Slavery is probably the worst blemish in our country’s history. The practice killed thousands or millions (depending on who you believe), tore apart families, and failed to respect any sense of human dignity. That’s why it was so appalling that a fractivist Maria Orms, head of North Metro Neighbors for Safe Energy, at an Adams County Communities for Drilling Accountability Now (ACCDAN) meeting last night compared slavery and apartheid (also, a terrible chapter in history) to energy development.

An attendee of the meeting last night sent us this video:

From the video:

“If you accept anything like an MOU [memorandum of understanding], that’s your terms of surrender…signing an MOU is collusion with the oil and gas industry. We need to talk to our county commissioners and tell them not to agree to any of this.

“Apartheid was legal at one point. Would you agree with that? Slavery was legal. Didn’t make it right. Well, maybe that doesn’t apply here to an environmental issue, this is not right, do not agree to this.”

The only thing not right here is Orms comparing slavery and apartheid to energy development, which has lifted millions out of poverty, provided high-paying jobs to Coloradans, and supported our schools and communities. Additionally, it’s clear from this video that fractivists are uninterested in any sort of compromise on oil and gas development. Nothing short of an outright ban will satisfy. So, when environmental groups say, “well, we support ‘responsible’ energy development, but….”, that’s a lie.

These groups foolishly are trying to enact a fracking moratorium in Thornton, despite the fact that the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments this week on fracking moratoriums in several other jurisdictions like Longmont. Will the Thornton City Council and Adams County Commissioners condemn this over-the-top rhetoric and distance themselves from these clearly unhinged fractivists?  Thornton and Adams County voters want to know.