We have discussed six ethical aims that unite us as a group, and we aim to stick by them:
- Our currency is love
- We aim for transformative change
- We are powered by people not profit
- We are in radical solidarity with all who wish to sustain, improve, and cherish the diversity of life.
- We each take responsibility; we avoid blaming.
- We are nonviolent
Strategy
“In between meaningless reform and impossible revolution, we find mixed existing and historical models of formal state, civil, and guerrilla strategies.” – Ajay Singh Chaudhary
We believe the climate and ecological emergency is an immediate threat to all life on earth. Nonviolent direct action is a way to raise the alarm and present a dilemma to those in power, compelling them to tell the truth, to take action, and to listen to people who are themselves taking action – to be inspired by their own selfless risk to a similar selflessness. NVDA is fundamentally about empathy, and the kind we wish to practise is one that permits those present at an action to engage with us empathetically. It does not make anyone into a “target” or a villain; and it doesn’t present activists as heroes either – all of this is part of the toxic power system that has screwed us already. We would simply like our actions to enable everyone to end the day feeling more empowered and connected. That said, we can’t guarantee this, and it doesn’t mean we can’t hold individuals to account. With great power comes great fuckability, and those who are fucking us most egregiously deserve a spotlight.
We don’t believe that radical action and direct action are the only and unique tools we ought to use, though.
They ought to be allied to grassroots, totally accessible organising that allows everyone to speak truth to power, to act around the present and imminent crises, and to build resilience and community together. In practice, this means meetings and structure that mitigate for power; it means preparing reports and articles together in a space which values all of our roles; and creating community groups around particular issues, such as Artificial Grass, or Toxicity.