Starting on August 20 in Washington, D.C., “we, the people” launched a protest to raise our citizen voices against TransCanada / Cononco Keystone XL pipeline project. People are sitting in front of the gates of the White House to bring attention to this issue. The Park Police are slapping plastic handcuffs on them and keeping them under custody.

This is a two-week campaign (Aug. 20-Sept. 3) in which leading environmentalists including Wendell Berry, Naomi Klein, and Bill McKibben will join a peaceful campaign of civil disobedience to block the approval of a dirty oil pipeline that will cross the United States. As one Canadian wrote, “This [pipeline] will make the Great Wall of China look like Tom Sawyer’s picket fence.”

Somewhere between the brilliant chaos of Nebraska farmers, Jewish rabbis, office workers, Catholic priests and nuns, people hell-bent on  saving the world, retirees, indigenous leaders, bright-eyed youth, the “temporarily unemployed,” and hundreds of other regular folks risking  arrest on the White House sidewalk I find a refreshing mix that is democracy.

Day 1: Sixty-five arrested. Locals were released by 8 p.m. Out-of-towners held in D.C. jail until Monday morning arraignment. The D.C. police seem to want to make an example of the first group in order to discourage the next 13 days of sustained protest.

What we know is that the small but real sacrifice of these few to be held over the weekend will be joined by hundreds of others. In determined peaceableness, we will flood the streets. We will raise the banners. We will fill the jails. Because we can not do otherwise. The cost of inaction is simply too high.

Some highlights from Saturday: Jim Antal, former head of Fellowship of Reconciliation and now president of the Massachussetts Conference of the United Church of Christ was arrested. Kristy Powell, originator of the One Dress Protest, was arrested. Lt. Dan Choi, leader of the protest against the former military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, was arrested. Fr. Jim Noonan, Maryknoll Catholic priest, who spent years in Cambodia under Pol Pot serving AIDS patients was arrested.

A interreligious contingent has chosen Aug. 29 as our arrest day. Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others will train together on Aug. 28 and then worship and risk arrest together on Aug 29.

On Aug. 29 I’m getting arrested at the White House. It’s time to put my body where my soul is – defending God’s creation.

I would love for YOU (yes, YOU!) to join us.

So far, 1,000 people have said they’ll risk arrest. Personally, I’d like to see 1,000 people each day for all 15 days.

Sign up to participate at tarsandsaction.org AND drop me (rbergersol at gmail) or Tim Kumfer (telltheworddc at gmail) a note to join the religious contingent.