Caitlin Sanford, Co-president of Climate Action Rhode Island

From the February 8th Emergency Rally to End Musk’s Government Takeover

“Friends, even though it’s cold here today, the world has just experienced the hottest January in recorded human history. In 2024, global temperatures exceeded the desired threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, warming past pre-industrial levels. By January 2025, we’ve already surpassed 1.75 degrees C of warming, shocking and dismaying climate scientists who expected a cooling effect from El Nino. The number of extremely hot days has doubled since 1980. In one day in October, Valencia, Spain, received the same amount of rain that it had in the three prior years combined.”

“President Trump calls climate change a hoax. Elon Musk said that, contrary to all evidence, the effects of climate change were not happening as fast as expected. LA burned in the background, and thousands lost their homes, schools, and neighborhoods. At the same time, emissions from fossil fuel combustion hit an all-time high in 2024. Despite blustering about "energy dominance," the US is already the world’s largest exporter of natural gas.

“The suffering and loss are great. It is tempting to turn away as data is deleted and experts and committed civil servants are illegally fired. Musk is trying to disband the Department of Energy loans and subsidies that got his company, Tesla, off the ground. In contrast, he tries to distract us on Twitter. But we will not look away. Our witnessing has power.

“Congressman Magaziner shared that the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources still cannot access $125 million of its funding because of Trump and Musk. This means funding for the local nonprofits that bring cleaner, cheaper energy to Rhode Islanders is frozen. Jobs will be lost, the air will be dirtier, and heating costs will increase. We will not look away.

“Our allies, who fought to include environmental justice in federal climate policy, are finally seeing their hard-won gains, work, and personhood attacked. The cruelty is staggering across the board. The fear and despair are by design. I don’t know about you, but I’m not letting them have my despair. We will not look away.

“We thank Senators Reed and Whitehouse for their efforts and all-nighters this past week. We call on our Senators to continue slowing administrative processes and using all their tools to fight back, like denying unanimous consent and placing a hold on all nominees until the procedure for accessing the Treasury is followed.

“At a time when so many are capitulating to Trump, we see the risk that our State and local officials use this as an excuse to slow down - I’ve heard that myself at the State House. We invite you to join Climate Action Rhode Island to help us pass the building decarbonization act, fund public transport, and save access to cheaper clean energy technologies, doing our State’s part. You can sign up with the volunteers there. We have the potential for bold local action here in Rhode Island and will not be deterred.

“The New York Times has reported that Elon Musk goes into a so-called ‘demon mode,’ a manic state where he sleeps in offices or not at all, according to the Wall Street Journal, takes ketamine, and works incessantly on his wrecking ball goals. We’ve seen demon mode these last few weeks.

“But when demons appear in mythologies worldwide, they are never the strongest beings. In Hinduism, deities like Vishnu, Shiva, and Durga defeat powerful demons in battle. In Christianity, Archangels cast out demons. In Buddhism, lamas can dispel demon presences with their minds. Pele sends her fiery wrath upon those who disrespect nature in Hawaiian mythology.

“Many that vanquish demons do so with feminine power. From the Hindu Kali to the Mayan Ixchel, these feminine entities conquer demons and transform darkness into wisdom, destruction into renewal, and fear into empowerment.

“I know that all of you are courageous because you are here. However, this speaks to you. Whether you are a fierce warrior or more of a steadfast compassionate presence, let’s call on our greater deity to alter egos to face this moment together, to keep witnessing, and to do so together. We will not look away.”

[Transcription is edited for clarity.]