for any non-commercial purpose, including as the XR symbol.
More information can be found here: www.extinctionsymbol.info
The symbol can only be used for non-commercial purposes, so we can’t sell XR merchandise that incorporates this symbol.
Civil Disobedience
Civil disobedience is fundamental to XR.
Extinction Rebellion uses civil disobedience by intentionally and peacefully breaking the law, and consequently risking arrest, in order to force the government to act on our demands.
Other forms of protest have been tried, and are too easily ignored by governments.
Civil disobedience is necessary in order to disrupt business as usual and force the government to notice us.
It is important to note that the majority of people in Extinction Rebellion will not get arrested.
There are many roles which do not require risk of arrest, or require very low risk of arrest. Non-arrestable people are welcomed into the movement, as long as they agree to the principle of civil disobedience
Case Studies
"I was there on the 31st of October 2018. The sun was shining and hundreds of colourful flags were waved in the air. There were a lot more people than I expected for such a young movement at the time. I listened to the speeches, taking in every single word. They were so bold and daring. But they were also dark, and mournful. In that moment I felt like I’ve been asleep my whole life, and I was only just waking up. All of those headlines I’ve been reading about how much our broken system is destroying life on Earth, the people suffering – it’s all real and it’s happening. It’s not just someone else’s responsibility. It’s mine as well. It was a heavy weight to bear all of a sudden, but it didn’t feel that heavy, as I was amongst a thousand other people bearing some of it – and I know there will be more."
Your Turn
What brought you to XR?
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Review and Reflect
Take a moment to reflect on what you've learnt.
- Do you know when XR was founded?
- Do you know what the Declaration of Rebellion is?
- Do you know what the XR symbol looks like and where it came from?
If you think you've understood, take the quiz to complete the lesson....