Don Simms

In two elementary school rooms, a huge divide

Pipeline democracy vs. corporatocracy in the battle against the Kinder Morgan pipeline

On Oct. 28, I attended the pipeline showdown at the Northfield Elementary School with the contestants being Democracy vs. Corporatocracy, or the majority of the voting public versus Kinder Morgan.

Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule directly, rule through freely elected representatives, or - simply stated - rule by the majority.

“Corpratocracy,” on the other hand, is defined as an economic and political system controlled by corporations and corporate interests.

People who live in multiple Massachusetts communities along the potential pipeline have spoken out about possible gas leaks, environmental damage, and lower property values. Northfield held a townwide meeting last May, where 421 voters opposed the proposed pipeline, versus 78 proponents.

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