#262 | Burning Earth: Social Justice, Climate Activism, & Countering The Far Right w/ Hilary Moore

Intro: 7:19

In this episode, I speak with anti-racist and environmental activist Hilary Moore, author of ‘Burning Earth, Changing Europe: How the Racist Right Exploits the Climate Crisis–And What We Can Do About It’, and co-author of ‘No Fascist USA! The John Brown Anti-Klan Committee and Lessons for Today’s Movements.’

In her booklet ‘Burning Earth, Changing Europe’, Hilary examines how right wing ideology, in its various forms, reacts to, co-opts, and inserts its agendas into the discourse and activism surrounding climate change and environmentalism at large. As she points to in this interview: 

1. Climate change is not an inherently progressive issue.

2. How you think and talk about climate change may prop up racist right-wing positions.

3. The far right does not need to govern to influence.

With these truths in mind, Hilary points to how social justice itself must be central to any environmental and climate movement:

My advice to the environmental movement in the US is blunt: get out of the way of struggles for justice — or join, unapologetically. If we are not willing to reorganize ourselves — making significant changes to our boards, directors, managers, programs, campaigns, fundraising development, strategies (yes, all of it) — then, well… we are irrelevant. (https://bit.ly/3a6AMcX)

Hilary Moore has been writing about anti-racism and social movements for the last ten years. Her work focuses on the far right, climate change, state structures, and systems of oppression, as well as liberal and left forms of resistance. She teaches with generative somatics and volunteers on the Leadership Team of Showing Up for Racial Justice. Her work has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Public Eye, Waging Nonviolence, and Teen Vogue.

Episode Notes:

- Learn more about Hilary and her work: https://hilaryamoore.com

- Download and read ‘Burning Earth, Changing Europe’: https://bit.ly/3idiw4C

- Learn more about and purchase ‘No Fascist USA!’: https://nofascistusabook.org / https://bit.ly/2Psnr5d

- Read Shane Burley’s review of ‘No Fascist USA!’: https://bit.ly/2ESxD4V

- The song featured in this episode is “La Da Di” by Co.fee from the album HW&W Vol. 1: https://youtu.be/YihdFDdLcW4