Standing Rock Rocks

Where’s Obama?

By Ed Venture

Standing Rock
December 4, 2016

Two to three thousand military veterans are literally standing in solidarity with the Standing Rock protestors in North Dakota. Veterans have joined thousands more who continue to join America’s first people who have been camped out since April to protest yet another attempt to abuse and defile the people, their water and their sacred land. The largest Native American protest in American history is apparently not to the liking of the oil companies and the military forces that protect their interests. Brutal treatment – which law enforcement claimed was being implemented to protect protesters – has been rained down on the protesters via rubber bullets, attack dogs, concussion grenades, tear gas and being drenched with fire hoses in sub-freezing temperatures. And they didn’t even burn any flags.

Maybe one day the media will cover the historic protest at Standing Rock

White Makes Right

Amon Bundy and his ragtag file of armed militants staged a take-over and occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon this past January for 41 days. Their coddling by federal officials and subsequent acquittal on all charges shows just what a bunch of white terrorists can do when they put their addled minds to it. Remember Timothy McVeigh and Oklahoma City? He is a hero to these “patriots”. The moronic mob stormed the bird sanctuary for reasons too idiotic to delineate. They endangered the lives of federal employees, and destroyed government property and Native American artifacts. Authorities let them play out their little fantasy for the most part, with the exception of one loony taking one for the team when he was shot and killed while attempting to shoot at law enforcement officers.

In the end the court determined that this was an act of civil disobedience rather than a premeditated take-over of federal property by people who repeatedly deny the legitimacy of the federal government. Because all civil disobedience includes guns and goons. Let us take a moment to imagine that these delusional secessionists were not god-fearing white folks, but instead a group of black men who for some reason felt aggrieved by the government and decided to take control of a federal building, or maybe drive a car or perhaps stand peacefully on a street corner. Let us assume for the sake of argument that they were not immediately shot by police. And just for fun imagine that these black men were armed.

Where’s Obama?

What if instead of African Americans it was a group of Native Americans who decided that enough was enough and engaged in actual civil disobedience in order to stop construction of a soon-to-be-obsolete oil pipeline. What if these protesters were concerned that the inevitably-faulty-and-leaky pipeline threatens the environment – particularly water – and will destroy their sacred ancient burial and prayer sites. How would these peaceful protestors be treated? Well what do you know, we have a real life example thanks to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The pipeline was originally planned to pass nearby mostly white Bismark but for some reason those folks didn’t want the pipeline near them. Can’t imagine why. It was determined that putting it closer to Native land and people would be better…for white people. They are endangered don’t you know.

Bernie Sanders, one of the few leading American politicians to advocate on behalf of the Standing Rock water protectors, sent a letter during the primaries asking the Obama administration to not only halt construction on the pipeline but to declare Standing Rock a national monument.

Where’s Obama?

This is what happens when oil is at stake rather than a wildlife preserve or when non-white folks are involved rather than white folks. No matter how peaceful the Indian protesters are and how whacko the white guys were, that is not the issue. Police in riot gear faced off with protesters on horseback in North Dakota a few weeks ago. After hours of clashes, law enforcement officials arrested 141 people. Militarized law enforcement agencies moved in with tanks and riot gear. Authorities were content to watch and wait while a bunch of armed white guys with a history of anti-government acts took over a federal building. No teargas, attack dogs, no concussion grenades, no rubber bullets, no fire hoses. That stuff is for non-whites only. And here I thought we were post-racism.

For extra fun, Chrump has some small (for him) investments in Phillips 66, which owns a one-quarter share of Dakota Access. And the pipeline CEO donated $103,000 to Chrump’s campaign. They insist they do not know each other. But we know them and we know what they are. I am confident that our Conflict-of-interest-in chief will do the right thing…for himself.

Where’s Obama?

LAST MINUTE UPDATE:

The Army Corps of Engineers has decided to deny the permit for construction of the section of the Dakota Access Pipeline that was to run through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Yay.