The Ithacan

Activists protest the use of caverns for storage of natural gas and blockade the entrance to the Crestwood plant.

Can you imagine what would happen if our representatives sat down to vote on whether homosexuals are born with their sexuality or if they choose it? Or what if there was a vote deciding that, despite hard numbers clearly demonstrating women are paid less than men for the same work, this was not actually the case?

Before myself and my comrades began lining up in front of Crestwood Midstream’s gates on Route 14 just north of Watkins Glen, I never put much thought into the area jails. I had no clue that there was a jail in Watkins Glen right across the street from the picturesque state park, and I admit to not even knowing that there was a jail in each county. Now I find these various jails to be at an almost constant forefront of my mind.

I looked around the crowd and saw mostly familiar faces. Our words were not falling on any new ears, let alone any ears belonging to a person who had the authority to create immediate action and change.

I clarified to him that our blockade was not going to let anything in or out.

“Well, I’m going to open the gates, then!” He declared in a tone that said, ‘alright, you asked for it.’ The negotiation phase was over; now, they were using intimidation.

When he opened the gates, the driver climbed into his truck and lurched forward, blaring his horn.

Ithaca College distinguished scholar-in-residence Sandra Steingraber was released from the Chemung County Jail at about 12:20 a.m. Thursday, according to her spokesperson.