When I posted my recent article about environmentalism, I received a lot of positive responses. I also found it linked on a few message boards, and there were a number of comments from what I presume would be self-described “realists”, decrying the feasibility of a green industrial revolution, or a movement to stop buying oil from autocracies. Some complained about how hard it would be to challenge the Washington-oil industry partnership. Others complained about how expensive it would be to convert the US to a sustainable energy platform or how most Americans won’t be willing to make the change.

Well why don’t we just quit now?


When I was in Iraq, one of my responsibilities was to run an ammunition point. We ran 24-hour a day combat operations for 210 days without a day off, turning over millions of dollars worth of ammunition every few days, sometimes while taking lethal mortar and rocket attacks. During this time, we also increased the capacity of the site, destroyed highly dangerous captured munitions, recycled large quantities of damaged coalition ammo, and organized and redistributed thousands of captured insurgent weapons. The Marines who carried out these invaluable missions were on average, 19 years old and they did this work with one forklift that was often broken, flashlights, their bare hands, and sheer determination. No one ever complained. Ever.

It is unacceptable to me that Americans have become so sedated by the “which candidate can win” voting strategy, the “lobbyists control Washington” national agenda selection, and the “conservative think-tankers clearly understand foreign policy better than I do” national security plan. Why even call yourself an American if all you do is work and sleep here?

Our government is fractured, and politicians are scrambling to preserve political power, at the cost of making the right decisions together. Did it ever occur to anyone to ask how far the $1 Trillion spent on the war in Iraq would go in subsidizing alternative fuels research? We can’t just shrug at things that seem impossible when they are essential. I assure you, five of my Marines could accomplish more in a week than 50 senators can accomplish in a whole session of congress- because Marines are united for a common good. How do we fix our government? Americans have to get involved and contribute to this democracy; therein lies the unity that PR hucksters have convinced us doesn’t exist.


I thought about getting the names of the Marines I knew who were killed in combat tattooed on my arm or chest so I would always be reminded of their sacrifices. It’s a nice sentimental thought, but what does that accomplish on behalf of their sacrifice? Instead I vote. I write letters to my senators and I let them know what I expect. Telling our delegates what we want and voting are among the only powers we have, and are powers men and women have died to preserve. And I guarantee you that if these rights were used to their full potential, Americans would realize that the lobbyists aren’t as powerful as they seem.

Don’t take your Kool-Aid this election season. Instead, tell the candidates and your leaders what you expect of them and hold them accountable. In fact, don’t wait till primaries- start today. And if you think this is idealistic dear-diary bullshit, I challenge you to stare a dead Marine in the face and tell him so. I know a bunch you can talk to.

Do Something: Your Senators Your Congressperson