CivilDisobedience

Thetimberindustryisinspiredsolelybyprofit,ignoringthesignificanceofthetrees
theychopdown.Inprotestoftheirimmorality,JuliaButterflyHillclimbed180feetintoa600
yearoldredwoodtreecalledLunainStaffordofHumboldtCountyinCaliforniaon
December10,1997,andremainedthereuntilDecember23,1999toearnitsprotection
fromthePacificLumberCompany.MissHilldesiredtoprotecttheancientredwood,slow
downthedecimationoftrees,andraiseawarenessofthesituationinthegeneralpublic.
Theextensivelengthofhertreesitandtheconflictbetweentheredwoodactivistgroup
EarthFirst!andPacificLumbermadethemediaflocktohercause.Whilstinthetree,Julia
earnedallianceswithmultiplecelebritiesandanumberofsteelworkersagainstPacific
LumberCompany.ShedidnotgiveuponhertreesituntiltheLunaPreservation
Agreementwascreated,andherLunawassafefromthelumbercompany.Sheverymuch
believedthattheonlyobligationIhavearighttoassumeistodoatanytimewhatIthinkis
right...acorporationhasnoconsciencebutacorporationofconscientiousmenisa
corporationwithaconscience(Thoreau).Herpersistenceledtotheconservationofatree
thathasbeenaroundforages,exposingtheheartofthelumberindustrytothepublicinthe
process.
Source:
http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/juliabutterflyhilldefendscaliforniaredwoods1999

Statewideassessmentscanoftentimesbeaburdenoneveryoneinvolved,fromthe
studentstotheteachers.OnApril15,2008,CarlChewrefusedtogivetheWashington
AssessmentofStudentLearning(WASL)tohissixthgradestudentsataSeattlePublic
Schoolsmiddleschool.HesawtheWASLasunfairforthestudentsbecauseofitsbias
andcoldnature.HewitnessedtheWASLcreatingpanic,insecurity,lowselfesteem,and
sadnessinhisstudents.Thetestwastooblackandwhite,functioningunderapassorfail
systeminsteadofpointsearned.Hisstandagainstthisstandardizedtestresultedina
suspensionuntilMay2,2008.AnantiWASLgroup,theParentEmpowermentNetwork,
recognizedhiseffortsandeventriedtogetpeopletodonatetomakeupforChewslost
wages.Mr.ChewknewthatotherteachersfeltthesameabouttheWASL,buttheywere
tooafraidofthepotentialconsequences.Theirfearmadeittruethatinmostcasesthere
isnofreeexercisewhateverofthejudgementorofthemoralsense(Thoreau).Although
CarlChewsactionsweremajorlypublicized,nolongtermchangesweremade.Hedid
howevermaketheissueknown,andmaybeevenopenedthedoorforfutureopposition.
Sources:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/CarlChewsstatementontheWASL1271063.php#page2
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2004363602_webwasl22m.html

Theoilindustryisanotherbigbagmonsterlurkingintheshadows.Itwason
December19,2008thatTimDeChristopherdecidedtoactagainsttheimmoralauctioning
ofUtahpubliclandstoenergygiants.Hecouldnotstandtoseethepublicredrocklands
besoldtooilandgascompanies,sohemadefalsebidsonparcelsofland.Dueto
DeChristophersactions,furtherinvestigationswereinstilledandtheparcelsendedup
beingtakenoffthemarketbecauseoftheeffecttheenergydevelopmentwouldhaveonthe
climate.Hegotalotofpublicattentionandproducedaninfluxofsupportthatcausedthe
preservationofthousandsofacresofUtahpubliclands.TimDeChristophersaid,Youcan
steermycommitmenttoahealthyandjustworldifyouagreewithit,butyoucantkillit.This
isnotgoingaway.Atthispointofunimaginablethreatsonthehorizon,thisiswhathope
lookslike.Inthesetimesofamorallybankruptgovernmentthathassoldoutitsprinciples,
thisiswhatpatriotismlookslike.Withcountlesslivesontheline,thisiswhatlovelookslike,
anditwillonlygrow.Hecontinuestobringattentiontothematterofclimateconservation
andiscurrentlytouringtospreadhisbeliefsevenmore.Theworldchangesonepersonat
atime.
Source:
http://www.peacefuluprising.org/timdechristopher/timsstory