Dear Amy, Noah, Ella, Margaret, Indigo, Daniel K, Paul, George, Gale, Theresa, Paul, Phoebe, Cressie, Roger, Lou, Daniel S, Lucia, Rosa, Rory, Adam, Luke W and Luke E,
My name is George Harold Millman, and I'm a political campaigner and blogger based in South Wales. My blog, which I've been writing since I was seventeen, is called The Rebel Without A Clause, and I try to use it to whip up support for progressive politics, social justice and to empower ordinary people to make a stand against the establishment.
I am writing to you mainly to thank you for all your hard work. I cannot imagine how intimidating it must be (though I'm sure not as intimidating as the climate catastrophe) to stand in front of a judge and stay true to your principles in the way you have done. The courage and tenacity you have displayed is an inspiration to all of us. Nearly everything we have today, from the right to vote for women to the abolition of slavery, was fought for by brave activists, some of whom were jailed or even killed for their work. I believe that you are the modern-day equivalent. You are on the right side of history, I hope you know that.
I am not a climate scientist, but I do read a lot of the commentary from scientists, and I would also like to say that I believe that we will win this fight and avert the worst of the climate emergency. Perhaps this is naive of me. However, I think this win is already happening. There's a quote, commonly attributed to Gandhi (although I don't believe in reality he ever actually said it: 'First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.' I actually think the entire reason world Governments and powers are being so heavy-handed just at the minute is that we are winning - if not from a scientific level then from a social one. More people are aware of climate change than ever before, and are willing to take the action that needs to be taken in order to deal with the problem. The fact that we haven't solved it yet is entirely on world leaders, and world leaders are both replaceable and persuadable. I will continue to write and campaign to get you released. I have written to my MP about the case of those of you who have become known as the Whole Truth Five specifically, and the fact that you were not able to properly state your case in court. Unfortunately, my MP has not as of yet responded, but I will not let this matter go, and I will continue to talk about it with as many people as I can.
I have a suggestion as well. Recently, the subject of prison overcrowding has been quite a hot topic, particularly with the new Government. There have been people who have been convicted of far lesser offences than yours who have only received suspended sentences, with prison overcrowding cited as one of the reasons. Have you considered having a sit-in and refusing en masse to leave prison when it comes to the end of your sentence? Or, if you're physically removed, sit outside as close to the prison gates as you can? Perhaps this action would a) send the message that prison is not a deterrent to climate action and that you aren't afraid and b) make an important point about political prisoners being detained when the prisons are overcrowded in the first place. Maybe I'm wrong and that it wouldn't work, but I thought I'd suggest it in case it hasn't been thought of.
At any rate, I hope that my email has given you each of you one less dark night, and has reminded you that there are still people out here fighting both for your release, and for an end to the environmentally destructive neocapitalist system which has enslaved us for too long and is destroying the only home we've ever known. You are not forgotten, will not be forgotten, and we will win this.
Best wishes,
George Harold Millman
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