​ This project started off with us watching a video called 'The Story of Stuff.' The video was about the journey of how we get our materials that we use for a normal day. Then, we learned about a company called TransCanada, and about their new project. They are planning to make a series of pipelines from Alberta, Canada all the way to Texas. The pipelines would carry crude oil from Canada to different refineries in the midwest and to refineries in Texas. The project is called Keystone XL Pipeline. 

We read about different point of views of what people think about the pipeline, and then we were suppose to write three different monologues from a person/thing/animal affected by the pipelines. I picked to be a Native American, a protester (against the pipelines), and a bobcat (living in the area). I wanted to take point of views that don't really get to express their opinions. The Native Americans can protest but, nobody will actually listen to them. The protester is locked up for protesting and nobody actually will sit down to talk to them. Finally, I picked a bobcat because the people who started to project didn't care about the wildlife, they just acted like they did to please the public. I want people to know from all the research how these mammals would feel and what they have to worry about because of this pipeline project. These monologues are how I think they would feel. I hope for everyone who reads to understand and look at their point of view because they matter too. 

Monologues


Rally For The Cause

Makya Sparrow, the best hunter of the whole tribe, stepped up to the stage. She had something important to say and she wasn’t holding it back. Everybody has been thinking about it, she is going to say it. Makya grabs the microphone.

I’ve never seen anything more disrespectful than this. Why can’t they just leave us alone? They already forced us onto this reservation. The reservation isn’t even a place of high quality, we are forced to use horribly built houses, use food stamps, and there are barely any jobs. Now, they want to build pipelines through our sacred land! This is the land where we buried our ancestors, laid them to peace! Building these pipelines mean they are going to have to bury them up our people.

With every word, Mayka tightens her grip on the microphone.

Every time, they find something new here. They just want to take and take. We can’t just stand here and not do anything! We have to stand up for ourselves! We have to go to Washington D.C and show them they we can protest and stand up for our rights. We have to show them that no matter what they take from us, we will always have our pride.

We have to show them they can’t take our land again! They can’t contaminate our water with their crude oil. We don’t pollute the atmosphere; they don’t give us enough supplies to even try!

Why do we have to suffer for their mistakes? We shouldn’t have to! TransCanada say that we will be able to work in these factories and refineries that they will have. They say they will keep us updated about what it going on with the pipeline. But, we know from experience they won’t. I learned that there were 12 spills in 1 year for one of the TransCanada pipelines! We can’t let that happen to us.

Come my people. Let’s move from the rocks and hills of the reservation. We need to make our way to Washington D.C and stand up for our land.

WHO IS WITH ME? 

Makya thrusts the microphone in the air. 

Stand Tall

Alice Hall just got arrested for protesting in front of the White House. She gets into the jail and a police officer takes an interest in her. He starts to question her.

My name is Alice Hall. I am from Montana, 3 miles away from Yellowstone National Park.

I’ve lived there for my whole life.

Alice starts to get an attitude.

No, I am getting arrested for a legitimate reason. 

I don’t care if this on my ‘permanent record’. I am not five years old. I am standing up for what I believe in. I believe that the Keystone XL Pipeline is totally and utterly wrong.

What’s my problem? What is your problem? I was taught that if I didn’t agree with something, that I should state it in a non-violent way. And I am standing up for my opinion just like the 120 others in this jail with me.

I’ve lived in Montana for my whole life. My house was home to 4 generations of my family before me. I’ve live 3 miles from Yellowstone National Park; I got married in that park. My family and I have seen the park evolve into what it is today. I was there when they put the Yellowstone Pipeline in, I was there when the pipeline had a leak, I was there when everybody had to evacuate. I saw the horrid faces on the people that lived around the park, when they saw the oil slug start to run down their own streets. The whole place was filled with grief all we did was cry. The animals were soaked in the oil and most of them died we couldn’t even help. We weren’t specialized in the removal of oil, what do we do? We watched on the TV 750 to 1,000 barrels – 42,000 gallons of oil was leaked into the river for a half hour before the shut it down.

And now they want to build another pipeline? What makes this pipeline anymore safer?

How can they guarantee that the pipeline won’t leak? The same place where the pipeline leaked is the same place where they want to build the new pipeline. They cross each other over 4 states. I will not let my children grow up into a world where the water and national parks are polluted. I am standing up for what I believe in, you can call me an environmentalist. I don’t care.

I Hate Humans

Betty just had her 3 cubs 70 days before; they have finally opened their eyes. So, they are finally able to eat their own food, but first Betty has to get food for them to eat. Betty walks a few feet from her cave when she hears noise and sees things. She goes to check them out.

What are those noises? Are those people over there? What are they doing with those different machines? I have to go in and get a closer view.

Betty goes up into a tree to watch the people from above.

Okay, I am in a good spot. I should listen in now. Pipelines? Crude Oil? More jobs? Dirty water? What? So, they are building pipelines right under the aquifer and the pipelines are suppose to be moving crude oil from Canada all the way to Texas. Apparently, the pipelines leak too, they leak more than predicted most of the time.

Betty digs her nails into the tree.

Pipeline carrying the dirtiest oil is supposed to go through my neighborhood. I can’t allow that. My babies, my newborn babies. What happens to them? What happens to them when they have to go a hunt for food and land in a puddle of oil? I can’t stand humans. They just take and take until they have nothing else to take. Some of my friend animal species are already endangered. They were living so peacefully without the humans, they lived so peacefully when the humans didn’t even care about this area of the forest. My babies have to live to see tomorrow, but I don’t want them to see tomorrow if they can’t drink tomorrow’s water. I have to protect my children. I have to keep my children healthy. I can’t let them see this nonsense. They can never come this way. I will make a mark on this tree, so they know to stop right here. So, they know not to go any far.

Betty scratches a hexagon into the tree.

My food supply, what will I do about that? I have to watch out for animals with diseases. Some animals may not be smart enough to not drink the dirty water. I have to think about my family. I have to go up higher in the mountains to find my food, just to make sure my kids are safe. Being on the ground, may be too dangerous for my cubs. Maybe I can just move them. I need to figure this out before they all die. Before I die.

Humans, I hate them.

 

 

For this project we needed to write monologs from the perceptive of someone that had to do with the Keystone pipeline project. This project helped me understand more about what was going on with the Keystone project. The best thing about this project was the knowledge I gained from the research I needed to do to be able to write my monologs. I wanted to look at the project from different perspectives which is why i wrote one monolog from each side of the matter.

