10,000 Surround White House to Protest Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline

[The Northerner]

Run time: 11:58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUMhsB8eG2I   Posted on YouTube: November 07, 2011 By YouTube Member: democracynow Views on YouTube: 302   Posted on DU: November 07, 2011 By DU Member: The Northerner Views on DU: 1548

 
www.democracynow.org - More than 10,000 protesters surrounded the White House on Sunday calling on President Obama to reject the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. The protest came exactly a year before the 2012 election and the pipeline is shaping up to be a major political issue. Last week, President Obama said for the first time he will make the final decision on whether to approve the controversial 1,700-mile pipeline proposed by TransCanada, which would transport oil from the Alberta tar sands fields to refineries in Texas. Up until now, Obama said the final decision rested with the State Department. " really underlines this has become not only the biggest environmental flash point in many years, but maybe the issue in recent times in the Obama administration when he has been most directly confronted by people in the street," said leading environmentalist Bill McKibben, a key organizer in the protest, to Democracy Now! Nov. 7.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Thank goodness America is waking up! This is wonderful!

I honestly never thought Americans would wake up. I was so worried. But my worries were unfounded. It's waking up from coast to coast.

[haikugal]

2. Happy to see so many people participate in this protest...

I hope we keep it up. However, I've heard estimates ranging from 13,000, 12,000+ and no 10,000...does anyone have a clear idea how many people there were?

[Puget Progressive]

3. Enough to completely surround the White House four deep

and what was Obama doing during most of this? Playing golf in Virginia! If this had happened during Bush's regime there would have been much criticism at his insensitivity. I have seen very little about about how Obama chose to respond to this unprecedented demonstration.