April 19, 2024

Bakken pipeline will abuse eminent domain

Hughie Tweedy
Montrose

The Iowa state flag has the powerful motto, “Our Liberties We Prize, and Our Rights We Will Maintain.” Surely property rights are one of the rights our motto refers to. The Dakota Access pipeline mafia has invaded this state, torn up our flag and used it for toilet paper.

Eminent domain is defined in my dictionary as “superior ownership.” We must stop the abuse of this power. For the Iowa Utilities Board to grant superior ownership to an out of state private corporation for their benefit and profit would be unconstitutional, a slap across the face of Iowa property owners, would tear the soul out of this earthly body and is just plain wrong.

I am not a land pimp, and I will not prostitute out my family heritage or have our sacred family farm and forest desecrated for money. No means no.

Iowa does not need this pipeline; this pipeline needs Iowa. It’s time to stand and fight against it, and I for one will never back down.