Written By Rose: My Land
Talking to a truck dealer, given him the tomatoes, and complaining about the pipeline

“He’s just some environmentalist person who happens to be living in Texas.”  That’s probably what some people think when they hear my story. But it’s not true. I’ve lived here all my life. Passes box of tomatoes to the driver as he starts to pack them into his truck to sell. Once I was old enough I bought my old land, and started my family on that land. Where I live had never been a problem and it had always been my land until TransCanada decided to show up one day. They randomly showed up on my land, I wouldn’t have even known they were there unless I had seen the stakes they had placed through out my property, later that month I received a letter in the mail asking for my permission to look at my property. To bad for them, I had already pulled out the stakes and made up my mind that I wouldn’t be a part of this. A couple months latter I received another letter telling me that if I didn’t accept they would take me to court. Of course I quickly accepted and let them come under the conditions that they would give me a 24 hour warning and that I would be with them every time. But they only followed through on that agreement once. After that time I would find them on my land claiming it must be a misunderstanding of some sort. Now I’m not just being an over protective landowner. I have concerns that are legitimate. I’m this pipeline ends up happening it will take up 50 ft. of my land. Once the pipeline is placed that land can never be replanted. There is also the strong possibility of erosion from the pipe rusting. Lastly the pipeline would be harmful to many people due to the fact that the pipelines have to be heated. This is a bad thing because it will affect the grounds temperature and plants are very sensitive to ground temperature. Altogether there is another side to the Keystone XL pipeline that TransCanada and our government it not telling us. Passes the last box to the man and the truck driver responds with a solemn node and tells him he understands what hes going through.

Written by Rose: What to do?

“There seems to be a lot of controversy over this matter sir” “Do you really think risking our environment is worn the money?” Questions and questions are asked to me about this project. The Keystone XL pipeline could possibly be the most controversial project I’ve worked on yet. This project started out with only benefits in my mind. Think about it, our economy is going through one a huge crisis. We need whatever help we can get to boost our economy. Why don’t people just see it that way? This project will provide 20,000 high wage jobs. Not to mention the amount of money that our nation will gain from this. The tar sands have so much oil that we can depend on it being around and providing us oil for at least a hundred years. This will give us more energy security then we have had in the past. As an organization we are dedicated to minimizing environmental impact. The possibilities of a spill are highly unlikely and if they do spill we understand that it is our full responsibility to clean up. Also we understand our responsibility for an alternative water supply if ground wells are affected. Why don’t people see the positive things this project has? Have they completely ignored the fact that pipelines are the safest, most reliable economical and environmental way to transport oil? I just wish people would look at the other side of the matter and see that there are positive things this project could bring to the table.

Written by Roger:

Are My Hands Clean?

Every time I clock into my job I wonder, how all this oil I’m extracting is really making my hands any cleaner then they really are?

(Grabbing my gloves and jumps suit off the rack)

Working for a job that is extracting too much of the tar sand here in Canada and is overflowed with oil, they say they have a plan to move it to a United States refinery in Texas. I’ve been working with Shell to provide for my wife and kids back home, by mining the tar sands of Canada, which are not a pretty site to behold. Usually more of a barren land without nature, some say lands wealth, but I see nothing but destruction of our earth. Plus building a full proof pipeline through 6 states seems impossible to many workers and not just me. Just this past summer while shipping oil through the pipeline placed in Montana, the oil from Exxon exposed major spills through out the pipeline. Causing the land around it to become devastated with oil ruining the Yellowstone River and contaminating their major water source. I can’t imagine anything worst then building one through 6 well populated US states, and even guarantee that it won’t leak and cause big problems around those areas. I wonder am I contributing to these acts since I’m currently working for shell my hand can’t be as clean as I think they are. Causing destruction to the earth just to make an honest dollar and provide for my family. I wish I was in a higher position so I could do something better for this abundance of oil, there has to be another way out of this mess; but seeing as though I’m just a worker what can I do. Losing my job couldn’t be an option because the wealth around here is made through the trade of oil. Working with oil makes me feel that every day we take for granite our earth’s resources to make a profit, but all we are doing is soiling the ground that we eat, drink, and sleep off of.

Written by Roger:

Jail of Opinions

(Sitting against cold wall in Washington D.C. Jail looking through the bars of the cell staring at the Poster of Barack Obama)

            Back in 2008 I chose Barack Obama to be my president of the United States, now that the keystone pipeline bill is getting pass by congress we can now see why we chose him to be our leader. He can save us from being a country that only cares of money and energy, to being the country that is willing to make the right decisions for our environment. I’m sitting in a cellblock in Washington D.C. jail, not because I’ve done something wrong only because I’ve spoken my opinion, yelling through the outer gates of the White House. Like many others I sit here because our government care only about profit and will stop at nothing to get their top dollar. They only are proving this when they decided to pass this bill for the formation of a mile lone pipeline that would run from southwest Canada through 6 state well-populated states to a refinery in Texas. I’ve seen the BP oil spill of the gulf and read of how it effected their waterways and killed animals and sea life. At this point I believe we are almost reaching a point where we have a choice to make, to save our earth or make a profit off of it. To me this choice is obvious save the earth we need to take care of our planet instead of building a pipeline that would be prone to leaks and spills that would affect our earth. Obama decision could be game over for the environment or a lucky save that would help our days on earth stretch a little longer. This jail cells are cold, but if I’m ever going to get my opinion heard I have to keep protesting the Keystone XL pipeline.

Written by Roger Bracy and Rose Knibbe: Pipeline

That little bird, with its hatching eggs, doesn’t know that soon that tree will be along one of the biggest pipelines in the U.S. The future for this bird is not going to be bright while I’m around. There is so much controversy over me. There are environmentalists who don’t want me to be around and then there are the planners of this project. They act as though I am there new best friend. I am the keystone XL pipeline. To be honest I am a little bugged that no one has asked me my opinion on this project. They probably just assume I want to be placed on strangers land. But if they asked me I would tell them I didn’t know how I feel about this project despite the fact its revolved around me. Sure of course I want to exist but is that all worth sacrificing peoples land? I would need a lot of up keep and I can’t tell if they would be able to take care of my high demands. Seeing as Trans Canada is trying to make me 1,700mi long, I can’t remember the last time they built one of my pipes this long. Also the pressure that is put on me to 800,000 barrels of hot crude oil is just too much not to leak. The area I’m around is counting on me to keep their waterways clean, if I do leak they will never forgive me. Plus laying my pipeline would create erosion around the land and kill and disrupt the environment. 

