For the past several months, Native Americans have been peacefully protesting an oil pipeline being placed on their tribal ground, along the banks of Missouri. This was explained by Bill McKibben in the article he wrote, “Why Dakota Is the New Keystone.” Not only are Native Americans protesting the pipeline, they are protesting for environmental justice and clean water. Although they have been peaceful, the National Guard hasn’t been. They have been arresting elders in the tribe and tearing down tepees and sweat lodges. In the past, Native Americans standing up for their land has ended gruesomely with massacres, broken treaties and stolen land. It doesn’t have to end that way this time. The protestors bravery was enough to get the government
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a problem for the natives, but obviously not for us Americans. Energy transfer quote that “Some protesters stayed overnight what looked like dog kennels and were let out in the morning”. This is why we need to stop the construction of this pipeline because it could leak and contaminate the water, the pipeline would be going through sacred grounds, and we need to stop the violence against the native protesters.
In Bill McKibben’s article, “Why Dakota Is the New Keystone,” McKibben expresses through vivid word choice, aggressive tone, and sentence structure, why the New Keystone pipeline should be in the Dakota’s. He brings together these elements to paint a vivid picture to persuade the reader into believing it too. McKibben uses words that clearly show what he wants the reader to picture and shows how he wants to shape this piece. He illustrates this by stating that there are “shocking images of the National Guard destroying tepees and sweat lodges and arresting elders” (McKibben).
McKibben states that the Native Americans are peacefully protesting for their tribal rights. This also includes the right to have clean water, justice for their environment, and a climate that is in tact. The tribe is standing up to police dogs, tanks, SWAT teams, and pepper spray. However, the Dakota Pipeline is threatening all that they stand for as a tribe.
“For years, the Keystone pipeline has occupied what I frankly consider an over-inflated role in our political discourse,” said Obama (Article 2, Pg. 2). The Keystone and the Dakota pipeline one of two rejected by government administration. Protest still till this day are being held by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, other Native American tribes, and other supporters, to put a stop to the building of the pipeline which carries crude oil through: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois.
Not only would the DAPL project cut through their land technically illegally, but it is a danger to their lives. If the pipe leaks (which most pipes do) than it will spill over farm lands and potentially into their water supply, putting their health into danger. They are protesting to protect themselves but also they are standing up for what is their land. The construction machines and the pipeline would run through sacred (legally the Natives land) ground and burial grounds. The Natives existence and way of life has been threatened historically also; when the buffalo almost went extinct and when the whites were intruding and killing the natives to get to gold in the area. Now their health and sacred ground are being jeopardized do to the DAPL
For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, water is sacred, and if an oil pipeline is built it will damage sites that have great historical, religious, and cultural significance to the tribe. Aside from the desecration of sacred sites, the environmental hazards caused by the pipelines and the possibility of a spill will be catastrophic. The US does not need another oil pipeline robbing innocent people of their culture, and threatening a source that keeps us alive.
It is widely known that for centuries Native Americans have been oppressed, used and discriminated against. A sort of hatred towards our government and our people transpires among the Natives, and rightfully so. There are many reasons for the Natives to feel exploited, yet protesting the pipeline and fighting back to the American political system can give Natives a feeling of triumph and accomplishment if they are able to successfully halt the construction of the pipeline. Murdoch specifically states that “the last time Native Americans gathered and the nation notices was in 1973” therefore we know that the building of this pipeline is very strongly opposed and quite important to the Natives. There are many underlying factors that the Native
Since 2010, there have been “more than 3,000 incidents of leaks and ruptures at oil and gas pipelines” according to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Worland). The Dakota Access Pipeline has sparked controversy between the U.S. Army of Engineers and Native Americans. With threats of damaging their water supply, cultural land, and impeding a treaty made in 1851, had Native Americans protesting by resisting removal. The threatening impact on Native Americans deemed unconsidered and unheard of by government when they originally planned to build the pipeline through the area. And despite a severe winter storm bringing freezing conditions, protesting Natives remained (Maher and Connors). But why did it have to come to desperate measures that endanger one’s personal safety, just to gain the attention of the government? Native American sovereignty has been repeatedly impeded on, forcing them to take matters into their own hands. Concerning the decision prior to construction, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe claims the federal agency did not appropriately consult them prior to construction (Merrit). Recently, Army Corps have halted the passage of the Dakota Access Pipeline due to their outcry. But if the government had just considered the vote of Native Americans in the first place, the decision could have satisfied everyone who at least got a say
Though failure to stop the pipeline has prevailed, they along with many other tribes and protestors have did have the opportunity to have their concerns popularized and voiced through social media with the help of young allies. They continue to strive for representation and equal treatment in our federal government, regardless of the president who holds office, whom heavily supported the infiltration of sacred, Native lands. An appeal is still possible at this point, but for now the Winnebago and many other tribes are at a standstill, with destruction of their lands, burial grounds, and possible water pollution in the fate of the federal
