Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old environmental activist from Sweden, has been named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019.
“She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year, coming from essentially nowhere to lead a worldwide movement,” Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said. Thunberg is the magazine’s youngest choice ever to be named Person of the Year.
He also said that Thunberg “represents a broader generational shift in the culture” — with youth standing up for what they believe in — from Hong Kong to Chile.”
“Young people are demanding change, and urgently,” he said. “She embodies youth activism.”
Congratulations to Thunberg and to Time for recognizing the planet’s most urgent problem and the increasingly important influence of our younger generation.
(And incidentally, what a great cover photo. Youth and determination, head up, looking to the future.)
Excellent!
She’s a force to be reckoned with. The world needs more people like her.
That is so true!
Yes! Such an inspiration at such a young age. I voted for her.
Sadly, I missed the voting this year. I always enjoy seeing all the candidates and then voting.
She is such an inspiration. Just watched her interview with Naomi Klein. So mature of her to say she thinks all the trolls making fun of her can be funny. She nails it when she says they have nothing else to pick on because… science and physics.
My dream ticket would be Bernie and Greta, but of course only in my best dreams. She is quite amazing and remarkable.
I think we started a political discussion (I’ve been in over my head in busy). I simply don’t get the horror at the word or thought of socialism. It simply means taking care of all of our citizens (or humans and other creatures) rather than the fat cats in their multi-numbered McMansions and Yachts and Planes. Really? what have those greedy bastards done for any of us, other than make life less pleasant for the vast majority?
I agree the wealthy should do their part, more so than now. I was very upset that Trump gave them a big tax cut — on top of the Bush tax cuts that were supposed to be temporary but were later made permanent. You’d think we were taking food from their mouths by restoring those taxes.
On the other hand, I’m not sure we can or should provide everything for everyone. I’ve seen how hard both my son and his wife work to make ends meet — and they are solid middle class. They don’t deserve to have to pay to support anyone else, nor pay off anyone else’s student loans when they just recently managed to pay off their own.
I also happen to have a very wealthy relative who does all kinds of good behind the scenes, preferring to keep a very low profile while he’s one of the rocks in his city and state. Supporting public works, investing in the community, donating to all kinds of causes. I suspect there are far more wealthy people like him than like those you see so often in the news.
My biggest objection to the socialism of Warren and Sanders is that neither has convinced me they can, in reality, finance their proposals. And I don’t believe in “taking from the rich and giving to the poor.” I’m guessing most of the rich weren’t rich to begin with. They started small, worked hard, built their businesses, and earned their money. That’s capitalism, not socialism.
(Hmm, I’ve gotten rather off topic here. Should have started a whole new post.)
trump could definitely learn a few things from her. Sadly, tho, all he would be interested in is boning her. (sorry to be so crude, but it’s the only way to describe this act when related to trump)
The man is such a gross pig, it makes me ill to think of him touching any woman, much less a teenager.
Agreed. 1000%
I am so inspired by Greta! I wonder how she feels about covid-19 in the face of climate change?
I could be wrong but I don’t see any relationship between the two. Both pose an imminent danger, but the virus is killing people now.
I also could be wrong but it seems to me as temperatures rise and weather starts to be a more variable event, we will start to see more rather than less of new viruses cropping up around the world. I would be interested in what climate change professionals and experts are saying about the propensity for disease given rising global temperatures. And how to go about preventing this disease.
Here in Colorado the experts seem to think that the rising temperatures of summer and our very dry climate will make it harder for the coronavirus to survive. Most viruses and bacteria prefer warm, moist environments (hence their attraction to our mucous membranes). And sterilization methods seem to indicate that heat is bad for them.