Sunday, December 4, 2016
Standing Rock, Racism and Greed at its Best
I support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's right to protect their water today, tomorrow and fifty years down the road. However, make no doubt about it. This is racism and greed at its best, or should I say, at its worst. When Bismarck, the Capitol of North Dakota told Energy Transfer Partners to go build their pipeline somewhere else, because the venture would jeopardize the integrity of their drinking water, the Texas oil company re-routed. Here's why Bismarck could make such a demand; The racial makeup of the Bismarck is 92.4% White, 0.7% African American, 4.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population (Wikipedia). Here's why Energy Transfer could give a damn about the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe making the same request as the citizens in and around Bismarck. 4,044 - Total Population on Standing Rock Reservation (ND side only) [Census 2000]; 3,492 or 84.1% - American Indians on Standing Rock Reservation (ND side only) [Census 2010]. The perfect storm for white greed = a small number of people of color + the possibility of white people making a profit + media control = we will do whatever we have to do to take this from you. This has been a trait throughout the history of this country. This country has made and broken over 500 treaties with Native Tribes.
I'm not going to make this a history lesson about the relationship between America and the Indian Nations. That's because it can be summed up simply as lies, betrayal and greed covered up by another lie. For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe this is about honor. For in the history of every down trotted people, there comes a time when they must stand, sit, sing and scream in order to be heard. They must fight against the wealth of the white man and the deaf ears of a nation turned against them. They must understand, this fight will be forever, because the soul of the wealthy was long ago replace by the glitter of gold. The brightness of which, blinds the eyes of man, to the needs of their fellow man.
In 1980 John Trudell, a Santee Sioux said, "We must go beyond the arrogance of human rights. We must go beyond the ignorance of civil rights. We must step into the reality of natural rights because all the natural world has a right to existence. We are only a small part of it. There can be no trade-off." For a while I couldn't get into what he was saying and then it hit me. One man should never have to fight another man, for human rights or civil rights. It truly goes against the natural order of the human experience.
Because one race of people owns the media, they have been able to keep the details of what's really happening at Standing Rock out of the mainstream. They show only what benefits them. They only report what is sensational and brings ratings. For those in the media who aren't under the control of the very people who would profit from this pipeline, this situation just isn't sexy enough, or violent enough. The reason it isn't sexy or violent enough is because the Sioux Tribes are trying to protest peacefully. They are trying to appeal to the common sense of the people of this country. But common sense isn't and hasn't ever been common when race and profits are on the opposite sides of the table. But despite the results of the elections several weeks ago, I have to believe, most people, if they knew the details of Standing Rock, would not approve. Again, this is about rich folks making themselves richer, by trying to bully those with the least power. However, regardless of Energy Transfer Partners and their cronies efforts to suppress the truth, everyday more and more people are discovering the lies and injustices being perpetrated at Standing Rock.
President Obama, leave office with a bang. Do something before matters come to a head and many people are injured or killed. Do something before the guy you called "unfit to be president" sides with the wealthy.
Please go to the website below.
“We urge the Obama Administration to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement of the Dakota Access Pipeline, with meaningful consultation with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. And we call on Energy Transfer Partners to halt construction until the review is completed and the potential impacts of the project are fully considered.”
Public petition at http://act.americanrivers.org/page/s/nodapl-standing-rock
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Keith, I own a house about 40 miles from the main site of the protests (although I live about 120 miles away). You are right about the media sensationalizing many of the details. But you are substantially incorrect in your conclusions simply because you haven't seen the details the national media isn't reporting. I personally know several people involved or directly affected by the conflict. Native American culture is prevalent in this state and the people genuinely cherish that rich heritage. But most citizens of the state do not support the protests (although they are sympathetic to the Tribe's concerns). Unfortunately, the situation is much more complicated than the simplistic way the news reports it. The pipeline advocates have some valid arguments that do not involve greed or racism. I'm happy to fill you in if you want to hear the story the media isn't telling you. Take care, Brent
ReplyDeleteSure fill me in.
ReplyDeleteI’ll try to keep this succinct:
ReplyDeleteProblem 1 - The glut of oil on the world market has put approx. 100 smaller oil companies out of business in the U.S. and decimated several state budgets that rely on oil revenues – including North Dakota’s (2nd biggest oil producing state). ND has trimmed over $1 billion from the state budget (roughly 10%) impacting many of the less fortunate in the state whose social services are being cut. The State University system alone has cut over 490 positions with more to come. I personally sent out several letters of non-renewal to faculty and staff just last week. The problem is simply the cost of oil production and delivery is too high to compete on the world market. If oil prices do come back, the major production will be ramped up in the Permian Basin in Texas since that area is closer to the gulf refineries. As you might imagine – ND citizens have quite a stake in the outcome of the pipeline which would lower delivery costs.
