Destructive and violent protests always seem to start with a peaceful demonstration. It is overlooked that to conduct a peaceful demonstration, is like taking a pound of flesh without a single drop of blood. The historic Boston Tea Party upset George Washington because it was an organized act of war protest that should have been done after the Declaration of Independence had been delivered to the British. There have always been excuses to dignify a peaceful protest that becomes violent and destructive.
It is believed by some that the suspected anti-enterprise virus has now struck North Dakota with a protest. It is believed by some medical authorities who have speculated a virus that causes a destructive mindset of a protest is to oppose all private property development. It is a virus that causes people to protest and oppose any activity that brings jobs to the community or improves the infrastructure with new roads, power transmission systems or water for new housing developments, and even oil pipelines to safely transport oil at a lower price for the consumer. The infected individuals believe all projects need to be brought to an immediate halt. The virus creates an absolute rejection to any application of scientific or engineering knowledge to ensure for the prevention of any or all environmental hazards, endangerment of species, contamination of water, air and even visibility. The effects of this wrongful and deadly mindset, is that it has no regard for the ownership of private property or investment capital and does not care about the economic chaos and poverty it brings to the community. This virus robs the livelihood of workers when a prosperous community has been destroyed. Presently there is no known treatment of those infected with this public and dangerous virus that engages in a protest. It appears that the victim of the virus becomes an elitist who believes they are intellectually superior and have the right to participate in a violent protest.
So what has happened in North Dakota? The Standing Rock Indian tribe avoided participation in the oil pipeline permitting process. They decided to have a tantrum and protest when construction began on privately owned property near their reservation. Their protest encampment was overwhelmed with attendance of out-of-state Indian tribes and even actors for the far left Hollywood anti-oil pipeline activists. The newcomers came to commit violence, destruction of privately owned property, and block traffic on public roads and highways. Standing Rock’s original complaint was to protect their water sources from oil spills and possible destruction of old Indian burial sites. Violent acts of the protest began to occur that included protesters chaining themselves to the pipeline contractors equipment, damaging it, and breaking into the pipeline’s locked facilities with bolt cutters to manually close oil pipeline valves to stop the flow of oil for seven hours, costing the pipeline company $50,000. Also, they attacked pipeline employees, burned contractor vehicles and construction equipment, shot arrows and wounded law enforcement officers, and damaging a helicopter while it was landing. It was also alleged that protestors shot ranchers cattle, while far-left movie actors filmed their own felonies to gain national and international fame for stopping the use of carbon producing oil that prompts climate change.
The Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners state that delays in construction of this pipeline by these demonstrators has cost a 100 million dollars. Even the BNSF Railroad was interfered with when tracks were endangered by an attempted fire. To note: to date, pipeline construction on the route has found no evidence of Indian burial sites or artifacts on the pipeline route.
The activist’s legal complaints have been struck down by a Federal Judge and a Federal Appeals Court. The only remaining issue to stop construction is a thousand foot section of pipeline under Lake Onhe on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property. The Dakota access pipeline includes the use of horizontal drilling to install a 30-inch welded steel pipe 90-feet below the lake bed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with their infinite wisdom of construction could have suggested encapsulating the 30-inch pipe inside a 40-inch pipe as a backup to contain any oil that may leak from the 30-inch pipeline. It should also have been considered for a system to automatically retrieve oil from the inside of the 40-inch safety pipe. This additional design safeguard would make for a reliable “under the lake” oil prevention spill. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should have addressed any possible safety features at the permitting conference. By doing so, this approach would have overcome any speculation that the Standing Rock water supply could be contaminated by an under-the-lake pipeline oil leak. Initial planning needs to address all possible objections that may arise from public groups at the hearing. It appears that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to address the issue of alleged water contamination by safer reliable pipeline design.
The collateral social damage of the anti-enterprise virus is that it promotes law-breaking protests and violence. This requires instant law enforcement, and actions of the local sheriff and the North Dakota National Guard is commendable. To date, some 100 protestors have been arrested and jailed when they were cleared from private property. Protesting does not solve problems, but creates mob violence and lynch-law.
No one knows why not-for-profit are inclined to be infected with the anti-development virus. If a cure could be found, it would be a miracle for protecting local communities. Some epidemiologists have researched the occurrence of the virus. To them it appears that its presence first appeared in anti-Vietnam war demonstrations after Jane Fonda visited Hanoi. Returning soldiers of the undeclared war was a police action that took 57,000 service people’s lives. The veterans of Vietnam were not treated with respect but with discrimination when they returned home because of the massive anti-Vietnam media propaganda.
Southern Arizona has been seriously disabled by this virus as well. In Cochise County, 16% of the population earns less than the poverty level income. Almost everywhere you look, the virus has stalemated progress of Rosemont Copper Mine, the extension of Buffalo Soldier Trail extension connection to Moson Road, Tribute’s 7,000 home community the Vigneto community with 27,000 planned homes, and a mining project near Patagonia. Rosemont Mine has been disabled for about six years. The North Dakota Pipeline violence – could it have been funded by businesses that profits from Mid-East oil, and whose profits could be lost when oil resources are developed in the Dakotas?
Lately, some medical experts think they have found something to overcome this virus after the election on November 6th. It is called Trumpism, which brings back the values of law and order, protection against terrorists, restoring our military and most of, bringing jobs back to America, making America Great Again.
The author, David MacCollum is a former engineer for the Portland District in Oregon from 1955 to 1961 who developed design criteria for tractor rollover protection that has saved thousands of lives.