Youth Keep Spirits High as Arrests Begin. Photo Shadia Fayne Wood
UPDATE: Today, August 23rd, 60 more people arrested, including Canadian actors Margot Kidder and a Tantoo Cardinal, bring the total to more than 220.
As of today over 160 people, including 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben, have been arrested at the White House. Others arrested include co-founder of Natural Resources Defense Council and former White House official Gus Speth, gay rights activist Lt. Dan Choi, author and activist Mike Tidwell, Firedoglake founder Jane Hamsher. For the past three days, large groups of Americans have joined a non-violent civil disobedience action at the White House. The goal is to send President Obama a simple message: “Stop the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline.” These protests will continue over the next two weeks.
Media Opportunity at the White House Protest of Keystone XL. Photo Josh Lopez
If you don’t know that building the Keystone XL pipeline is a terrible idea, watch the video below. The oil it will carry from Canada’s tar sands will travel all the way from northern Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico. Oil spilling all over America’s heartland. Way more CO2 all over the atmosphere, since the tar sands are among the most carbon-intensive of all the fossil fuels. With so many strikes against the Keystone pipeline, it’s understandable that folks are so fired up and willing to put their bodies on the line to stop it. For up to the moment updates on the action see the “Stop the Pipeline!” website.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
So we don’t need or want high paying construction jobs from this pipeline?
So we can just grow the economy with food stamps and unemployment checks instead? We are good at this no work and no jobs economic model.
So when the pipeline is stopped, they can send the tar sand product to China were they want jobs and we can borrow money to buy Chinese products.
It’s worth noting, not without some degree of irony, that the world’s second largest solar electric plant is also currently being opposed by environmental activists: http://modernserenity.com/2011/07/opposition-to-topaz-solar-project-highlights-the-need-for-pragmatic-environmentalists-to-unite/
Instead of bringing the filth in the tar sands to the filth at the refinery, build another refinery near the U.S.-Canada border. The oil barons have reduced their output over the decades, so now is a great opportunity to increase the amount of gasoline that can be produced in a single day. This time the refinery could be built w/ the environment in mind. Straddle the refinery upon the border so that both countries are responsible for it’s adherence to law. Maybe the countries could even invest in the construction, maintenance, & upkeep, then they could reap some profits from the oil barons. Shall it always be jobs before the environment? What are the divide/conquer tactics to be used by the govorporation on this one?
Another problem w/ the amerikanns is that they always want to build something bigger & better. Build a bigger & better hydroelectric dam. Build larger refineries. Build larger nuclear energy plants.
Maybe build smaller. Maybe build local. Maybe build better.
Now when the hell are we gonna get that comfort station at Brighton?
@RB
Do you really think there are no other “high-paying construction jobs” than those that would be generated by this pipeline?
Enough of this Jobs vs. The Environment crap. There could be plenty of clean energy construction jobs and cleaning up the environment jobs if the gov’t. would subsidize them the way they *massively* to the oil industry . . .
Do you really believe that we will get high paying jobs from green energy and the government spending?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-solyndra-hearing-20110912,0,7470088.story
I find it amazing that the same people who are against tax ‘loopholes’ and for tax increases in the current budget are for subsidized green jobs.