Problem 2 – Transportation of crude oil from the Bakken formation in ND by truck and rail, in addition to being expensive, has resulted in several deaths as well as resulted in spills that impact the environment. Perhaps we will move away from powering our society by oil someday but for now it is safer to transport oil by pipeline.
Concern 1 – What you hear from the national media and Facebook memes is the pipeline is on Native American sacred Burial ground. Not true.
Concern 2 – You’ll hear that the pipeline is on Native American land and breaks treaties – not true.
Concern 3 - The “Water Protectors” are concerned about their Tribal water supply that come from the Missouri River. I think everyone sympathizes with that. A few facts: The Tribe is moving toward a single intake from the Missouri which is downstream from the proposed pipeline by some 70 miles. The pipeline will be directionally bored some 90 feet under the River. The chances of a spill into the river are remote. Definitely still a possibility, but small. There are several other upstream pipelines in existence right now that already cross the Missouri above the river. Those pipelines have a larger chance of a spill into the river.
The real issue is balancing the State’s needs against the Tribe’s environmental concerns. Both concerns have legitimacy. Compounding those issues, there were four years of hearing on the pipeline route. The Tribe did express significant concerns in one hearing a couple of years ago but (according to my acquaintances in the oil industry), didn’t participate in the discussions in a meaningful way. My Native American friends would argue that the protocols were stacked against them. I would like to see the oil companies just find a better route for the pipeline, but unfortunately, most of it is already built (I believe in good faith). Options are limited and the time involved in rerouting and buying up necessary land and easements would make it non-economical to the point that it may never happen.
The media would have you believe that law enforcement is mercilessly beating the Native Americans, shooting them with rubber bullets, and regularly turning water hoses on them when in reality, law enforcement has been extraordinarily patient. The media doesn’t like to show the molotov cocktails and I.E.D.s, the threats against law enforcement’s families, and the dead cattle being caused by some of protestors. To be clear, many if not most of the protestors are not Native Americans. In fact the Tribal Chairman recently asked many of the white sympathizers to go away because they haven’t been peaceful. One news article said the white supporters were turning the protest into a “hippie fest”.
Sorry - I couldn't fit it all in 4096 characters. Anyway – that is the short version Keith! My daughter, son and son-in-law who live in my house in Bismarck (you’ve been there!) have had several interactions with the protestors. Usually it involves having to take an alternate route because the protestors blocked a major route. For the most part, everyone in the state has been patient since they can see both sides of a complicated issue. But I think it is fair to say that almost everyone has had it with the national media who just want to, as you said, sensationalize the situation. I hope we can figure out a win-win for this mess.
ReplyDeleteBrent this reply is from my friend Shannon, to your comments. He's an expert on these types of situations.
DeleteBrent. I appreciated your contribution to Keith's post. Just a couple of quick points to add to the conversation. First, to briefly explain where this matter now stands, the U.S.A.C.E.'s decision to require an EIS isn't the end of the dispute, it's the beginning of a few years of legal wrangling. I'd expect the company to now challenge the need for an EIS, and if a new administration overturns the Corps' latest decision, there will be a challenge to that. Once an EIS is prepared, we can expect challenges then as well. And however the EIS turns out, and whatever the decision made, the US Supreme Court has said the law requires "an informed decision, not a correct one." So the government can literally make whatever decision it chooses regardless of the EIS analysis. The game is rigged and always has been.
Regarding one of your more substantive points, the view of "most citizens of the State" likely doesn't enter the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's calculus. It's the threat to their people and resources that matters to them. The minorities in this instance. Isn't the harm to minorities perpetrated by the majority rule of Democracy one of Keith's points? Why should the Tribe be asked to again bear the burden of American progress? They've done it for a couple of centuries already.
Also, I've personally attended Congressional hearings to settle the dispute between the U.S. and the Sioux tribes over these lands, and according to the U.S. National Archives web page, there still exists a legal dispute over the lands in question, so I wouldn't be so quick to judge.