Protests continue to grow as the weeks continue to get long for the decision whether or not the pipeline with be repositioned. One of the most talked about controversies talked about in the last 3 months sadly is not over yet, but is hoping to be done in future weeks to come. The Standing Rock Sioux Indian tribe and Energy transfer Partners are hoping the government will see it their way. Both sides have valid reason for why they want it to continue or not to continue ,but it is up to the government as they will have the final say in the finishing of the
North Dakota’s Native American people, are all coming together to protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), which seeks to insert pipes underneath their encampment property and barral grounds. The protesters are being brutally attacked by official, although the natives are peacefully attempting to protest. They are chanting ritual and spiritual saying and attempting to pray on top of Standing Rock. They are facing massive oppression. They are being hosed down in the freezing cold temperature, are being pepper sprayed, and shot at with rubber bullets and tear gas. The Native Americans are calling themselves “water protectors” because they view water as a religious symbol. They chanted “water is life” to the DAPL officials and in return,
The history of the European colonizations of the Americans was a very bad history. Through what Columbus did and how Tisquantum was a good leader and how the Indians were badly treated,Balboa,and New Orleans. In Massachusetts the name New England shore was the Dawnland, it was known for the people of The First Light at first that place was inhabited but slowly and surely people started moving in. In 280 tribes, they are fighting to keep the water away from the oil pipeline. To keep their water clean and safe for their family and children. If the pipeline leaks it would cause a huge devastation. Standing Rock went out to support the protest of the pipeline as well in North Dakota. It hurts a lot of people because a previous time they had put
As professor Ferguson related “Six months ago the Dakota Access Pipeline was provided a permit for the construction to begin. For six months or so there has been development of this pipeline. Now, enter the Standing Rock Sioux, which are one of the Sioux nations, a sovereign indigenous tribe who has historically experienced loss of land and tree rights and been prevalent in this area. Many of them have been pushed into these certain areas called reservations were the last remnants of land were provided, this history is important. The broken promise of the government and other parties that promised that things would be okay has been long standing.” For the standing Rock Sioux they see the pipeline going through the Missouri River as creating problems with water access for the tribe, change in the water environment and a threat to their access to water quality. Secondly, the pipeline itself is also going to upset and encroach upon Native American burial sights and artifact sights that have existed for years untouched until there was a change in the interest regarding oil. This pipeline has threatened these rights for the Standing Rock Sioux. As a Sovereign Nation, they see this change fueled by national and corporate interest as a direct threat to their nationhood because access to water is key to survival. Professor Ferguson also emphasized that “There is also a larger story, and it comes from the call for all for the great Sioux Nation and all indigenous people to come and gather in protest against the pipeline. These protest then have larger meaning because they address the threat to indigenous people around the world and not just in the united states” because often times the narrative of losses for indigenous people around the world are a very similar
Native Americans are being disrespected, harmed, and their homeland is being taken from them. Am I talking about events taken place centuries ago? No, because these unfortunate circumstances yet again are occurring right here, now, in the present. This horrid affair has a name: The Dakota Access Pipeline. This Pipeline is an oil transporting pipeline, which is funded by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who have devised a plan for the pipeline to run through the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. However, unfortunately, this pipeline will run straight through the reservation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, expressing their distress for the pipeline have said, that the pipeline will be “Destroying our burial sites, prayer sites, and culturally significant artifacts,” Arguments for the pipeline however have tried to counter this claim, trying to emphasize that “The pipeline wouldn 't just be an economic boon, it would also significantly decrease U.S. reliance on foreign oil”, and that the pipeline is estimated to produce “374.3 million gallons of gasoline per day.”, which could help the sinking oil economy. (Yan, 2016) However, despite the economical growth it could achieve, the Dakota Access Pipeline could have damaging environmental effects on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the areas surrounding.
Not just for Native Americans but for blacks, Muslims, Jews, and others, but even now we are dealing with Native American invasion and taking their land again, this time known as the Dakota Pipeline which is currently going on in North Dakota. The Dakota Pipeline is a large oil transmitting pipe that supplies oil across the United States but will be built on protected Native American land. The contractors have taken a look and have said that the pipeline would be a significant amount away from their land, but would be built under their water supply from Lake Oahe and would be at the closest 95 feet under the lake. But the Standing Rock Sioux haven't given up hope they have burought up that there have been over 3,300 incidents in which pipes have had leaks that have affected the environment drinking water and much more. The contractors have said that they have taken extreme precautions and have safety tested everything the Sioux aren't going to take any chances. Even as the Sioux and over 50 other tribes have protested there have been no clear winner of the battle on the Dakota Pipeline. The tribes have been protesting for months and though few have gotten violent many Natives and others with them have been arrested and thrown in jail, which is just another way people can attack the Native People to this