The Baltic Way

I have been thinking about the peaceful demonstrations that took place in the Baltic States back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia achieved independence through a series of amazing peaceful displays of unity and conviction. In 1989 they organized an awe inspiring demonstration to bring attention to the hidden protocol within the Molotov-Ribbontrop Pact between the USSR and Nazi Germany that led to the occupation of these three states. This peaceful demonstration saw the forming of a 600 kilometre long human chain consisting of 2.2 million people that spanned their three nations. Only after one considers that the total combined population of the three countries was only 8 million does this display of unity fall into the proper perspective. Over one quarter of the population showed up at the same time to protest this half century old injustice in the face of their communist oppressors. The world took notice and governments listened.

Governments definitely listen but at times what they are hearing is not always the will of the people. Right now big corporations have a louder voice and thus more influence over our world leaders. Since our culture was retooled to promote consumption after the second world war, these corporations have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo to bolster their bottom line. As long as we continue to let the corporations drown out the people’s voice, our environmental concerns and peace initiatives will take a back seat to corporate profits.

In my province things are happening under our noses that the majority agree are not right but as a group we do not seem to have a voice. Our political leaders gave themselves a 34% pay increase while the tar sands that feed the government coffers are destroying the environment. Rather than investing our budget surplus into diversifying the Alberta economy, our government is promoting an expansion of the tar sands, further solidifying our economy’s dependence upon this resource. We watch them as they continue to spend their tax revenue irresponsibly and at the same time cry that more revenue is needed to ensure a healthy economy and a bright future. What future is possible with carbon emissions rising exponentially, global warming melting the arctic ice, and full scale wars being threatened and waged over control of oil reserves? Where are the massive public protests? Can you imagine the government not listening if a quarter of Alberta’s population showed up at the Alberta legislature to protest the way things have been managed?

What does it take to rally people, on a massive scale, to stand up for a cause? People like Rosa Parks show that it only takes a single person to catalyze change. I do believe that the more we talk about it, the more we write about it, the more likely it is that we will wipe out the public apathy that is so prevalent in our society. Perhaps then the government will once again become accountable to the will of the people and prove they deserve the entrustment we have given them.

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. “
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)