The Common Good
God's Politics Blog

HUZZAH!: Why Rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline is Good News

by Rose Marie Berger 01-18-2012 | 2:30pm
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Politico is reporting that President Obama is planning to reject the Keystone XL pipeline this afternoon.

Here’s a quick roundup of some reasons why we think that’s awesome:

  1. Keystone XL pipeline is a climate-killing disaster waiting to happen. When you see the match being tossed toward the gas can, you don’t think “Wow! It’s really going to employ a lot of people to put out the fire and drive the ambulances.” No, you suck it up and blow out the match.
     
  2. In 2009, Obama talked to the UN about climate change. “We understand the gravity of the climate threat. We are determined to act. And we will meet our responsibility to future generations.” We think it’s nice when you can actually do what you say you are going to do.
     
  3. Uuuuhhmm. Can you say “earthquakes in the Midwest”? I know that’s “fracking,” but still … It doesn’t take a genius to see that there might be a problem with a non-traditional crude product under high pressure going through the American breadbasket and our largest supply of drinking water at the same time that some earthquake faults are waking up — for whatever reason.
     
  4. A bunch of religious folks met with State Department officials in August to tell them that it makes God sad when big oil and gas companies eat out the heart of the earth for money. We had lots of scripture to back that up. I know they’d rather be on God’s side in this debate. It’s always the better choice. And the people are a lot more interesting!
     
  5. We like cranes. Those Sandhill ones especially. They are so geeky, squawky, and gregarious. Maybe a thousand of them will fly over the White House and tip their wings. Just to let us know they’re watching.

Take a minute to thank President Obama for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline by clicking HERE.

Rose Marie Berger, a Sojourners contributing editor, was an organizer for the Tar Sands religious witness. Learn more about the pipeline at www.tarsandsaction.com.

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