Keystone XL Pipeline construction in Texas blocked by landowners and supporters living in trees...where is the news coverage?

281 posts / 0 new

3. October 2012 - 10:00

miksilvr

I did not become aware of the front line action by landowners and supporters protesting the construction of TranCanada's Keystone XL southern leg in Texas until the third day. Since then, I have not seen a single news story on the network news. The only coverage I have seen was one item in the Democracy Now news headlines on 9/2512:

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/9/25/headlines

Not even one mention of the torture tactics used by the local police forces (as directed by TransCanada personnel) against the peaceful protestors that chained themselves to construction equipment to delay the project.

Please excuse my language, but WTF ?

Why is this story being blacked out?

Watch the attached videos and read the attached news items ... and then, ask yourself that question again.

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VIDEO: The Texas Tree Village ( 9/30/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/video-the-texas-tree-village/

This video produced for Tar Sands Blockade shows action from the first 10 days, including close up views of the protesters in the trees ...

Epic Action Video ( 10/3/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/day10/

Video: Texas Landowners Resist Keystone XL ( 9/14/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/video-texas-landowners-resist-keystone-xl/

Video: Eleanor Reacts to TransCanada Destroying Her Land ( 10/3/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/eleanor/

Keystone XL Protesters Say They're 'Scared for Their Lives'; TransCanada Denies Wrongdoing ( 10/2/12 )

Keystone XL Protesters Say They're 'Scared for Their Lives ...

Love and Rebellion in the East Texas Woods (10/2/12 )

http://www.wearepowershift.org/blogs/love-and-rebellion-east-texas-woods

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summary of previous events (sometimes including additional video embedded in the page), from http://tarsandsblockade.org/ (dates are from comments on the page):

Community Rallies to Defend David Hightower’s Home Vineyard ( 9/8/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/community-rallies-to-defend-david-hightowers-home-vineyard/

Texas Rice Farmers Challenge TransCanada’s Eminent Domain Claims in Court ( 9/13/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/texas-rice-farmers-challenge-transcanadas-eminent-domain-claims-in-court/

Video: Texas Landowners Resist Keystone XL ( 9/14/12 ) { as seen above }

http://tarsandsblockade.org/video-texas-landowners-resist-keystone-xl/

Watch Our Action Packed Video — Join Our Next Action ( 9/14/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/actionvideo/

“I just wish they would go away” ( 9/16/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/i-just-wish-they-would-go-away/

BREAKING: 5 Blockaders Arrested For Stopping Keystone XL Machinery ( 9/19/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/4th-action/

...

and the blockade in the trees begins:

BREAKING: Eight People Climb Trees And Start Indefinite Tree Sit to Stop Keystone XL (Day 1) ( 9/24/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-launch/

BREAKING: Two People Lock Themselves to Keystone XL Machinery to Defend Eight People in Tree Blockade (Day 2) ( 9/25/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day2/

TransCanada Actively Encouraged Torture Tactics to be Used on Peaceful Protesters (Day 3) ( 9/26/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/transcanada-torture/

Tree Cutting Machines Within 20 Feet of Nine Blockaders in Trees in Path of Keystone XL (Day 3) ( 9/26/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day3/

VIDEO: TransCanada Worker Attempts to Drop Tree on Peaceful Blockader (Day 4) ( 9/27/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/video-transcanada-worker-attempts-to-drop-tree-on-peaceful-blockader-day-4/

Heavy Machinery, Police Approaching Tree Blockade (Day 5) ( 9/28/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day5/

Clear-Cutting Crews Near Tree Blockade — Sheriff Assisting TransCanada (Day 6) ( 9/29/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day6/

Keystone XL Destroys David Hightower’s Home

http://tarsandsblockade.org/keystone-xl-destroys-david-hightowers-home/

VIDEO: The Texas Tree Village { also included in the intro above }

http://tarsandsblockade.org/video-the-texas-tree-village/

From The Trees (Day 7) ( 9/30/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/from-the-trees/

Tar Sands is Going to Poison Our Water

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tar-sands-is-going-to-poison-our-water/

Tree Blockade Weathers an Intense Week (Day 8) ( 10/1/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day8/

BREAKING: Blockader Locks to Underground Capsule to Protect a Family Farm

http://tarsandsblockade.org/7th-action/

Environmental Justice: Why I Got Arrested to Stop Keystone XL

http://tarsandsblockade.org/environmental-justice-why-i-got-arrested-to-stop-keystone-xl/

Texan Climbs 40 Foot Pole in Path of Keystone XL Clear Cut (Day 9) ( 10/2/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/tree-sit-day9/

Epic Action Video — Mary Delaying Keystone XL For Another Day (Day 10) ( 10/3/12 )

http://tarsandsblockade.org/day10/

Video: Eleanor Reacts to TransCanada Destroying Her Land ( 10/3/12 ) { also included above }

http://tarsandsblockade.org/eleanor/

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for further updates, please go to the web site for Tar Sands Action ... above the title for each pages story there usually is a gray shaded area with links toi the next and previous story; start at the "eleanor" page immediately above, and click on the link for the next story.

http://tarsandsblockade.org/

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I'll be making further updates to the new post above, rather than to the original below.

here is the original message board topic I have been tracking this story in; there are plenty of items included there that were not transferred here, especially the twitter messages and some news articles:

http://www.thomhartmann.com/forum/2012/09/transcanada-actively-encouraged-torture-tactics-be-used-peaceful-protestors-day-3from-#comment-170032

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google link for search on additional news items about "Tar Sands Blockade" or "Tar Sands Action" :

http://tinyurl.com/8ngq9d6

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{ you do not have to be registered on twitter to READ tweets; }

click the links below for timely updates}

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Tar Sands Blockade

@KXLBlockade

https://twitter.com/KXLBlockade

http://www.facebook.com/TarSandsBlockade

http://www.tarsandsblockade.org

---

Bill McKibben

@billmckibben

https://twitter.com/billmckibben

http://www.billmckibben.com

---

350 dot org

@350

https://twitter.com/350

http://350.org

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Comments

3. October 2012 - 12:03

MrsBJLee

Thank goodness the local news

Thank goodness the local news there in Texas decided it was time to cover this event and since this topic was moved I guess Thom is now going to talk about it.......(except we don't get to hear it on radio in the Los Angeles area...boo....whoooo) Now WHERE IS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IN ALL OF THIS???

3. October 2012 - 12:33

(Reply to #2) #3

miksilvr

I sent this new link via

I sent this new link via twitter to Thom, Democracy Now and Amy Goodman, to John Nichols, and a bunch of news networks and services. Wonder if any of them will bother to pick it up. The first two videos are eye catching, as are some of the other items in that first block of the post. They can pick and choose what to use, or continue doing nothing.

3. October 2012 - 20:40

(Reply to #3) #4

MrsBJLee

Do they really pay attention

Do they really pay attention to tweets? I would imagine that they get so many tweets that yours could get buried alive. Honestly, I don't know how that all works because I am not on twitter but i do hope they see the tweets and act upon them! Thank you for all you are doing!

3. October 2012 - 21:10

(Reply to #4) #5

miksilvr

I found it easier to find the

I found it easier to find the twitter addresses and write the tweets than hunt for email addresses; trying to figure out which email address to use when they have multiples available is tricky. Also thought since tweets are shorter the stack above me would take less time to weed through. Who knows if anyone will pay attention. I've been following this thing for a little over a week now, but those first two videos in the new topic today really grabbed me ... I have about 3-4 others I ran across today from earlier, and 1 or 2 new ones saved to watch when I can find the time.