"Facing arrest, pipeline protesters stick to principles" by Rekha Basu, DM Reg, Nov. 30, 2016
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Frank Cordaro
Dec 1, 2016, 8:17:16 PM12/1/16
to A National Catholic Worker List:
"Facing arrest, pipeline protesters stick to principles" by Rekha Basu, DM Reg, Nov. 30, 2016
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2016/11/30/basu-facing-arrest-pipeline-protesters-stick-principles/94698012/
Before “disrupt” became a corporate buzzword to signal a change in the way of doing business, it referred to actions by social-change agents to bring attention to their causes. It was in the latter context that anti-pipeline protesters Jessica Reznicek and Travis O’Brennan let themselves get arrested Wednesday. Separately, each one sat down outside a state office conference room and refused to leave until they could meet with the head of the Iowa Public Utilities Board, Geri Huser.
The meeting never happened, so they were hauled off to jail. “We’re not going to allow you to disrupt business,” a state police officer told O’Brennan before handcuffing him.
“We’re here to disrupt their business because their business is not being done in the people’s (interest),” replied O’Brennan, 29.
When the officer told O’Brennan, “I care about you,” and asked him to cooperate, the puppeteer from Maine replied: “I care about the people whose land is being stolen from them. I care about the drinking water.” Then he was taken away as fellow protesters sang.
You could empathize with the officers, who kept saying it wasn’t up to them to set up a meeting with Huser, whose board approved the Dakota Access Pipeline Project in March. It will transport crude oil underground from North Dakota to Illinois, through Iowa.
Organizers of the anti-Dakota Access pipeline protest gathered Wednesday at the Iowa Utilities Board. Hunger striker Jessica Reznicek, who has been fasting for 10 days, was arrested by police.Rekha Basu/The Register
Residents and landowners worry about oil spills and climate change. Some objected to the use of Iowa’s eminent domain laws not for the public good but to maximize profits for a private business. Dakota Access promised jobs and other financial benefits, claims that have been debated — as has one about helping America's energy self- sufficiency; it’s not even clear the oil will stay in America.
But the two protesters arrested Wednesday, O’Brennan and Iowan Jessica Reznicek with Mississippi Stand, are also supporting Native Americans protesting the pipeline in Standing Rock, N.D. They oppose the project for running over a sacred burial ground, potentially polluting drinking water, and because under a treaty, the land belonged to them. Thousands of indigenous protesters from across the country and other countries have joined members of the Lakota tribe in protest. And so have white Americans from Iowa and elsewhere.
Before being arrested, O’Brennan said in an interview that he had made multiple requests over 10 days of a hunger strike to talk to Huser. He said he wanted to tell her: “The company building this pipeline has committed many violations. We’ve been out there. … It’s clear this board is not acting in the interests of Iowans. We need to hold them accountable.”
I tried to talk to Huser to find out why she wouldn’t meet with them. I got a call back from the agency’s communications director, Don Tormey, who said agency staff met with one of the protesters Monday and spoke to the group Wednesday. (I witnessed a meeting between the protesters and Tormey and another staffer.) He said staff “received their questions and noted that we would provide a response" by close of business Wednesday.
His e-mail also said the board had received comments from the protesters and that there is a grievance process regarding pipeline construction. The board investigates complaints, but the board involved in a lawsuit and unable to comment on “ongoing litigation," he said.
This is O’Brennan's first time doing this kind of activism and in spite of the deprivations, he said, "It feels really good.” His reason for being there? “I love this world. It’s so beautiful and I want it to stay beautiful.” Inspired by Reznicek, who was arrested earlier that day, O'Brennan had also been outside for 10 days, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. They endured chilly winds and missed Thanksgiving celebrations but were determined not to leave.
Reznicek is seasoned in civil disobedience. I interviewed the slight, blond-haired native of Perry and Simpson College alum, now in her mid-30s, two years ago after she was detained by the Israeli government for nearly 48 hours, then deported. She'd been working with West Bank Palestinians to plant olive trees, putting her body between a soldier and a Palestinian to protect the civilian, but also between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian rock throwers to protect the soldiers.
“We are also your bosses,” she told a state trooper Wednesday morning as I watched. When informed her group was being disruptive to workers (they were singing loudly). When a building staffer locked the door to a conference room Reznicek was headed into, she simply plopped herself down on the floor outside it and refused to budge. She lay face down on the ground as two officers handcuffed her. Her body was limp as they dragged her out to the squad car.
