If another country was doing what North Dakota law enforcement was doing to the water protectors in North Dakota, we would most likely be going to war.

Tribal elders, women, and children are being beaten, injured, maced, dragged around, and horses have been shot and killed. All for trying to stand on their own land and protect the water.

Shame on our government, the Obama Administration, our presidential candidates, North Dakota Law Enforcement and National Guard, Energy Transfer Partners, the DAPL, and anyone else who is turning a cheek to the blatant violation of our civil and human rights, right here in our own country.

Time and time again, I’ve watched the narrative of our proud U.S. soldiers swooping in to save the day, liberating and uplifting the oppressed from whichever dictator wasn’t playing by our rules. Team America, world police. But what happens when our own citizens are the victims of the oppressive militarized arm of the law? Who’s going to come and save us?

No one. We have to stand up for ourselves.

Eventually the narrative came to smell a little fishy to me, and I started to think for myself. I began to ask, “Why is it that the American government only seems to care about ‘human rights’ when there is gain involved?” We pick and choose who we “help” and who we leave hanging out to dry. I use the term help lightly because as evidenced in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Sudan, amongst others, we don’t seem to really help anyone besides the pocketbooks of the seemingly elitist war-mongers who run this country.

If there’s no gain in it for corporate entities such as Energy Access Partners, Exxon, Shell, Halliburton, United Technologies, Finmeccanica, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin, we don’t seem to give a shit who lives and who dies—or who violates civil rights and who doesn’t. I’ve watched baffled as the media tries to convince us otherwise. Using their tricks of propaganda to paint a story as they are paid to do. Or, in the case of the DAPL Pipeline and the Standing Rock water protectors, they just outright ignore the story. 

Well, America, the world is watching. Media coverage or not, the truth is spreading. The world is watching as we unleash our militarized police force and private security thugs on unarmed protestors. Is that not the true test of a “democracy?” Can people stand up in protest and speak out with no fear of punishment in a democracy? Have we returned to the days of oppressive monarchs who drew and quartered any who spoke out against them? Locked up in the Tower of London to rot with no trial? Didn’t we have an entire war to free ourselves from those very same oppressive monarchs? Oh yes, we did, The Revolutionary War.

Yet here we are, standing at the brink of being no different than the so-called “Third World” countries we judge so harshly for being oppressive dictatorships. Are tanks and assault rifles, tear gas and mace, pellet guns and attack dogs, really necessary against our indigenous tribes who just want their land and water left alone? Is it so ridiculous to expect our government to honor the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1868 with the Standing Rock Reservation?

Is it okay that the children in Cannonball, North Dakota live in fear everyday? Because as a contact of mine on the site, who teaches in Cannonball, shared recently, his students have been asking him, “Is the military coming to get them?” The world is watching all over social media, as evidenced in live stream videos that have millions of views and engagements. These protectors are not only fighting for them, they are fighting for you and for me. And more importantly for the future.

Maybe North Dakota seems really far away from where you live. Maybe the threat to their drinking water seemingly has nothing to do with you.

But what makes you think they won’t come through your back yard next?

What can you do to help?

1. Call North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple at 701-328-2200. When leaving a message stating your thoughts about this subject please be professional.

2. Sign the petition to the White House to Stop DAPL.

3. Donate items from the Sacred Stone Camp Supply List

4. Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414. Tell President Obama to rescind the Army Corps of Engineers’ Permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

5. Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp Legal Defense Fund.

6. Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp GoFundMe account

7. Call the Army Corps of Engineers and demand that they reverse the permit: (202) 761-5903.

8. Sign other petitions asking President Obama to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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Author: Lindsay Carricarte

Image: Video Still

Editor: Travis May