UPDATE 11:00AM – Maggie has been released from jail on an outrageous $11,000 bail. Demonstrate your support for Maggie and the blockade with a generous donation to her bail fund.
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48 hours ago lifelong Texan Maggie Gorry—whom we had previously called Mary Germanati to legally protect her identity—climbed a 40-foot timber pole in the pathway of the Keystone XL clear-cut to prevent TransCanada’s heavy machinery from operating dangerously close to her eight friends in the tree blockade. After her courageous stand that delayed further clear-cutting operations on the site for two entire days, Maggie descended from her perch early this morning and was arrested.
Maggie decided to take direct action in response to TransCanada’s audacious move on Monday, when they expanded their clear-cut outside the designated easement, deliberately endangering the safety of her friends in the blockade.
In the dark and early hours of Tuesday morning blockaders spontaneously erected a 40 foot timber pole and tied it securely upright with multiple support lines in the clear-cut pathway to prevent TransCanada’s reckless clear-cutting from continuing further. When the idea for the pole was first hastily hatched, blockaders peered around the circle of dimly lit faces looking for a volunteer. Without hesitation Maggie raised her hand, saying, “I’ll do it!”
They planned to have her only stay on the pole for 24 hours, but despite her limited food and water supplies Maggie resolved to stay up there for 48 hours and effectively delayed further Keystone XL clear-cutting operations on the site for two entire days. ”I’m going to stop them for the second day in a row!” Maggie could be heard shouting down from her 40-foot tall perch when her friends asked her if it was time for her to come down. Long after the batteries had died on her walkie-talkie and she was virtually isolated from supplies and communication with her friends in the tree blockade, Maggie remained determined to hold on for another day. She maintained her morale by vigorously charging up a hand-crank radio and signing along to her favorite artist, Lady Gaga, and whatever radio waves she could pick up in the East Texas backwoods.
Maggie is a 22-year-old sweet, soft-spoken dessert chef and north Texas resident. Her decision to climb up the pole was largely motivated by a visceral anger that had been building she climbed up the timber scaffolding to join the tree blockade nine days prior.
“I never thought I would be the one out here, that I had the strength to take action. Its scary being here and seeing these deadly machines destroying the forest right in front of me, and though I’m scared, I feel powerful knowing that I’m what’s standing between my friends and their destruction,” she previously shared. “Now that I’m here I know that anyone can do this if they want. Anyone can stop this pipeline.”
After Maggie climbed the pole she had a constant police presence stationed below. Police have tightened their perimeter around the tree blockade making it extremely difficult to get food, water and other essential supplies into our brave blockaders. By the second day her supplies were starting to run low. Our multiple calls to the Wood County Sheriffs Office to request that we be permitted to give Maggie food and water were met with hang-ups and the gruff reply, “We’re not commenting on the situation.”
Maggie has a passionate love for the world’s oceans and its diverse abundance of sea creatures. She was motivated to action in part by her appreciation for all living things and not wanting to see our world destroyed by extreme fossil fuel extraction, like the tar sands, and run-away climate change. Maggie has been involved in Tar Sands Blockade for months and has been a critical creative force behind many of the colorful banners you have seen at our actions.
We love you Maggie! Please consider a generous donation to her jail support. Thank you for helping defend our homes and our planet from this toxic tar sands pipeline.
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Andy C
October 4, 2012 at 5:08 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thanks Maggie!!
TexasKit
October 4, 2012 at 5:59 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Sending what I can, I want to encourage others to do the same–whatever the amount.
I stand in awe of this young woman’s courage to stand by her values and personal convictions. She understands that she is at the nexus of actions determining whether we will have a world capable of sustaining life as we know it…or not. To one side are those who thoughtlessly serve the 1%’s voracious, never-ending acquisition of more, more, more. To the other side are those, like Maggie, who understand what is at stake and are willing to put their very lives at risk in an effort to pull us back from the brink of destruction. The choices could not be more stark, nor the basic values more clear.
I have been following TSB’s actions from the beginning, having trained in NVDA with them early this year. Words cannot express my appreciation and respect and gratitude for what they are doing here in the East Texas Piney Woods, the place where I was born.
Thank you, Maggie and All TSB.
Lewis
October 4, 2012 at 7:47 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Maggie, I think I love you! Big up to you from the UK climate activist scene – inspirational, and great to see someone getting their first sense of empowerment through direct action. Your country needs more like you. The world needs more like you! But we especially need to see more direct action on a massive scale in the United States – because if your government doesn’t shift………
Alex
October 4, 2012 at 10:22 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thanks Maggie! You are a true inspiration and I’m sending as many good vibes as I can your way!