 

Every time I clock into my job I wonder, how all this oil I’m extracting is really making my hands any cleaner then they really are? 

(Grabbing my gloves and jumpsuit off the rack)

Working for a job that is extracting too much of the tar sand here in Canada and is overflowed with oil, they say they have a plan to move it to a United States refinery in Texas. I’ve been working with Shell to provide for my wife and kids back home, by mining the tar sands of Canada, which are not a pretty site to behold. Usually more of a barren land without nature, some say lands wealth, but I see nothing but destruction of our earth. Plus building a full proof pipeline through 6 states seems impossible to many workers and not just me. Just this past summer while shipping oil through the pipeline placed in Montana, the oil from Exxon exposed major spills through out the pipeline. Causing the land around it to become devastated with oil ruining the Yellowstone River and contaminating their major water source. I can’t imagine anything worst then building one through 6 well populated US states, and even guarantee that it won’t leak and cause big problems around those areas. I wonder am I contributing to these acts since I’m currently working for shell my hand can’t be as clean as I think they are. Causing destruction to the earth just to make an honest dollar and provide for my family. I wish I was in a higher position so I could do something better for this abundance of oil, there has to be another way out of this mess; but seeing as though I’m just a worker what can I do. Losing my job couldn’t be an option because the wealth around here is made through the trade of oil. Working with oil makes me feel that every day we take for granite our earth’s resources to make a profit, but all we are doing is soiling the ground that we eat, drink, and sleep off of.

Jail of Opinions 

(Sitting against cold wall in Washington D.C. Jail looking through the bars of the cell staring at the Poster of Barack Obama)

Back in 2008 I chose Barack Obama to be my president of the United States, now that the keystone pipeline bill is getting pass by congress we can now see why we chose him to be our leader. He can save us from being a country that only cares of money and energy, to being the country that is willing to make the right decisions for our environment. I’m sitting in a cellblock in Washington D.C. jail, not because I’ve done something wrong only because I’ve spoken my opinion, yelling through the outer gates of the White House. Like many others I sit here because our government care only about profit and will stop at nothing to get their top dollar. They only are proving this when they decided to pass this bill for the formation of a mile lone pipeline that would run from southwest Canada through 6 state well-populated states to a refinery in Texas. I’ve seen the BP oil spill of the gulf and read of how it effected their waterways and killed animals and sea life. At this point I believe we are almost reaching a point where we have a choice to make, to save our earth or make a profit off of it. To me this choice is obvious save the earth we need to take care of our planet instead of building a pipeline that would be prone to leaks and spills that would affect our earth. Obama decision could be game over for the environment or a lucky save that would help our days on earth stretch a little longer. This jail cells are cold, but if I’m ever going to get my opinion heard I have to keep protesting the Keystone XL pipeline.

My Land

(written by Rose Knibbe)

(Talking to a truck dealer, given him the tomatoes, and complaining about the pipeline)

“He’s just some environmentalist person who happens to be living in Texas.”  That’s probably what some people think when they hear my story. But it’s not true. I’ve lived here all my life. 

(Passes box of tomatoes to the driver as he starts to pack them into his truck to sell.)

 Once I was old enough I bought my old land, and started my family on that land. Where I live had never been a problem and it had always been my land until TransCanada decided to show up one day. They randomly showed up on my land, I wouldn’t have even known they were there unless I had seen the stakes they had placed through out my property, later that month I received a letter in the mail asking for my permission to look at my property. To bad for them, I had already pulled out the stakes and made up my mind that I wouldn’t be a part of this. A couple months latter I received another letter telling me that if I didn’t accept they would take me to court. Of course I quickly accepted and let them come under the conditions that they would give me a 24 hour warning and that I would be with them every time. But they only followed through on that agreement once. After that time I would find them on my land claiming it must be a misunderstanding of some sort. Now I’m not just being an over protective landowner. I have concerns that are legitimate. I’m this pipeline ends up happening it will take up 50 ft. of my land. Once the pipeline is placed that land can never be replanted. There is also the strong possibility of erosion from the pipe rusting. Lastly the pipeline would be harmful to many people due to the fact that the pipelines have to be heated. This is a bad thing because it will affect the grounds temperature and plants are very sensitive to ground temperature. Altogether there is another side to the Keystone XL pipeline that TransCanada and our government it not telling us. 

(Passes the last box to the man and the truck driver responds with a solemn node and tells him he understands what he's going through.)

What to Do?

(written by Rose Knibbe)

“There seems to be a lot of controversy over this matter sir” “Do you really think risking our environment is worn the money?” Questions and questions are asked to me about this project. The Keystone XL pipeline could possibly be the most controversial project I’ve worked on yet. This project started out with only benefits in my mind. Think about it, our economy is going through one a huge crisis. We need whatever help we can get to boost our economy. Why don’t people just see it that way? This project will provide 20,000 high wage jobs. Not to mention the amount of money that our nation will gain from this. The tar sands have so much oil that we can depend on it being around and providing us oil for at least a hundred years. This will give us more energy security then we have had in the past. As an organization we are dedicated to minimizing environmental impact. The possibilities of a spill are highly unlikely and if they do spill we understand that it is our full responsibility to clean up. Also we understand our responsibility for an alternative water supply if ground wells are affected. Why don’t people see the positive things this project has? Have they completely ignored the fact that pipelines are the safest, most reliable economical and environmental way to transport oil? I just wish people would look at the other side of the matter and see that there are positive things this project could bring to the table. 

Pipeline

That little bird, with its hatching eggs, doesn’t know that soon that tree will be along one of the biggest pipelines in the U.S. The future for this bird is not going to be bright while I’m around. There is so much controversy over me. There are environmentalists who don’t want me to be around and then there are the planners of this project. They act as though I am there new best friend. I am the keystone XL pipeline. To be honest I am a little bugged that no one has asked me my opinion on this project. They probably just assume I want to be placed on strangers land. But if they asked me I would tell them I didn’t know how I feel about this project despite the fact its revolved around me. Sure of course I want to exist but is that all worth sacrificing peoples land? I would need a lot of up keep and I can’t tell if they would be able to take care of my high demands. Seeing as Trans Canada is trying to make me 1,700mi long, I can’t remember the last time they built one of my pipes this long. Also the pressure that is put on me to 800,000 barrels of hot crude oil is just too much not to leak. The area I’m around is counting on me to keep their waterways clean, if I do leak they will never forgive me. Plus laying my pipeline would create erosion around the land and kill and disrupt the environment. 

