Risking arrest for our future

Dear Friends,

Earlier this summer, President Trump visited West Des Moines for a GOP fundraiser. Bold Iowa was there to expose the president’s climate denial to the donors who came to support him. Five of us — Todd Steichen, Kathy Byrnes, Miriam Kashia, Martin Monroe, and I — blocked an entrance to the facility’s parking lot. We then carried our banner toward the building and were arrested by West Des Moines police. We were charged with simple misdemeanor trespass.

WE GO TO TRIAL AND NEED YOUR SUPPORT! PLEASE DONATE!

Todd Steichen, Kathy Byrnes, Miriam Kashia, Martin Monroe, and Ed Fallon. [Photo by Michel Younadam]

We risked arrest because it’s important to capture the attention of politicians, the press, and the public. Our message is that climate change threatens our very survival, and a president who denies the problem — whose policies in fact greatly exacerbate the threat — must be called out and challenged.

We knew we had to do something creative. So we settled on holding a sign reading “Climate denier in the White House scare the S#*T outta you? IT DOES US!” To further bring home the urgency, we dressed in black and wore adult diapers.

Miriam Kashia. [Photo by Michel Younadam]

We go to trial Thursday, September 5 at 2:00 at the Polk County Justice Center, Courtroom #110, 222 5th Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309. We’ll hold a press conference outside the building at 1:30. We’d be thrilled to have you and other supporters join us for both the press conference and the trial. The trial should wrap up by 4:30. [UPDATE: Trial has been moved to October 10.]

This was a difficult action to plan and implement — and yes, a little embarrassing, too. Really, who wants to parade around in public sporting a diaper? While we would have preferred to share our message with the President’s audience directly and not to have been arrested, our upcoming trial is an important opportunity to argue that non-violent action in defense of survival is justified.

Maybe you can’t risk arrest. But please, look into your heart and find what it is you CAN do — while we still have time.

Again, your monetary support of our witness is extremely helpful.

Please donate what you can today.

Thanks. — Ed