Still Standing For Standing Rock
Photo by Leurah Sherman
On December 4th, the AIM (American Indian Movement) chapters of IN and KY met on Fountain Square in Cincinnati, Ohio. Surrounded by ice skaters, vendors selling hot chocolate, and an acapella trio singing Christmas carols, the group listened to Albert Ortiz, as he spoke about the Army Corps of Engineers request that the water protectors leave Cannon Ball, ND before the December 5th deadline. While he was addressing the crowd, a police officer pulled another AIM member aside. It turned out that even though we were peacefully meeting on a public square, we were "disturbing" the commerce since the vendors had paid for permits to be there. We were asked to move to the sidewalk along 5th Street and stand under the United States flag.
(Photo by Lessa Leigh)
Let that irony sink in, as you image the three AIM members and about 75 attendees clearing out from the Square by request of the government only to stand like patriotic citizens under the American flag. Let that irony sink in, as you consider that the rally was a #NoDAPL protest, which is against the destruction of the environment from a capitalist oil company. Let that irony sink in, as you remember that once again Native Americans were asked to leave a place where they belonged.
If you've been following the #NoDAPL protests, you know that the major issues involve property rights, sovereign territory, environmental concerns, free speech rights, and respect for treaties against the billion dollar pipeline to move fossil fuels across several major water-ways. What you may not know is what the water protectors, as the activists at Standing Rock call themselves, have faced at the hands of the Morton County Sheriff's Department and the paid security forces for the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Photo by Leurah Sherman
Several speakers addressed the conditions of the camp (cold for winter, blizzard conditions), the needs of the protesters (everything but especially food, wood, warm clothing, and medical supplies), and the tactics the protesters face. The DAPL and law enforcement forces routinely fly over the sovereign territory of the reservation and spray unknown substances into the air. The DAPL and law enforcement forces routinely harass the water protectors, as they try to leave or enter the camp. Law enforcement has used concussion grenades and rubber bullets against the activists. DAPL has kept lights on the camp 24-7. What was especially scary was the personal report from Tala Moh, describing women experiencing extremely heavy menstrual cycles with large clots, and people blowing their noses and having their mucus be black, and having their cell phones go from 100% charged to 0% charged within a minute. Without being able to prove anything, it sounded as if she was describing biological/chemical warfare and some form of electronic disruption.
(Photo by Lessa Leigh)
As the rally wound down, news came that the Army Corps of Engineers had denied DAPL the necessary permits and was requesting an Environmental Impact Study. People cheered.
As of Wednesday, December 7th, DAPL hasn't left Standing Rock. They intend to continue building the pipeline. They are willing to pay whatever fines the government may level on them.
As of Wednesday, December 7th, the water protectors haven't left Standing Rock. They intend to continue staying there until the pipeline is shut down entirely. They are willing to die to protect over eighteen million people down river from the ill effects of a pipeline spill.
Where do you stand? (Article by Lessa Leigh)