Congressman Joseph Kennedy III Talks Climate Change at FSU

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III Talks Climate Change at FSU

Oct 24, 2018

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III gave an urgent call to action to address the perils of climate change during a special event at Framingham State on October 24, as part of the Moon Landing in Context Series.

“Can we stop climate change? Can we save our planet? There is only one answer - it has to be ‘yes’,” Kennedy told the audience of about 400 who came to hear him speak. “We have no time to lose. But you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t hopeful about our ability to rise to this challenge. Climate change and the ignorance of its allies will prove no match to the students, scientists and scholars who combat it.”

The Moon Landing in Context is a 15-month series of events leading up to the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing that aims to contextualize one of humanities greatest achievements within the historical, social, and cultural framework of the Sixties. The project is led by Dr. Irene Porro, director of the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning, who said that when astronauts traveled to the moon, they were struck by how fragile the earth appeared.

“Planet Earth today is even more fragile,” Porro said, in explaining the how the moon landing connects to the issue of climate change.

Members of the audience posed questions on the topic of climate change to Congressman Kennedy, with many focused on how to address the level of denialism in the country. He acknowledged that it is difficult to reason with people who are choosing to be willfully ignorant on the subject.

“I wish I could tell you that this was just a matter of sitting down with somebody and walking them through the evidence,” he said.

Ultimately, Kennedy says it’s up to people to vote for candidates who are committed to tackling the issue.

“If Congress isn’t going to address it, then you have got to change Congress.”

To learn more about the Moon Landing in Context, visit https://moon-landing.org/

About Framingham State University

Framingham State University was founded in 1839 as the nation’s first public university for the education of teachers. Since that time, it has evolved into a vibrant, comprehensive liberal arts institution offering small, personalized classes on a beautiful New England campus. Today, the University enrolls more than 6,000 students with 58 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences and professional fields. As a State College and University (SCU), Framingham State prides itself on quality academic programs, affordability, and commitment to access for all qualified students.