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December 31st, 2015 
Awake Goy Today, we were disgusted to learn that one of MMC’s former employees used racial slurs and made racially charged comments during a peaceful protest in Mars, Pennsylvania, outside of work hours at a location with which we have no affiliation. We are sorry that this incident occurred. Whether at work or not, we do not condone hate speech – EVER. Inclusion and diversity are among MMC’s core values. We believe in equality for everyone, regardless of race, age, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. MMC has terminated this employee and will never do business with him again in the future.
The company writes that they received so much “positive local, national, and international feedback” that they shut off the ability to comment on their page. They describe a healthy discourse that was beginning to be invaded by racist trolls for whom they did not want to provide a platform.
Media who saw the tape were obviously disgusted by Pisone’s behavior. Channel 11 in Pittsburgh described his actions as an “unrelenting . . . harsh verbal attack that devolved into a racial tirade. A recording of the incident shows him making animal noises and repeatedly using a racial slur when referring to the African-American photographer who captured the incident.” Philly News described the video as containing “deeply offensive language.”
Philly News described the ongoing protests opposing fracking near schools writing:
The protest stemmed from an ongoing battle over six proposed drilling wells on Rex Energy’s Geyer well pad, a permitted site located approximately six miles from the Mars School District campus, which serves 3,200 students. Demonstrations have been held over the past year amid reports linking Pennsylvania fracking operations to health problems and encroachment on territory housing the state’s most vulnerable residents.
People involved in the fracking protest described what happened to Channel 11:
Ping Pirrung and Diane Sipe were protesting in Mars on Sunday against the close proximity of natural gas drilling to area schools when Pisone arrived.
“He drove up, got out of his truck and started basically harassing us,” Pirrung said.
“I think he was trying to get something going, and when he didn’t succeed with us, I think he then attacked the cameraman because, I guess, he is a racist,” Sipe said.
While people like Pisone are disturbing, the reaction to his racism was heartening. His employer immediately fired him; the media and people in the social media reacted with anger and pity at Pisone’s ignorant racism. We hope Pisone is capable of looking inward at himself self-critically and is able to see such broad negative reaction to his behavior and views as a signal that he was wrong.
Tom Jefferson is a very talented professional photographer and video journalist whose work is admired by many. His recent work has focused on fracking, social justice and climate change. He is nearing completion of a documentary “The Way We Live.” Click here to support his work. Below is a trailer for his upcoming movie, which we hope you will support.
* Anne Meador of the DC Media Group sent us more information on the company, she tells us that Rebellionem wrote:
“John Pisone was employed by MMC Land Management, a Marcellus Shale service company (aka subcontractor) profiled in Pittsburgh Business Times earlier this year for their entry into the shale industry. “In the past few years, MMC has established a presence in the region’s growing energy extraction industry by providing products and services to well and pipeline sites.”
The Bizjournal for Pittsburgh reports:
“Today, MMC is a full-scale commercial operation based in Richland Township. In addition to landscaping design, installation and maintenance, the company offers erosion control services, snow and ice removal and land-management consulting solutions.
In the past few years, MMC has established a presence in the region’s growing energy extraction industry by providing products and services to well and pipeline sites.
“The product is compost filter sock, which goes into well pads and gas pads in that industry,” Frasca said, explaining that installing the materials helps control storm-water runoff and prevents sediment from seeping onto roads near the sites.”
Source Article from https://www.popularresistance.org/how-a-fracking-protest-exposed-moronic-racism/
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