With my monologues, I want all of my viewers to see how much time and thought my class/stream spent the last two weeks on this topic. We;ve learned about everything from how things are made in different countries to how far politicians will go for more money in their pockets. I want people to see and read about the different stories and views the monologues provide. I want them to keep in mind how the pipeline effects every one around it from the view of a child to the view of a worker. ENJOY!

Monologue #1: From the Movie: Splash to Making a Splash in “Dirty Oil”!

Daryl Hannah’s Internal Thoughts:

Daryl Hannah is an actress. She’s acted in many movies, we’ve seen in the movie theaters through out the nation. Today, she was arrested because she wouldn’t move out of the way for the police to get through, so her and a couple of her other companions were arrested and taken to the slammer. In the main holding cell, Daryl is accumulating more anger for the pipeline and realizes she has to keep her protest for what she knows is right!

“No to the Keystone pipeline!” was the last thing I shouted to my fellow protestors to keep their faith and continue protesting as more were taken a long with me. With that one cry for change, the U.S Park Police zip-tied a nylon cuff restraint onto my writs and threw me into the back of the car and I was brought to the slammer. Surprisingly, it’s quite bright in the back of the car because as I was driving away, I saw all of the posters, signs, and banners everyone made for the sit in. They all had pictures that held exactly eight million words. The same amount of barrels of dirty crude oil that will be transferred through out part of Canada and across the great plains of America. On other banners there was this familiar pipe, the “Keystone Pipeline”, this one pipe would pollute all the water, plains, and skies surrounding it. All it costs to build is a mere thirteen billion dollars, coming out of our back pocket. Now that’s just peachy.

When I entered the musky, humid holding cell, the police men gave us nothing but quiet time to use our imagination, imagine the dents the government were making if this proposal was past in a few weeks…harmful dents stretching from Hardisty, Alberta to Port Arthur, Texas. Also in between parts of Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and so many other states. I pulled out a picture of a group of ranchers, their kids, and I standing on their crop ranch back in the summer of 2009. The owners of the ranch being close friends of my parents, I've been going there ever since I was a little girl. The ranch has been passed down from generation to generation but now the ranch is sitting on top of the place where the pipeline is going to be.

Their ranch,…my second home…is slowly being taken away from us. I’ve been to breath-taking lands and have seen it all, but what about the future generations? Have the politicians even thought about them and the toll this pipeline will take on them? No, because these politicians have the audacity to build a pipe, demolishing not only the lustrous grasslands residing there but also because the natives living there to experience the leaks and pollution the pipes will cause.

The current Keystone pipeline running from Hardisty, Alberta to Patoka, Illinois has leaked about twelve times throughout the year. The proposed pipeline is supposed to stretch from Hardisty, Alberta to Port Arthur, Texas. So why does no one pay mind to the harm the pollution will do to our future generations? Although the politicians aren't pay mind, many people worldwide have been working hard to reduce CO2 levels but they are still climbing. Even though we know how to stop and reduce the rates, we cannot put a dent in the CO2 levels unless the number of people working to lower it increases!

Monologue #2: “Stay in School, Kids”

Pipe Liner: Zack Saunders: Internal Thoughts:

 Zack Saunders is a pipe liner living in Hadisty, Alberta. As any pipe liner, Zack has to leave his home in order to make a living for his family of four, including himself. He doesn’t know what to do. Should he stay and kill the environment on a high salary or should he make a dent in the pollution levels and help his kids. 

            I haven’t always been like this. Thinking about two angels every day for the past two weeks and giving everything up for them. I always thought that I had the best job out there in this tough economy. But now…I’m like what…what am I doing? I’m holding a wrench in one hand and a screw in the other, slowly and painfully building the pollution for my two daughters and the whole future generation to come.

            This wrench was holding me from going home to them: my kids, my wife, and my home. Pipe liners have to move to where they are building the pipe and find housing there. This wrench was helping my crew and I build a pipe through out the country. The pipe that would cause so much pollution to everyone and everything around it. This wrench, I could be using to fix Emily and Oscar’s leaky pipe in their bathroom, their race car-princess bathroom. Those two can never agree on anything. And this screw was put into place to hold together the pipe. To hold together what everyone sitting in front of that white and all around the world is trying to change. This screw and many other screws that would soon allow the pipe to leak and burst out oil like Old Faithful, the geyser itself. The screw I could be using to fix my wife’s swivel chair. But with out me there, the chair was never fixed, so a new one was bought and the pipes still get leaky. The leaky water is slowly peeling off their racecar – princess wallpaper. An example of what could happen if we -I mean with my help also- build the thirteen billion dollar pipeline running across the great plains of our land.

            You’d have to be the worst dad in the world to be doing this. But, I can’t go home. This is the only fine paying job offered to a high school dropout and it sucks. But what can I do about it? Sulk as I work? I already do that. I can’t leave my job to go protest because no one would pay for the bills, pay for the clothes my family wears. I can’t protest if I’m the one helping build this monstrosity! No one would pay for the Twinkle Toes Sketchers Emily want. No one would pay for there’s nothing left to do but to let the President Obama end my torture, hopefully. He can say no to this and then I can go home to my country, to my family, to my house, to my happiness.

Monologue #3: “Taking Our Land, Once Again!”

Mark Mountainpeak’s Internal Thoughts:

Mark is a Native American living in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. His homes are one of many that are being in the thought process of being demolished by Big Corps for the Keystone Pipeline XL. With him today is an interviewer.

My hands were beet red, veins popping out of my arms, and my voice box close to exploding into a million pieces. The reporter didn’t know what to do next because she didn’t know whether I was going to go off at another question. But after a few seconds, I fixed my posture, loosened my grip on my cup of apple juice, and gave her a reassuring look.

“How does the pipeline affect you and your home?” she said with friendly smile.

Wait…why is she smiling!? It’s not her house…is she stupid?! My home, our reservation, my family…we’re loosing everything and here she sits and asks!? She isn’t living on some money loving Corp’s pipeline. She’s not being asked to move even though, her property WAS PROMISED TO HER. No, this isn’t happening to her so she doesn’t give two shits about…wait, I had to do something…what was it? I looked up at her with her intensive eyes and she nods her head for an answer.

