A dear friend and colleague had skin cancer removed from his face last week. Two weeks ago, one of my oldest friends had surgery for fairly aggressive prostate cancer. We have two members of our congregation who are struggling with very serious metastatic cancer. This time last year, of course, I was going with Bill every other week to chemotherapy.

Although this all feels overwhelming, the truth is my situation is not unique. Cancer has become epidemic, with nearly half-a-million Americans dying of it every year. The cost for cancer treatment is nearly $100 million in the United States alone. There is little doubt that the thinning ozone layer, increased carbon in the atmosphere, and chemicals in and on our food each play a role in this pernicious suffering for millions of families.

Yet the Trump administration has nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head, or more honestly, to dismantle, the Environmental Protection Agency. At a time when the good earth needs more protection than ever, Republicans have proposed abolishing the agency altogether. The sole motivation for this is greed. Conservatives believe that those who are fighting to preserve the earth for our grandchildren are costing corporations, including corporate farms, money. Even though most economists believe that promoting clean energy would be an economic boom, politicians who have sold their souls to the oil and coal industries care more about their donations than they do about their own grandchildren being able to breathe.

There is a long list of heinous nominations, and, frankly, it has been tough to focus our resistance against the dismantling of American freedom and values. However, people of faith were assigned by God to care for the earth in the very first verses of the Bible. That assignment has not been revoked, so I am asking you to contact your senator REPEATEDLY and beg them to reject Scott Pruitt and the acceleration of the destruction of the earth. Beg them to protect their grandchildren’s home before it is too late. Text your zip code to 520-200-2223. You’ll get a text back with everyone’s contact info.

Blessings,

 

 

 

Rev. Michael Piazza