Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Andrew Roberts in World History - Block - C on

​Part 1)  This project is the culmination of a unit on the Keystone XL Pipeline.  It will be a pipeline that passes from Canada to the midwest, and will be used to transport oil from tar sands in Canada to refineries in the Midwest.  There are many pros and cons to it.  It will reduce U. S. imported oil by 12%, will create over 20,000 jobs, and will generate around $1.8 billion in tax revenue.  However, the proposed pipeline will pass through many lakes and could poison water supplies.  It could also impact the environment in very bad ways.  The process to extract oil from tar sands is also very dirty and polluting.

Part 2) 
1. The Keystone XL Pipeline is an extension of the already existing Keystone Pipeline.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-keystone-xl-pipeline/12200/
2. The owner of the current Keystone Pipeline and the owner of the future Keystone XL Pipeline is TransCanada, a company that gets oil from tar sands.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-keystone-xl-pipeline/12200/
3. The pipeline will transport oil from said tar sands to in Canada refineries in the Midwest.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-keystone-xl-pipeline/12200/
4. The Keystone XL will be 1700 miles long.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-keystone-xl-pipeline/12200/
5. The final decision on the pipeline will ultimately be from President Obama.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-keystone-xl-pipeline/12200/


Part 3) Monologues

1)  The Eviction [A farmer is in his house watching TV.  There is a knock on the door.]

What??(irritated)  I mean, who’s there?(more pleasantly).

….TransCanada? Who’s that?  ….Oh that pipeline thing.  ….Yeah, I like it.  More money for Nebraska right?  And lower gas prices.  They’ve been gettin’ damn high recently. We need it.  Those damn Arabs and their ODEC(pronounce phonetically)….or what is it?  OPEC(pronounce same way). Right. ….Yeah you’re just the promotion, I know, I know.  Believe me, I’m all for the pipe.  You got my vote. ….I wouldn’t expect anything less, you better use good builders.  How far away will it be? ….Next town over, ok, good.  Not too close….Is’at your phone? ….Yeah I’ll wait for you. What was that?  Y’boss? ….What happened? ….A change?  What? ….You’re gonna….WHAT?  Oh no….Listen, sir.  My family’s been here since the civil war.  We’ve farmed this here land for 14 generations.  We have gotten everything we need and more from these crops.  I’ve put my life’s work into this here farm, and I plan to put the rest of my life in too.  This farm is my life!  And you gonna put a goddamn 3 foot pipe right through it?  Hell no…. I don’t want no “reimbursement.”   You’re gonna move that goddamn thing or you’re not gonna build it!  [He slams the door in his face.]  He’s evicting me!  He has no right whatsoever to do this!   ….What the hell does he think he’s doing?  [There is a knock on the door again.]  Fine.  [Opens door.]  What’s this?  ….You want me to sign this? No….I already told you, I don’t want money. I refuse….No, you don’t gotta build it here.  What was the plan before?  Use that.  There’s a way you can make everyone happy….Fine.  Sue me.  You and your greedy bosses just want more money.  I was all for the pipe, but once you told me you were evicting people….that ain’t right, man.  Goodbye.  [He closes the door.]  Greedy businesses….


2)  The Speech [Backstage]  Am I up now? …. Ok.  Let’s go.  [Onstage]  Ahem.  Hello, My name is Robert Matthews.  I used to hate the pipeline.  I thought it would damage the rivers and forests of our beautiful nation.  Tar sands are dirty, and I thought this could be the mistake of the century.  We are an example for the world, and if we did it, how many others would?  You see, I had been hearing only the one side.  I hadn’t done any research about it, and got everything I knew from others, my friends, who were all against it also.  We decided to protest at a TransCanada event not unlike this one.  We were all ready with our signs and t-shirts, ready to crash the party.  We were all, especially me, totally sure that the pipeline was bad and should not happen.  The speaker got up there and man, he spoke well.  It hit home.  They actually gave us a demonstration of the workers who would build the pipe, showed us their record of leaking pipes (there were almost none) and told us how much tax revenue it would produce for Nebraska, where I’m from, almost 1.8 billion dollars.  Then they talked about energy independence.  The tar sands production would decrease imported oil by 12%!  Gas prices made higher by OPEC increases will fall and boost the economy.  And most of all, about how respectful TransCanada is of the environment and how they genuinely care about people, not just money,  and about the care they put in when they build things.  I dropped my sign.  I had realized how badly informed I was.  I had only heard the one side, and at that exaggerated, and had based my actions on it.  Then, when the other side was revealed, it was almost a no-brainer.  It became clear to me how I was wrong and what path I should choose. And that, my fellow Americans, is why I support the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Thank you!  


3) The Executive  [A man in a suit is in his office staring at his computer. The telephone rings.  he speaks in a bored voice, as if he’s irritated and trying to hide it.]  Hello?  You’ve reached the TransCanada Headquarters….Hello Senator Kligman. How may I help you? ….Yes I’m the vice president here….Ask away, please….The Keystone XL pipeline will be 1,700 miles long going from Canada to the Midwest.  It will be used to transport oil from tar sands here to refineries in the midwest….Yes, we’ll be very careful about the environment….Yes, there will be very much profit for my wallet, um, I mean, the states the pipeline passes through from taxes and also for, um, the workers who will be building it….Around $1.8 billion for the states from taxes….Yes, we’ll be very careful about the environment I already said that. [More irritated now.] Yes.  Is that all? ….All reports of spills and leaks are false, tar sands are not that dirty as they say….No, no danger of poisoning water or killing fish.  Is that all? …..[Happier now.]  Hey if you vote for the pipeline to pass, we’d be really happy.  We might even give you a favor! ….No problem!….Bye!….[To no one in particular] Why are people so intent on robbing me of my paycheck?  I mean, maybe I’m a bit greedy….no, that’s nonsense I’ve worked hard for this.  I deserve it.  If they pass the pipeline I might be able to get that yacht I saw in Boating Today.  Why won’t they do it already? ….[There is a knock on the door.]  Come in….What’s up, Brian? ….An idea, please do tell….No, we are not going to put some of our profit into caring about the environment….The environment is fine!  I mean, maybe a little extra could go to the environment, I already have a lot….no, that’s ridiculous. The activists exaggerate everything.  Why are they so intent on robbing me of my paycheck?  Can’t a man make an honest living these days?  Ok, maybe not so honest….maybe I should stop….No.  Money is everything in this world.  It’s all about the money….Even so….[Shakes head.]  Thanks Brian. That’s all. [Brian leaves.]



Pipeline Monologue from Andrew Roberts on Vimeo.

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