Oh yes, I have to answer this idiotic question: “My home is sitting on top of what you people call the next big money maker. My home is going to be knocked down because Big Corps can come in and steal our things. My home, should stay! It also not only affects my home but who would want to wake up to a pipe next door every day. Especially, if it is constantly leaking dirty oil into our drinking waters and polluting everything and anything around it. I don’t want anything to change on the Res. WE DON’T WANT THE PIPE LINE. Why are they---”

My…anger…is…before I could finish that thought the reporter obviously sees my rage and concludes the interview.

Monologue #4: Losing My Dad, Life, and Past:

Janey’s inner thoughts:

            Janey has too move because her mom doesn’t want to live near the pipeline and Janey has to face losing her past and her most cherished memories!

Montana, mountains, lakes, clear skies. And I’m leaving them, my mountainside view of the lake and the clear skies reflecting off of it. My mom says to pack what ever I want to bring to the new house. We cant live here anymore. I have to leave my friends, school, and the life I was making for the past 16 years in Montana.

I know you never talk back and all you do is keep us shaded every year but hear me out. We’re going to have to leave you soon. We’re going somewhere very far away, far way from you too. I remember when daddy and I planted you here, Bruce. You were just a small gingko tree and now look what 10 years has come and done to you. Daddy and I planted you. Now daddy isn’t here anymore and we have to leave you behind.

You probably wont last that long with out us unless you can absorb dirty oil and chemicals like you do to water. I mean you could get water but you’re going to have to play tug a war with the amount of clean water you get. Mommy was googling about the pipeline and I think it’s a bunch of baloney. I mean what is an extra couple thousand of jobs going to do for this broken economy? Nothing, so why build a pipeline right next door to our home. The way big corps are treating the environment isn’t fair. We need the environment to stand strong for us to walk upon in. Mommy says that the pipeline is bad because all of the pollution and CO2 that is going into the atmosphere. She says we already have too much.

I tried to argue back saying we’re leaving you, our view of everything, and our memories but she coldly said: “It won’t be here when the pipeline moves in. The pipe liners have to clear off everything. Everything will be gone but we’ll soon be gone before it.”

At that last line Janey cries into Bruce, the tree.

 

 

Maryam

Biuibrahim

 

First monologue:

 

Its Monday morning as Michelle Obama is getting ready to say her speech to every one that disagrees with the pipeline situation, she’s nervous she is not sure if she knows how to react to angry people, almost one hundred and 50 people got arrested in front of the white house because they were trying to say there opinions, to reject the key stone pipeline, her husband is not there to say the speech, so she has to step up and take his part, she is trying to rephrase the words in the head, it was a hot day she’s sweating, she looks out the window she sees hundreds of people waiting for her, she needed a drink of water , she knew that when she gets out there she had to look strong , deep down she does not agree with the pipeline she know that it’s wrong she also know that it will harm a lot of people , but she closed her eyes and put her opinion to the side , she made sure she had a lot of security, she never knows what might happened , the security guard walked her down , as she stands in from of hundreds of people , she took a min to look around , she saw innocent faces looking up to her as she sais:

Good morning every body, I know that you are hear to fight for what you believe in, and I know no matter what we do we can not change your opinions , but am speaking for my husbands behalf , and if he was here he would of told every one that we know that the pipeline is dangerous , and we know that it harm a lot of people, but at the same time we have the think about the positive things that comes from it , the economy it getting worst people are suffering to get jobs to feed there family, and if the pipeline can get people a lot of jobs why should we take that away, and I hope that people can try to think about the positives as well, before getting angry at us , we want the best things for every one , and I know people want a clean environment , but we cant change that in one that , it takes time to reach a goal , so all I want to say is that people need to be patient .

She decided to give a couple of people the chance to ask questions:

Question one: we know that yours speaking for your husband but is that what you really think?

She wanted to say no but she said yes we are one person and we take the same decisions.

Question two: how long do we have to wait until we see a change?

Patience is key that all I have to say.

The more questions she was getting she started thinking did they even try to change anything during the 2 years, thoughts were going trough her mind as she exists.

 

Second monologue:

Its Saturday night as the Canadian guy is watching the news about the pipeline situation and how it is affecting Canada in a lot of ways, he is a single 39 years old guy, that likes to write , after he finished watching the news , he wanted to say how he felt to someone , and the only thing he could find is his computer to talk to, he sat down with a cup of coffee  in his hand , took a deep breath and started typing :

“ I usually don’t talk about things like this in my diary but it is really upsetting me in a lot of ways so I will talk about it, its bad enough that the world is not an equal place, and that some places are suffering more then others, but they say that they cant do nothing about it so we try to understand but when it comes to a point when you can stop something this bad in a heartbeat and people are still questioning if they should , then that’s careless , I feel like America only cares about jobs and what they can get from poor people, the pipe line is not only hurting America but its hurting my people too, I don’t understand why cant they find other way to make jobs available , without hurting other they don’t know that they may be hurting a single mother, a dad, a son , a daughter, or a sister , I feel like they need time to go trough what they’re doing . Because enough is enough.

He got really mad he couldn’t even finish his writing, so he said to him self with a strong look on his face that he will go to Washington to fight for what he believes in.

 

Third monologue:

Its Texas its an early rise as the a hard working father wakes up to do his farm work, he has five kids there all girls and in his back yard there is a pipeline, he did not think it was bad until he herd about the oil leak in china , he started getting worried about it a lot every time he wakes up he goes in his back yard and just keep looking at it , he wants Obama to stop it , maybe then he could get some sleep at night , he is worried that if the oil ever leaks what would he do , how would he survive , and all his hard work will be gone , every time he thinks about it he shakes , he has so much anger inside he just wants to say why does no one care about what were are going trough some people cant sleep  because of this pipeline, some people just want to leave everything they worked hard for just to go some place were they can be safe , but of course if he say that we get arrested , we should have freedom of speech and we should fight for what we believe in.

 

 

​ My monologues are about a little girl who doesn't know much about the Keystone XL pipeline except her fishy might get flushed, a farmer who's land is going to get dug up so the pipeline can run under his farm, and a Hydrologist at a college with strong points and disagreements about the pipeline. 

 Sophie comes up to her fishy and sprinkles fish food in the bowl

 Sophie: Hi, fishy.

 Sighs

 Sophie: I’m upset. Mommy says that some oil company in Texas is gonna run some kind of pipe allllllll the way up to Canada, right through here in Nebwaska. And the oil might get in our water that we dwink, and that we use for your fishy tank. She says that if that happens, we might have to con… con… um, save water. That means we cant use any extwa water at all. And, and, we wont be able to clean you’re fishy tank anymore… w-we could have to flush you bye bye.

