The Canary Coalition says around 150 people attended the KXL Pipeline Vigil held in Asheville on Monday, Feb. 3. (Courtesy of the Canary Coalition)
On Monday, February 3, only three days after the State Department announced in its report that the Keystone XL Pipeline would have “no significant impact” on climate change, there were hundreds of candlelight vigils and demonstrations coordinated nationwide to let President Obama know that if he allows the pipeline to go through there will be massive civil disobedience throughout the country to stop it.
In Asheville, about 150 people gathered on short notice at the First Presbyterian Church. If you missed this inspiring evening you can see it all on this video-report from The Canary Coalition.
The State Department report was unmitigated nonsense, unsupported by facts, by science or by anything else except those who stand to profit from this planet-killing example of antiquated thinking. We now know that there have been many major problems stemming from this idiocy, including large swaths of forest being destroyed by pipeline explosions in Canada, which were covered up until two days ago (they occurred three years ago). The chemical composition of oil sands causes pipe erosion five times faster than oil, leaching into the groundwater.
Those who are selling out our ecosystems for profit do not acknowledge that the country will take the risk of this dangerous pipeline while the end result will be the product will be sold outside of the U.S. We gain nothing but a relative handful of jobs and environmental degradation, while the taxpayer-subsidized energy industry gets even richer.
Another clear-cut example of just how thoroughly corrupt our entire system of governance is today. Internecine bickering over manufactured ‘partisan’ differences keep people in check, while the insatiably greedy and powerful continue to plunder our heritage and future.
But let’s focus on beer, bands and celebrity updates.