Common Dreams – by Jake Johnstone
Sparking outcry from indigenous tribes and environmental groups, the Texas state Senate on Monday passed industry-backed Republican legislation that would hit pipeline protestors with a third-degree felony and up to ten years in prison.
“Here in Texas, members of the legislative body are looking to pass laws that harshly criminalize free speech and the right to protest,” Juan Mancias, Tribal Elder with the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, said in a statement.
As the Associated Press reported, the bill “would classify pipelines as critical infrastructure, putting them in the same category as power plants and water treatment facilities.”
According to the AP, the “amended bill would still subject those who trespass and damage the facility to a third degree felony with up to 10 years in prison,” a sentence on par with the punishment for attempted murder.
“But people impairing or interrupting operations would now face a misdemeanor with a fine up to $10,000 and potentially up to one year in jail,” the AP reported.
As Common Dreams reported, the Texas House passed the legislation earlier this month.
Republican state Rep. Chris Paddie, the author of the bill, insisted that his legislation would not punish peaceful demonstrators, but indigenous leaders at the front of the fight against climate-destroying pipelines in Texas weren’t buying it.
“We are at a tipping point as our ecosystems decline at accelerated rates and instead of protecting our environment, we are protecting big oil and pipelines,” Jennifer K. Falcon, campaign manager with Society of Native Nations, said in a statement. “Across the country, we have seen these bill challenged for stripping us of our constitutional rights.”
Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network vowed to fight the Texas bill and other similar Republican legislation across the country.
“Big oil is hijacking our legislative system,” Goldtooth said. “Our Network is suing the state of South Dakota for passing a bill similar to the one being debated in Texas. Both are unconstitutional attempts to suppress public protest and are nothing but fear tactics. We will continue to support and fight beside the indigenous communities in Texas to make sure these unconstitutional laws do not stand.”
WEVE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES .
THE TIME FOR PROTESTING IS PAST. TEAR THE DAMN PIPELINES UP BY THE ROOTS. SHOOT THEM FULL OF HOLES. GUNPOWDER IS YOUR FRIEND!
“GUNPOWDER IS YOUR FRIEND!”
DAMN STRAIGHT, KOYOTE!
ANY & ALL RELATED ‘MATERIALS’ AS WELL!!!!!
TANNERITE AND BLACK POWDER INSTRUCTIONS ARE ON JEWTUBE. SIMPLE SEARCH….THIS LEAVES ‘THE MILITIA” WITHOUT EXCUSE
This country will only be by We the People
If we collectively get off our asses and act like we own this dam place
Or ,lay back on your hands and wait your turn to get fcked
Your call
“… would hit pipeline protestors with a third-degree felony…”
Not WAY TOO F%&KING OBVIOUS, or anything.
Bye bye guns.
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It really seems this thing called the US Government (inc.) or rather the human beings sitting at all levels of administration, regardless of which branch or Alphabet agency or State, really wants to go to war with the body of people they call Americans.
If there is No ability for us to prosecute our Bill of Rights peacefully and all these Laws, codes and edicts of one sort or another seek to make unlawful mandates upon us, then we are left with no options aren’t we….
A self fulfilling prophesy or more so a design of tyranny long in coming…..Do the enforcers of this tyranny and all these unlawful edicts really think they are gonna come out of this clean?
DTTNWO Always…
HARD TO WATCH MAN. HARD TO WATCH.
Now let’s see here now…fracking has killed God knows how many natural spring critters including turtles, barnacles, catfish, other fish and wildlife at Balmorhea State Park and swimming pool (a natural spring) in the oasis of far west Texas (the pool finally reopened this spring) and these pipelines have been protested for years in and out of Big Bend National Park…but that’s okay…why give a damned about God’s creation when there’s money to be made? Let alone the fact that these bastards are destroying the underground water supply…if they can kill off turtles, why not destroy farms and ranches by stealing the water? Good ol’ ‘israel first’ Abbott and Costello approves of this legislation…