David Martinez
October 4, 2012 at 10:32 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Oh my God, I used to work with her!
MICHELLE BARLONDSMITH
October 4, 2012 at 10:37 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
thank you from MI… u rock
Heather
October 5, 2012 at 12:48 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
thank you, Maggie!! I’m a grandmother in Canada who cherishes the environment and is appalled at what is being done to the environment for a few corporate high ups. I just sent you a bit of money towards your jail/bail costs. I admire your courage very, very much.
James Mccullough
October 5, 2012 at 4:58 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
You are awesome Maggie!!!!
Excellent Backlinking
October 7, 2012 at 12:16 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wished to mention that I have truly loved browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing in your feed and I hope you write once more very soon!
AllOneLove
October 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
WOW! Maggie, what courage you have in being TRUE to yourself! I’m sure comments or accolades from others is not what motivated you, even a drop, in this action you have done, however, it is well deserved and unfortunately all I have to give at this point. I am not so dated that I can not participate in these powerful, determined and honorable gestures of selflessness, and hope to (sort of, if the need is still present, but I hope and pray that it won’t be, for obvious reasons; our Mother and her Children!), some day. Right now I am the struggling, single Mother of two beautiful young Boys and such action on my behalf would be reckless and risky, should they become motherless. Previous to then, I didn’t have the courage or wisdom necessary, as you have already realized. Until then, may You and your Friends know that “we,” the like-minded collective, are communing with you *every second,* of every minute, of every hour, day, week, month, year…….honoring your work and commitments, with as much enthusiasm and passion, toward the end that is RIGHT. I am so proud to know of You, and those like you, Us; you honor yourself, your family and legacy and all other beings, as you risk your life for what you believe in.
With much Gratitude,
Bless you, Dear One; may Spirit keep you safe thru your journeys! Love, MamaLovesAll
Tree Blockade Is Under Siege (Day 11) » Tar Sands Blockade
October 4, 2012 at 6:34 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] « Maggie Has Been Arrested After Sitting On a 40 Foot Pole to Delay Keystone XL Clear-Cutting for Two … [...]
Tree Blockade Is Under Siege (Day 11) | OccuWorld
October 4, 2012 at 7:21 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] this morning Maggie Gorry came down from her perch atop a 40 foot pole and was promptly arrested. after she delayed clear-cutting operations for two [...]
Actress Daryl Hannah Arrested With East Texas Great-Grandmother for “Trespassing” on Her Own Farm » Tar Sands Blockade
October 4, 2012 at 10:36 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] group was up to something at the tree blockade, but hearing about the young girl, Maggie, on the 40-foot tall pole all alone the other day, I knew I had to do something myself. I can’t climb a pole like her, but if I [...]
Fort Worth MoveOn Council Org » Blog Archive » Report: Day 11 in the TreeTops-Tar Sands Blockade
October 5, 2012 at 2:47 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] http://tarsandsblockade.org/maggie/ [...]
Insult to Injury: Shannon Retroactively Arrested for a Felony » Tar Sands Blockade
October 5, 2012 at 11:09 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] To date three blockaders have received this charge: Shannon Beebe, Alejandro de la Torre, and Maggie Gorry. Alejandro, arrested on Monday, was given a $10,000 bail for defending a family farm from Keystone [...]
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October 6, 2012 at 10:03 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] She delayed further clear-cutting operations on the site for two days. When she descended from her perch, she was arrested and released on $11,000 bail. (See full story here.) [...]
Join Our Direct Action Training Camp (Oct 12-14) » Tar Sands Blockade
October 7, 2012 at 10:07 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] was arrested for sitting on a 40-foot pole and blocking clear-cutting operations for two entire [...]
A Wall Against the Threshold Of Collapse (Day 20) » Tar Sands Blockade
October 13, 2012 at 4:35 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] up the forty feet in about an hour. Sweat spilt down my body and I reached the top just as Maggie Gorry ascended the timber pole in minutes. The obstruction used to block a roadway Transcanada had cut in [...]
Video: TransCanada Denying Food and Water to Peaceful Blockaders (Day 21) » Tar Sands Blockade
October 14, 2012 at 6:30 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] to the Keystone XL pipeline. During week two, the courageous actions of tree blockader Maggie Gorry delayed TransCanada’s clear cutting around the tree blockade for two entire [...]