Climate Honesty

for four treble voices

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I wrote Climate Honesty around the time U.S. Senator James Inhofe brought a snowball to work in an attempt to deny the existence of climate change. My song is not addressed to the senator—I have no words for him—but rather to those who want to believe what people like him have to say, not only on this subject but on any where it is comfortable yet irresponsible to be ignorant.

Excerpt sung by Margaret Streeter, Crystal Tung, Julia Tang and Diana Hill. Conducted by Evelyn Troester DeGraf:

View a score sample here.

Text by Rebekah Driscoll:

Given that the air is already overfilled with sound,
and I firmly believe we would all benefit from less;
I do not think lightly of adding to the cacophony,
and I do not flatter myself that anything I may say will be new;
but I am growing increasingly alarmed
by this complacency, this entitlement, this acceptance of the unacceptable.

We are the ones with power, information, and resources;
we are the ones who have caused the current state of affairs;
and yet we abdicate responsibility,
we shrink from any form of sacrifice,
we insist we have some god-given right
to seize, devour, carelessly destroy!
We imagine virtue in ignorance and acquisition;
we close our eyes against the sight of truth.

I know you would rather hear something more soothing; 
we have all had a long day.

I am happy to remind you of ubiquitous beauty—
the eyes of the nearest child,
the light of the most distant star—
and I have no desire to dampen your joy. 
In fact, I would like to amplify it!

However, at the same time, let’s cultivate awareness and restraint; 
Question, act, evaluate, question again!
You are essential; you can re-connect these fragments;
Your love and commitment are indispensable today!
I’ll sing you a lullaby when you are exhausted; 
but if you can find the energy, please be awake! 
Awake! Awake!