 Sophie starts to get upset, starting to cry now

 Sophie: I’m scared… I don’t wanna send you away to fishy land… I love you fishy! B-but mommy says it-its going to be bad… ‘Cause its tar sands oil.. Whatever that means… its supposed to be dirtier than regular oil… so its gonna be even worse. Oh, fishy, I really wish I was a grownup; I don’t even get a choice what happens! Mommy said that its because our country doesn’t have enough money… I made a lemonade stand and when I make enough money, I’m gonna send it to Mr. Obama, but mommy says that’s not how it works. I don’t get it! Grownups are so mean! Why cant we just all be grateful for what we have like mommy says? Maybe, Mr. Obama will say no-no, and then I can keep you forever my little fishy.

Monologue 2

 Farmer Thompson fades in wearing a pair of tattered overalls and a straw hat and starts working his crops

 Farmer Thompson: Boy, howdy! I could sure use a glass of lemonade! Hell, i'ma need a thousand glasses of lemonade after that there TransCanada oil company slicks its pipes right through my own backyard. How am I supposed to make my money then? My wife and I done lived here in Merrick County, Nebraska for 35 years a-raising cattle and a-tillin’ the land, all the while lookin after our son Randy, why, he’s a cattle buyer now, all grown up. He just went to a discussion at his church about this here Gosh dern pipeline, talking about our farm.

 It starts to rain

 Farmer Thompson: Awe, Shoot! Well, might as well get all the water it can get now. Wont be much of my crops left after this pipe is in. Hell, wont be much of my farm left if this pipe should leak into this old field. I even heard that Trans Canada already has a pipeline a-runnin past the east side of that same Aquifer here in my state.  How greedy can ya get! Wanting to squirt more of that there dilbit into the water! I’m a voter, and sonny I voted for Barak Obama because he said he was gonna help the environment. I’m a man of my word; now my question is whether or not he’s a man of his. He needs to tell that there Trans Canada oil company not to run this dang pipe over my crops!

Monologue 3

 Jason Gurdak, a hydrologist at San Francisco State University, gives a presentation to a group of students. He writes on a board as he goes

 Jason: So, in essence, we’re pretty much just taking a bunch of contaminates, mixing them together, and dumping them in the water! Lets look real quick at something called dilbit, shall we? Dilbit is short for diluted bitumen, water mixed with tar sands oil. It contains toxic heavy metals like arsenic, and chemicals like benzene, a cancer causer. This stuff isn’t just regular oil here. Its a lot more corrosive than just crude oil alone, meaning it’ll break down the inside of the pipe quicker and almost guarantee a leak, which we cant detect as quickly underground. Plus, you got the aquifer right there, and a bunch of porous soil that’s just gonna sponge all this Dilbit up, and create a mess for the water. The Dilbit is denser and heavier than other contaminates, meaning its going to do WAY more than just float on top, its going to sink to the bottom, causing so much more damage that could create a plume.

 He tosses his marker

 Jason: And TransCanada is just saying that this is the safest way to transport the petroleum and that any spills “would be limited to a small area!” You’re kidding me right? Really! ‘Cause this crap has happened before, and I gotta tell ya, that wasn’t a “small area.”

 He holds up air quotes

 Jason: July 2010, just one year ago, a river in Michigan got Dilbit spilled in it and Lo and Behold! The waterway was closed for more than six months! Look, I’m not going to keep complaining about this, but come on, obviously I cant be the only one here that doesn’t see the stupidity behind this.

My Sources:
http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2011/09/22/news/local/13936546.txt

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110919-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline-groundwater/

http://www.wgbh.org/content-download/?revision_id=4004392

 

​ In this project we created monologues from the perspective of different people who would have an opinion on the XL pipeline that would be built from Canada to Texas. If you worked alone, you would do three monologues, and if you worked with someone else, you would do five. Each person would then have to make a video for one of the monologues they wrote. My personal goal for this project was to make it more opinionated and personal, because I tend to make my writing very factual, which would not have worked for this type of project.

Amish Farmer (James Prell):

(Pacing back and forth) I didn't have much of a choice when I was offered the chance to have the pipeline run through my land. But how will my neighbors react to it when I tell them? (Waves arms) The Amish of Kansas don't let this sort of thing happen, I should have been a better person and put the land and nature before myself, but I needed money.

I don’t make much money as it is, I never really have (sigh and glance down). The farming business isn’t something I’m good at, but it’s my only option, it's all I know. When TransCanada came to offer me money for the land they needed for the big pipe they were building, I wasn’t doing very well back then either. I was in between plantings after a failed harvest and I needed money pretty bad. These men offered me a deal; they would pay me lots of money if I let them cut through my land with big machines. And lay down this big pipe that would pump thousands of barrels of dark, crop killing oil from Canada to Texas.

            I’M A FARMER! (Shouts) What was I thinking? One mistake along any inch of that huge thing could completely destroy my work, my house, and I wouldn’t be able to plant for years afterwards. Not even the huge amount of money they paid me would be able to help me then. I’d have to leave everything I know behind. That poisonous fuel would forever taint all of my work, my father’s work, and his father’s work.

        I can’t turn back now. I’ve already signed a contract. I just wanted to be able to support myself, but I might end up destroying myself. I can only hope that our president stops the company from building the pipe. It might be selfish, because I know it will give a lot of people jobs. But if I ever have kids, I guess I want them to carry on my legacy here on the farm.

Transcanda Employee (James Prell)

I’ve worked on these oil sands for most of my adult life, long before these protesters started objecting to what we did over in America. I’ve taken part in setting up a lot of the more recent extraction plants too. (Shakes head) I grew up here in Alberta and witnessed the start of the dirty oil era. (Stretch arms and yawn) My life hasn’t really taken off yet though. At least, I hope it hasn’t. I spend all day operating the steam extraction machinery, and the pay isn’t great. (Cough) I’ve been wondering lately if working like this is worth the years taken off my life from inhaling the fumes.

Maybe those people down in Washington have the right idea; they’re working for a good cause fighting against the new Keystone pipeline. They’re passionate about what they believe in.

For a long time I saw the oil as a good thing. It was a miracle of modern science that we could extract fuel directly from the earth, without expensive drilling equipment. I was proud to work for the sake of helping people drive and provide oil to the world. I felt like a pioneer, leading my country forward.

(Nods) These Americans have opened my eyes though. If I help with the Keystone project, I could take a huge part in the pollution and destruction of North America. Sure, I might help a man get to work, but I might also kill someone by polluting his or her water supply. I don’t want that blood, or oil, on my hands.

