Rep Otten Crossed Line Comparing Workers to “Nazis”
Last Saturday, State Representative Danielle Friel Otten committed one of the most offensive comparisons anyone could ever make – she compared hard working construction workers to Nazis.
There is no place for such hate-filled rhetoric about anyone, no matter the situation. Nazi rise to power was possibly the darkest period in the history of the world. In modern-day society, there is almost nothing more vile and hate-filled than comparing anyone in that manner, particularly and elected member of the legislature.
Pipeline opponents like Representative Otten have been guilty of some very dangerous actions and rhetoric in the past. Just a number of months ago, Ellen Gerhardt was arrested and jailed for luring bears to a construction site in an attempt to harm workers on the job. There have also been a couple of instances where an anarchy group in Southeast Pennsylvania bragged about sabotage to construction equipment. What these extreme actions prove is that anti-pipeline protestors have zero regard for fellow working Pennsylvanians. They try to hide behind an ideological argument that they are merely just standing up for their beliefs, but they are violating the laws and social norms of a civilized society, which is not okay.
While there is nothing wrong with peaceful protest, extreme hate-filled name calling and harming hard working Americans clearly crosses the line.
For one, these projects being protested are legally permitted. Mariner East received unprecedented regulatory scrutiny and was the topic of hundreds of public meetings prior to permitting. Many of these opponents were vocal during that process; however the project was permitted despite their objections based on Pennsylvania regulatory law. They had their say. Now they are just mad and willing to do anything to halt, derail, or harm the project, without restraint.
This is proof by Rep. Otten’s recent “Nazi” comparison. Workers on the Mariner East 2 pipeline are the best trained, most skilled workers in the industry. They are also Pennsylvania residents. Rep. Otten even touted that her brother was a pipe fitter in campaign material, so one would think that she would understand the nature of this work and the dedication that these union members have to their trade.
It does appear that Rep. Otten deleted her tweet, but it took nearly three days following posts by her and other extreme pipeline opponents justifying the comparison before she came to her senses.
Skilled construction workers are the backbone of the American economy. They are committed to efficiently and safely constructing our nation’s infrastructure including the Mariner East pipelines. Such comments by elected representatives are beyond the mainstream of political rhetoric and we know they do not represent the view of Pennsylvanians as a whole.