"The Black Hills of Dakota are sacred to the Sioux Indians. In the 1868 treaty, signed at Fort Laramie and other military posts in Sioux country, the United States recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, set aside for exclusive use by the Sioux people. In 1874, however, General George A. Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills accompanied by miners who were seeking gold. Once gold was found in the Black Hills, miners were soon moving into the Sioux hunting grounds and demanding protection from the United States Army. Soon, the Army was ordered to move against wandering bands of Sioux hunting on the range in accordance with their treaty rights. In 1876, Custer, leading an army detachment, encountered the encampment of Sioux and Cheyenne at the Little Bighorn River. Custer's detachment was annihilated, but the United States would continue its battle against the Sioux in the Black Hills until the government confiscated the land in 1877. To this day, ownership of the Black Hills remains the subject of a legal dispute between the U.S. government and the Sioux."
https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/sioux-treaty
And finally, I was recently at the Standing Rock protest site, and while admittedly it was during a time of no conflict, I witnessed only prayerful, peaceful protesters surrounded by an intimidating, highly militarized and threatening law enforcement presence. Out of more than 500 arrests, I'm aware of only a single weapon charge. I spoke with witnesses of that arrest, who were disinterested but willing to testify, who told me the charge is false. Still, as serious a matter as the possession of a weapon would be, it appears to me that the government's response was inappropriate and excessive, and directed at peaceful protestors. I've seen video of law enforcement macing tribal members while they prayed. Those prayerful people were certainly no threat. Other instances of government provocation have also been caught on video. A class action civil rights law suit recently filed against Morton County and other governmental entities will be telling.
Keith, your blog site is great! Thanks for your thoughtful articles and please thank Shannon for his articulate, well-reasoned thoughts on the DAPL issue. He and I aren’t far apart on the issues and both of us lament the horrific treatment of Native Americans in our country’s history. But I feel that I should clarify a couple of my thoughts just so he and any other readers don’t misunderstand me:
DeleteShannon, I and most citizens of this state would completely agree that “most citizens of the state” don’t matter if indeed there is a threat to the Tribe’s water supply. But that point about the threat is where reasonable people disagree and that is why an independent Environment Impact Statement is needed. The Corp of Engineers did the right thing in calling for that assessment. If the assessment is done correctly, I’m hoping that either common ground (pun) can be found or it will become obvious that the pipeline needs re-routed. I just wish the Corp had stepped in sooner.
I think Shannon is mistaken on the ownership of this land. It wasn’t part of the 1868 treaty that he refers to. I’m relatively sure that all of that land he refers to is in South Dakota and Nebraska. But I’m certainly not going to try and justify the whole reservations scheme or the way the Native Americans have been treated regarding land and other issues.
I watched to the Governor’s budget address this morning. He made mention of the fact that the conflict has cost the state $17 million in extra law enforcement costs. But he blames the actual violence on “out-of-state agitators”. He never once suggested the Tribe was at fault for the escalating conflicts. Indeed the Tribal Council has promoted peaceful protest and even voted 10-0 to ask the more militant protestors to leave. There have been a number of arrests but a large number were trespassing charges. And many of those occurred in Bismarck or Mandan due to protests on private property (inside the mall), blocking streets, etc. Many of those more militant protestors have been anything but peaceful. Check out this article from yesterday’s news: http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/?article=405115906
The Tribes here in North Dakota have generally had a good relationship with the State Government and the State’s citizens. For example, every year they address the Legislature and the State has provided good support for several initiatives. Everyone should take note of how the Tribe accomplished this goal with relatively little violence. On the other side, it should be noted how the non-Native citizens of this state have responded. The state and its citizens stand to gain a great deal monetarily from the pipeline yet the vast majority of citizens here have been empathetic to the Tribe, even if they feel the pipeline poses little threat and should go through. Sorry to disagree with you on this point Shannon: I think the patience by law enforcement has been remarkable. The only protestor that I am aware of who has been seriously injured over the last 130 days was due to her own improvised explosive propane cylinder device blowing off her arm. And I think we all know what she wanted to do with that device. There is plenty of sensationalism in the media. It’s too bad that media can’t focus on how both groups are resolving the conflict with an eye toward remaining good neighbors for the future - something I think we could all take a lesson from.
Whoa! - talk about timing Keith. From the news: Federal officials have denied the final permits required for the Dakota Access Pipeline project in North Dakota.
ReplyDeleteThe Army Corps of Engineers announced Sunday it would instead conduct an environmental impact review of the 1,170-mile pipeline project to determine if there are other ways to route the pipeline to avoid a crossing on the Missouri River.
President Obama must have read my blog! LOL
ReplyDelete