Russ Girling (CEO of TransCanada) (Seamus Kirby): 

            Walks into room and sits on couch. Today was a tough day at work. It’s hard to hear myself think with so many protestors yelling outside your window. I know a lot of these people just see me as some greedy CEO that will do anything to get more money. Is that really me? I know I wouldn’t see myself as that, but if I look from their perspective, put myself in their shoes and look at myself? What am I? This pipeline would bring so much money to this company, and would benefit Canada and the USA in many ways. Jobs, money, oil. Does all that outweigh any potential environmental impacts? Right now we need oil, and we need a lot of it. In the future we may not need oil so much, but right now we do. This would at least postpone the energy problem for a while, until we have the means to postpone it further, or maybe even finally solve it. But is that what we really need? Would that make the problem worse? I doubt there will be any problems caused by this while I’m alive, but what about my children? No, I don’t think this pipeline will make or break the environment. It’s just one pipeline, and what people really need to do is stop wasting so much. Besides, if you ignore the environmental impacts this may or may not have, this is only beneficial to everyone.

 

Bill Mckibben (Seamus Kirby):

 

            We have lived and taken from our planet for tens of thousands of years. We started off just taking what we needed, but then we kept taking more and more and more, and now look at what that’s gotten us. We are polluting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. At the same time unemployment is rising, along with gas prices and debt. It seems as if every single unsustainable thing we’ve been doing in the history of this country has finally collapsed on us at once. We need money, and oil, and jobs. We also need to conserve the environment. If we aren’t mindful of how much we waste, and render the planet uninhabitable with our pollution, the planet will be fine. After a few thousand years, the planet will repair itself, and be back to the way it was before humans. The only thing we’d be killing is ourselves, and everything we share the planet with. The XL pipeline would do two things. It would bring money, oil, and jobs to America. And it would be another nail in the coffin of environmentalism. Will this completely destroy the environment in one fell swoop? No, but will it solve our debt, and job problems? No to that too. What we have to do is weigh what options would be best overall. Should we build it and generate a few thousand jobs, and billions of dollars in revenue, or should we not build and save countless plants and animals, and reduce our oil dependency. Transcanada says their pipes will not leak, but can we really believe them when their own pipes leaked 12 times? We can’t risk it leaking, because the pipeline goes over a major aquifer that people drink from. And it would pollute the drinking supply of millions with crude oil. I don’t think we should build the pipeline, because I believe that there is other ways of improving the economy, but there is only one way to protect the environment right now, and that is to stop the XL pipeline from being built.

 

Kenneth Hewitt (Seamus Kirby):

    I’ve been unemployed for almost a year now, and my unemployment benefits are starting to run out. I’ve been living out of this crummy apartment in this terrible neighborhood for about as long. I was laid off from my first job as a construction manager, and for the first few months nobody would hire me. After that nobody was hiring me because of how long I’d been unemployed. I heard about this new pipeline TransCanada is planning to build between Canada and Texas. I could maybe get a job helping building this, it shouldn’t be too difficult since it’s such a big project, and they’d need to hire a lot of people. Sure, it wouldn’t be permanent, but it would be something to put on my resume so employers wouldn’t immediately ignore my application due to not having been employed for a long time. But at the same time, do I want to help this project? So many people are protesting this because huge negative environmental implications. Maybe I could get a different job somewhere else, but where? This is the surest bet. But what do I care about more, my own wellbeing, or the wellbeing of my children and their children. Then again, the world’s already messed up for my kids; surely this one pipeline wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But if it’s not such a big deal, why are so many people protesting it? I can’t turn down work, but is this the work I want to do? I guess if this is going to be built I have no choice but to work on it, my only other option being unemployment. But I hope Obama blocks this from being built, so I don’t feel obligated to work on it.

 

​This project was to get different people opinion on the pipeline and how they see and view how it effects people and the economy. Through this monologue I wanted people to see the thoughts of the people on on the pipeline and how it effects them. The issues I wanted people to see was the pros and cons of this pipeline.

The Story No One Hears

*As Obama walks into the pressroom. He looks in the solemn faces of the people in the room and he feels sorrow*

My people hear me speak as a person not as the president talking into a microphone and listen to me and think of me as one of you. I, Obama have heard the concerns about the pipeline. But everyone puts the blame on me. But no one knows the back-story … my story of this pipeline. I do everything for this country and I try to do what is right but it can never be enough. As soon as anything goes wrong everyone points the finger at me. I try and try but I can do no right. If I have to have millions of people to hate me even though I am doing what is right for this economy so be it. If I have to ignore the screams and cries of the world because of this pipeline then I have to. If I have to look at people in the tearful eyes saying I have to do what is right for the economy and put their feelings aside then I’ll do it. But no one knows the guilt I have to face every time I open my eyes to a new day and close my eyes to end one. My family supports me in every decision I make. But I am afraid that they wont be able to look at me after the decision I make. My children will be ashamed to call me their father. This is my true horror. I’ll just sit and put in my headphones and close my eyes to blur out the screams and the tears of what this pipeline will do to people. If I have to live with guilt on my hands forever. So be it. But in the end I hope people don’t look at me as a monster but a person who try to do something right. 

Bryon E Hancock

One thing can destroy everything. 

·      He walks up to the stage of the assembly in his town and looks at everyone will a sad face with his family looking at him in the front row*

 The tar sands pipeline. People surveying my land and mumbling to each other. Those images have been staying in my head for many months on and on. How can the president just do this? How can he do this to his people? Why this land? Why does he have to kill the land I live on just for this pipeline? What did I do to deserve this sad life? All these questions just stay in my head and will never have an answer. This pipeline will destroy this land I have lived on for 15 years of my life. My family grew up on this land. I want my children to love this land and learn about when they grow up. I want my children to inherit this land. Why is one pipeline is going to take that all away from me. It will leave my family with out our home and my children without any memories of where they lived. My children will grow up and never see the land they lived on.  How can one pipeline people say with better us but is it taking away so much? Why else will it take in the years coming? What will our children have to look forward to? What state will our ecosystem be in? The tar sands pipeline is a nightmare that appeared in front of me. The nightmare of tar sands pipeline appeared on my doorstep and hasn’t left since. Will this nightmare ever end? Will it ever get better from here on?

