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To Stop Oil Trains, I Spent My Honeymoon in Jail

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Mosier Solidarity-34

It was a few days after my wedding. I was supposed to be honeymooning at a nearby winery with my newly minted husband, celebrating our unlikely marriage at age 55.

Instead, I was sitting on the railroad tracks in the pouring rain. Along with 20 other brave souls, some weeping, some singing, I was facing down a locomotive in a town — Vancouver, Washington — that many fear will be forced to accept the largest oil-by-rail terminal in the country.

Why would anyone do something like that? Read more

Mosier Solidarity Rail Blockade

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Mosier Solidarity-7On June 18th over 100 activists joined together to stop rail traffic in Vancouver, WA in protest of the continued dangerous oil-by-rail shipments. 21 courageous people, dubbed the Vancouver 21, were arrested after blocking the tracks for over three hours. Among those arrested were 350 PDX leaders Adriana, Bernadette, Barbara and David.

At the pre-action gathering point, the Fire Chief of Mosier spoke to the crowd to get people hyped to resist oil-by-rail. From there everyone made their way to the tracks and gathered in a large circle spanning all the rail lines. There were a variety of colorful banners and signs. Then everyone sat down and a megaphone was at hand for people to come up and speak. Person after person stood up and spoke beautifully of their concerns for the environment, the safety of those who live near the passing oil trains and why they were occupying the tracks. There were teachers, some folks from Mosier and surrounding areas, and people of all ages. Read more