Cliff Willmeng, Boulder County fractivist, gives Colorado the middle finger
Today, the Colorado Supreme Court heard oral arguments to determine whether cities like Longmont have the right to ban fracking. We often make fun of fractivists and their irrational behavior, and today offered another example. Some fractivists, including Cliff Willmeng, were upset because they did not have a seat inside the courtroom, where all the action was happening. Unfortunately, the fractivists hosted a rally in the morning and seating in the courtroom was first come, first sit. Many people arrived early to get a seat. But, not Willmeng’s crew, and they were not happy.
Check out the harassment of the officer who simply was doing his job. Below is a transcript of the audio of the exchange here.
Officer: …that’s your view, you are entitled to it.
Cliff Wilmeng: We’re not interested in our view, we’re on the outside. You’re the ones that determine what’s going on in the courtroom.
Woman: So, can you ask them to make that announcement, that people who aren’t parties to this lawsuit who are from out-of-state need to leave?
Officer: I cannot disrupt a hearing of the Colorado Supreme Court.
Woman: Ok, what about between the two hearings?
Officer: I wouldn’t think that that would be advisable.
Woman: Why not? There’s two hearings.
Wilmeng: We’ve been interrupted for years now. The whole point that we have to take time out of our lives to be down here is a bit of a disruption, wouldn’t you say?
Woman: But, there are two hearings, right? Can you make the announcement between the two hearings?
Officer: We won’t make any such announcement.
Talk about an apt metaphor for the entire fracking argument. These folks didn’t arrive early to secure a desirable seat, so instead of thinking, “Dammit, I should have arrived earlier”, they wanted the officer at the door of the Supreme Court to infringe on the rights of the people already sitting there, so they could sit there. Not to mention the fact that the woman wants “out-of-staters” (we presume oil and gas interests) to be thrown out of the room, so she could sit in there. She may have forgotten that her own rally was funded by D.C.-based, out-of-state interests like Food and Water Watch and Sierra Club.
And, in case you thought that was the end. Well, it wasn’t. After not succeeding by being obnoxious and demanding extraordinary rights, a dreadlocked fracktivist turned on the charm by inquiring about the officers’ children.
Dreadlocked Diva: Are you three from Colorado? Do you guys have kids? Do you believe in fracking? Do you believe that in Pierce, Colorado the water is coming out brown? Why aren’t you guys in there, OFFICERS, protecting the people?
Officer: To tell you the truth, we’re doing our jobs.
Willmeng: We can see that. That’s the problem.
Dreadlocked Diva: Fracking corporations are destroying our water.
First, study after study has shown that fracking does not contaminate water. But, even worse, you know what police officers love? When you question whether they’re doing their jobs. Perhaps this dreadlocked diva has never been stopped for speeding.
All in all, the behavior of those who want to ban fracking should be enough to convince the general public that they should be ignored. Or, better yet, we encourage all Coloradans to get to know their friendly fractivists. We’re sure the average Coloradan would be just as swayed as the police officers at the Supreme Court were.