Michel C.Weerd

 The good of the future

 *Walks on the stage full of protestors who doesn’t want the pipeline*

I have seen and heard the people voices of this pipeline but nobody sees what better it can do for our lives. People need to see the state this economy is in. We are so close to having a second depression. And people are protesting this pipeline? Why are they so selfish? Ok what if this pipeline doesn’t happen and we go down to an economic slump. What can the protesters do now? Absolutely nothing. With this oil we can look towards a new future and new beginnings. We can looks towards a brighter future. We can stop out dependence on foreign oil and stop this war over oil perhaps. All these points you just heard are the pros of this pipeline and obviously the pros outweigh the cons. This pipeline will be for the better and everyone needs to see that. Stop bashing the pipeline and see what good it will bring to this economy. This will make all the problems we have today disappears. We need this pipe like no one knows. This could be a better brighter future for us Americans. So protestors need to put their feelings aside and see the bigger better future. They need not to so selfish and see that this will affect many people lives for the better then the worse. This pipeline will fix everything and create many jobs, which we Americans are lacking and this can fix our downfall in the jobs area. We need this pipeline more then it needs us. With this pipeline the economy will hit a all time high. So people need to change their thought on protesting this pipeline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  In this project the goal was to show different perspectives about this environmental issue. Tar Sands oil and the XL Pipeline. My purpose was to have a typical citizen's point of view. Since this is a topic isn't known by most of America, I wanted my monologues to slowly form an opinion on this issue, assuming these people didn't have prior knowledge. This project is about the domestic concern for the XL Pipeline, that might cover six states. 

Monologues: 

Rich Loris:
All I saw were angry, concerned people outside my favorite window of the White House. My window had a clear view of all the action happening outside. *read slower* Picket signs….. Banners…. Police…. *pick up a bit more speed reading*I could barely hear the chants from my window, but they had a sense of confidence in each one. *talks slower* Canada….. *sound confused*Tar Sands…? Oil…. Nasty oil… Crude oil….. Foreign oil…. Oil…. Oil…. *gets angered* OIL! That’s all it ever is! *gets calm again* *takes a deep breath* That’s all I ever hear from my colleagues, I can’t do anything. I can’t say anything. If I do, I’ll seem like a threat. A threat to their self being. They only worry about themselves. I’m just the head of security. I don’t make any decisions. I just protect the man that does.

Hey, *shurgs*I even voted for him myself. The man had a dream I agreed with. It was different. I thought it was nice to have some color in the White House. This man’s dream opened my eyes to something more than what it should have been exaggerated to. I realized the place we live on won’t last forever. The way we live on this planet now, it’s destined to not be safe enough for our kin. Something needs to change. My actions may not make a dent in earth’s health, but it makes a dent in how I see things now.

It’s hard to hear men joke about this. They ultimately think it’s going to blow over and a 1700-mile pipe will cover six states of our domestic territory! The idea just doesn’t sit right with me. I cared too much for some unknown reason. I didn’t know the actual impact of this, in my heart it didn’t seem legit. It didn’t seem….moral.

I couldn’t help what I felt at the time, but I didn’t think twice about running out the door towards the dedicated protesters. I was about 200 meters from them. All I wanted to do was join then. Join a triumph waiting to happen. *clenches fists so veins show**takes a deep breath* I was tackled. I believe his name was Ben… Ben Hanks. I’m the one in charge of him, I should definitely know his name. I tried to pry his grip off me, but a sting in my left side *places his left hand on his left side* and I was out.

I woke up here. This jail cell. With a cold floor, a silver, metallic toilet and serious talking. *feels the floor and shivers* Then I looked up to a red haired girl blankly looking at me. 

Laury Ellis:

*Sits in a cornet near the bars of her cell

I woke up this morning with a purpose. I woke up to march… March for a relevant cause to my president. *fixes shirt* He is the one who can stop it all. He’s the man I have all my hopes in right now. I tied my hair back for a serious persona and dressed in a simple pair of nice of jeans and a Obama shirt I got at the beginning of his election. I bought an extra shirt just in case I was displeased at the president for a moment. I knew I was going to out there for awhile, but I didn’t think I’d end up in a jail cell at the end of the day. All I Americans were allowed to express what their opinions were. Right or wrong, it can still be said. But I guess when it goes up against the White House, it’s always going to be wrong. I realized that today.

            *Speaks in a “matter-of-fact voice* I’ve seen that the no one had denied a permit for the pipeline. All permission was given. Canada wants to get rid of it and the U.S. is willing to take it, since it’s an ally’s oil. I also checked out what TransCanada is doing about the land their taking from domestic owners. In addition to the government getting millions of dollars in revenue, around 600 million to be exact, their giving a small portion of the profits to the landholders their taking away property from. I couldn’t argue with that. I mean… I’ve my land was taken, I’d probably take up the offer of getting some type of compensation. But I’m seriously worried about what it’d to the environment. Plowing through acres and acres of lands that houses animals, plants, and freshwater. It’s a shame to see what could be lost with this pipe. It there any other way this could be done? Instead of a pipeline, maybe thousands of truck drivers and money to be put in oil transportation? I don’t know. That might be worse… A lot is at jeopardy, but I’m just a citizen. I can’t do anything. I can only stand for something.

            Now, I stare at this man. Dressed in a suit and tie with ear piece that you usually see officials. I don’t know who he is. He seems interested. Maybe he knows something about it all. 

Ben Hanks:

*Ben sits at the bottom of a tree trunk with his head in his hands.*

I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t know he had more authority than me. I didn’t know anything about this man. I didn’t know what my boss looked like. *Slowly lifts his head out his hands.* He could have been Indian for all I cared.

            I was told to watch for anyone making trouble. That’s my job. That’s what I’m paid to do. The protesters were pretty much under control. The picket signs were all too offensive, so I wasn’t worried about today. Things seems relatively fine. I stood there, at my guard and I was prepared for anything.

            I kept hearing things about this “crude” oil. I couldn’t look it up on my blackberry at the time, but it didn’t seem bad. These people seemed to be against what I thought is   exactly what we need. Oil from a place close by. Right? It’s better than getting overseas in that terrorist country. We fight for all of what we have and why not take a chance and get something we deserve. It’s said that the pipeline won’t leak and that’s good enough for me. Hey, it’s not going to impact me in D.C. so why should I worry about it? I sorry for those who live out there, but my living arrangements aren’t at all going to be ruined.

            As I was contemplating about this issue a man runs across the White House field. I couldn’t tell who he was, nor where he came from. My first instinct was to tackle him. He tried to struggle out of my grip so I tazed him. I cuffed him and gave to the others. I was then informed later on… He was the big boss.