Savana Asay, Junior
On Friday evening an unexpected tragedy occurred. A Colorado man set himself on fire in front of the Supreme Court as a way of bringing attention to the climate crisis.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., Wynn Bruce passed away on Saturday due to his severe injuries. Bruce’s dad, Douglas Bruce, stated “I agree with the belief that this was a fearless act of compassion about his concern for the environment.” Douglas also mentioned that Wynn had attempted to self-immolate in 2017, but was thankfully stopped by other people before he could suffer any injuries.
Kritee Kanko, a climate scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund and a Buddhist priest in Boulder, stated she was a close friend of Bruce’s; she also believed that self-immolation was a planned act of protest for Wynn. Dr. Kanko wrote on a Twitter post early Sunday morning, “This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to the climate crisis.” In an interview she later added that she was not sure of Wynn’s intentions when he acted but she does not want young people to start to think self-immolation is something that should be done as an act of protest.
Wynn Bruce set himself on fire at the plaza in front of the Supreme Court at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. A video was posted on Twitter, showing Mr. Bruce being airlifted to the hospital. Many, including Bruce’s father, believe his motive had to do with late February arguments over an important environmental case, debating whether or not the Environmental Protection Agency should continue to have control of pollution control or not. The courts are unsure on whether or not the agency is able to control carbon emissions. The courts voting against the agency could lead to backlash against the Biden administration due to their efforts addressing the climate crisis.
Many conversations are taking place on social media, some saying they understand his concern for the planet’s future and others saying he must have been struggling with his mental health. “I don’t think you can look at Wynn’s act and see just one thing,” said Morgan Stanfield, a friend of Bruce’s through a Boulder contact improvisational dance community. “A person can be suffering profoundly and also be enormously courageous. They can be doing something to ease their own pain, and they can be doing something at the same time that they believe is going to genuinely change the world in a profound way. And for me, that is the only way that I can see this and have it make any sense at all.”
It is also believed that Wynn, who identified as Buddhist, lit himself on fire to imitate the Vietnamese monks who burned themselves to death in protest against the Vietnam War. “The press spoke then of suicide, but in essence, it is not. It is not even a protest. To burn oneself by fire is to prove that what one is saying is of the utmost importance. There is nothing more painful than burning oneself. To say something while experiencing this kind of pain is to say it with utmost courage, frankness, determination, and sincerity,” Thich Nhat Hanh, an influential Zen Buddhist master and antiwar activist, who passed away in January and was idolized by Mr. Bruce, wrote regarding the acts of the Vietnamese monks. David Buckel, a former civil rights lawyer who then turned environmental advocate, also lit himself on fire in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in 2018 to protest climate change. Buckle unfortunately died.
Dr. Kritee stated that the last time she spoke with Wynn, he asked her if she had seen his post regarding Ms. Thunberg. She added that if she or any other Buddhist in Boulder was aware of his plan they would have strongly encouraged him not to go through with it. Douglas Bruce also said that he conversed with Wynn three or four days before his incident, and that the conversation was normal. Douglas had no indication that his son would later set himself on fire.
Wynn Bruce is described by his loved ones as a whole-hearted, compassionate, and courageous man. They have all stated that they do not receive his actions as suicide, but as a way for him to bring attention to something she truly cares about.
Source: The New York Times, The Washington Post
Comments