Oil and Gas Industry Targeted Van Jones

Posted by Sonja Ebron

Van Jones finally made it to the top of the oil and natural gas industry’s hit list. His success at steering millions of dollars toward green jobs (in both stimulus funding and the House-passed climate bill) threatened a perfect storm for dirty energy.

Van’s brilliant idea was to marry the interests of labor, the environment and social justice. Taking on any one of those groups was a fight the oil and gas industry didn’t want, but a fight against all three was a sure loser. Alternet has the full story, but the short and skinny is that Van had to go. Here’s a breakdown of the takedown:

So let’s understand the stakes here and take heart. We are very close to changing the way we use energy in this country, and some folks can’t see themselves on the other side. That’s why they’re also targeting the Apollo Alliance, led by another “scary big ole black man,” former National Wildlife Federation chairman Jerome Ringo.

The Glenn Becks of the world didn’t wake up the other day and decide to equate green jobs with slavery reparations. They’re being fed this junk in an effort to divorce labor from the environment. You know you’re winning when an opponent resorts to these kinds of tactics. I think they made a big mistake in targeting Van, for two reasons. One, they’ve alerted us all to their weakness and fear and confirmed that we are on the right track. And two, Van is much more dangerous out here with the rest of us.

Our response is simple, and it’s one that honors the genius of Van Jones: We must push as hard as we can for the most progressive climate change legislation we can envision, one that includes green jobs with justice.