These are disruptions, yes, but not malicious ones. They grow out of an intense belief in our democratic processes and a sense of personal responsibility to keep our officials honest and our waters clean. Perhaps somewhere in its operations manuals, Dakota Access also celebrates disruption — but as a business gimmick, not for a cause. I'll take the disruptions that are made for principle any day.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2016/11/30/basu-facing-arrest-pipeline-protesters-stick-principles/94698012/
Before “disrupt” became a corporate buzzword to signal a change in the way of doing business, it referred to actions by social-change agents to bring attention to their causes. It was in the latter context that anti-pipeline protesters Jessica Reznicek and Travis O’Brennan let themselves get arrested Wednesday. Separately, each one sat down outside a state office conference room and refused to leave until they could meet with the head of the Iowa Public Utilities Board, Geri Huser.
The meeting never happened, so they were hauled off to jail. “We’re not going to allow you to disrupt business,” a state police officer told O’Brennan before handcuffing him.
“We’re here to disrupt their business because their business is not being done in the people’s (interest),” replied O’Brennan, 29.
When the officer told O’Brennan, “I care about you,” and asked him to cooperate, the puppeteer from Maine replied: “I care about the people whose land is being stolen from them. I care about the drinking water.” Then he was taken away as fellow protesters sang.
You could empathize with the officers, who kept saying it wasn’t up to them to set up a meeting with Huser, whose board approved the Dakota Access Pipeline Project in March. It will transport crude oil underground from North Dakota to Illinois, through Iowa.
Organizers of the anti-Dakota Access pipeline protest gathered Wednesday at the Iowa Utilities Board. Hunger striker Jessica Reznicek, who has been fasting for 10 days, was arrested by police.Rekha Basu/The Register
Residents and landowners worry about oil spills and climate change. Some objected to the use of Iowa’s eminent domain laws not for the public good but to maximize profits for a private business. Dakota Access promised jobs and other financial benefits, claims that have been debated — as has one about helping America's energy self- sufficiency; it’s not even clear the oil will stay in America.
But the two protesters arrested Wednesday, O’Brennan and Iowan Jessica Reznicek with Mississippi Stand, are also supporting Native Americans protesting the pipeline in Standing Rock, N.D. They oppose the project for running over a sacred burial ground, potentially polluting drinking water, and because under a treaty, the land belonged to them. Thousands of indigenous protesters from across the country and other countries have joined members of the Lakota tribe in protest. And so have white Americans from Iowa and elsewhere.
Before being arrested, O’Brennan said in an interview that he had made multiple requests over 10 days of a hunger strike to talk to Huser. He said he wanted to tell her: “The company building this pipeline has committed many violations. We’ve been out there. … It’s clear this board is not acting in the interests of Iowans. We need to hold them accountable.”
I tried to talk to Huser to find out why she wouldn’t meet with them. I got a call back from the agency’s communications director, Don Tormey, who said agency staff met with one of the protesters Monday and spoke to the group Wednesday. (I witnessed a meeting between the protesters and Tormey and another staffer.) He said staff “received their questions and noted that we would provide a response" by close of business Wednesday.
His e-mail also said the board had received comments from the protesters and that there is a grievance process regarding pipeline construction. The board investigates complaints, but the board involved in a lawsuit and unable to comment on “ongoing litigation," he said.
This is O’Brennan's first time doing this kind of activism and in spite of the deprivations, he said, "It feels really good.” His reason for being there? “I love this world. It’s so beautiful and I want it to stay beautiful.” Inspired by Reznicek, who was arrested earlier that day, O'Brennan had also been outside for 10 days, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. They endured chilly winds and missed Thanksgiving celebrations but were determined not to leave.
Reznicek is seasoned in civil disobedience. I interviewed the slight, blond-haired native of Perry and Simpson College alum, now in her mid-30s, two years ago after she was detained by the Israeli government for nearly 48 hours, then deported. She'd been working with West Bank Palestinians to plant olive trees, putting her body between a soldier and a Palestinian to protect the civilian, but also between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian rock throwers to protect the soldiers.
“We are also your bosses,” she told a state trooper Wednesday morning as I watched. When informed her group was being disruptive to workers (they were singing loudly). When a building staffer locked the door to a conference room Reznicek was headed into, she simply plopped herself down on the floor outside it and refused to budge. She lay face down on the ground as two officers handcuffed her. Her body was limp as they dragged her out to the squad car.
These are disruptions, yes, but not malicious ones. They grow out of an intense belief in our democratic processes and a sense of personal responsibility to keep our officials honest and our waters clean. Perhaps somewhere in its operations manuals, Dakota Access also celebrates disruption — but as a business gimmick, not for a cause. I'll take the disruptions that are made for principle any day.
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