“It is a pipeline that is threatening the lives of people, lives of my tribe, as well as millions down the river.”
Standing Rock Sioux Chairman, Dave Archambault II
The Dakota Access Pipeline was announced to the public on June 25th, 2014. This $3.78 million dollar project was meant to run from North Dakota into South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois please view the image below: 
(Source: Photo)
The pipeline was originally proposed and constructed to help the production and movement of oil throughout the United States. This has been one of the more controversial topics in the recent media.
Changing the course of construction, the pipeline’s new course happens to interfere and violate sacred Native American land. Many tribe and community members began protesting at the main location where most of the media coverage is directed, the Standing Rock reservation in North and South Dakota. The main protest site is at the tip of the reservation in North Dakota.
The tribe residing in the boundaries, the Sioux tribe, filed a lawsuit against the federal government arguing they were not properly notified or consulted about the construction of the pipeline.
These communities are primarily concerned about the contamination of the environment and drinking water, as well as the destruction of their sacred land. Government courts have denied the tribe’s suit and request to stop the construction of the pipeline.
Twice.
Referring to my friend Azuree’s blog post from a few weeks ago, Donald Trump officially lifted the ban under Barrack Obama and has demanded the Army Corps of Engineers to prohibit further construction of the project.
“I am, to a large extent, an environmentalist, I believe in it… But it’s out of control, and we’re going to make it a very short process,” said Donald Trump in a meeting with auto industry executives.
Throughout American history, Native Americans have been at the brute end of systematic violence, oppression, and discrimination dating back to Christopher Columbus’ discovery of this land.
Today, we see the same type of violence, oppression, and discrimination targeted toward the same group of people.
In an article by the Washington Post, the United States is addressed for “using violence against protesters peacefully opposing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota” and “the inhuman and degrading conditions those arrested faced in detention.”
We, as a policing-driven nation, are violating rights and liberties of individuals who peacefully protest for an organization and movement they whole-heartedly believe in.
Wasn’t that one of the values the United States Constitution was coined on? Freedom of speech? Freedom of expression? Freedom to gather?
Freedom.
Freedom is what we’re taking away from the men and women of the Native American Tribe living in peace and harmony along the North and South Dakota state line. Not just the individuals who live in the reservation, but the individual protesting for the sanctity of the tribe land as well.
Not only is it a violation of civil liberties, but there’s a strong possibility of contamination. An oil spill will immediately cut off the Native American tribes’ source of clean drinking water.
This is not an uncommon occurrence.
Recently, Flint, Michigan has fallen victim to unsafe, dirty, contaminated drinking water. This isn’t a Native American reservation that has less resources and law enforcement than a city. This is a city.
The individuals living in the Native American territory are more prone to disease and sickness from the contaminated water due to the lack of health resources. The communities don’t contain the same amount of resources a modern American society has today.
What does this mean? This means that we, as a society need to come together and protect the rights of the Natives of the land. It’s their home. Not ours.
In 2003, the local government sent my mother several letters in the mail, stating that they would be building a cell tower in my backyard. Concerned for her children’s health, my mother made several signs, wrote back several letters, and gathered several of her friends to help fight the construction of the cell tower.
My mom didn’t want the tower on her property and did everything in her power to fight it. Although this was on the smaller, local scale, imagine the federal government writing letters saying that they’re drilling into your property, with no chance of restitution.
There’s no winner in that.
Displacement, on any scale, is immediately a violation of human and civil liberties. That’s their home. That’s their culture and their religion and their way of life. No one deserves for those aspects to be uprooted.
There’s no justice in that.
There’s no respect in that.
There’s no integrity in that.
NO DAPL.
Don't Delay Our Rights 
I completely agree with your stance on this pipeline issue. I feel as if the American people have already done enough harm to Native Americas. They used to have this entire country but we came along, claimed the country, and allowed them a patch of land here and there. If we continue to take away land that is sacred to them or vital for their survival then sooner, rather than later, there will be no Native Americans left. Your last three sentences say it all! Going through with this pipeline just to make our lives easier will be unjust and disrespectful. We have so many more resources than the Natives do and we continue to take from them what little have. I believe we as a community should at least make an effort to divert this pipeline from interfering with sacred grounds. I do not care if it gets built as long as it does not interfere with the Native American’s land.
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Thanks for the interesting read! The Dakota Access Pipeline has been an ongoing conversation, reigniting the hidden tensions between Native Americans and the American government. Peace leaders like Winona LaDuke and David Archamault II, both who have Native American heritages, advocate against the pipeline and other efforts of the American government to destroy their culture—and all of this happens behind a curtain. Like when’s the last time we saw national news on Winona LaDuke’s efforts to buy back land that was illegitimately stripped from her ancestors? Or David’s efforts to collaborate Natives from different tribes to go against the pipeline, addressing the widespread vulnerability already impacting their people, their heritage, and their culture. If Native Americans were termed how the U.S. government treats them, inhumanely, they would be an endangered species—a species that needs help. I disapprove how news cannot cover as much of this historical, ongoing narrative surrounding Native Americans. Simply put, I believe that attention is constantly diverged from this because there are “more pressing” issues to attend to and, more importantly, the lifestyle Native American’s try to preserve are not in the American government’s interests nor any international corporation’s for the matter. We took their land for military testing, to place our big businesses and storage units, anything for our progress to diminish their own. It’s a touchy, difficult topic, and the Native Americans have been suffering the entire way through. Freedom is only defined by the winners, and unfortunately we won the battle when we took the west over with Manifest Destiny, with a vision of American Exceptionalism, with nationalism that pushes forward only for progress.
– JD
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Too late. The capitalists won 😦
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Great blog Olivia. I completely agree with your views on the pipeline as well. Its sad and very concerning how Native Americans still get treated in this country. I would like to think that our citizens and our government would have more of an open mind and consider the consequences that the pipeline will cause for Native Americans, but sadly it seems that they could care less. How can anyone be more concerned about oil rather than human life? Its just sad to see where our governments priorities are at. It seems like an economic benefit is all that our government is worried about. The Native Americans need our help badly to support them and give them more of a voice in our country We have already taken a lot away from the Native Americans and now we are trying to take away the last bit that they have left.
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Is this Morgan or Austin?
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Austin !
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Olivia,
The pipeline is a vast and debatable topic that has been faced by two Presidents, armies of police and National Guard, and honestly has gone in circles. This is not the first time that events have led to Native Americans being the receiving end of the stealing/destruction of lands (both home and sacred) and the diseases, illnesses and eventual death that lead there. But the troubles our country face from those who believe they are free from environmental law and regulation exist, and have power almost untouchable by us. You bring up a great example of Flint, Michigan, which seems to have been forgotten once more by both the government and the nation itself, since it has not been addressed for a while. I respect your mother’s tenacity and steadfast resolve, and I can understand the pride you must feel for her for success. The terrifying truth of the matter still remains: we are all bound to be crushed by the boot of federal power if they so wish to step on us.
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You make several good points in your argument but I disagree with your overall point that that the construction of the pipeline is infringing upon the rights of the native people in the area. You quote the Constitution of the United States when talking about the freedom of speech, freedom of expression (the joining of multiple rights in the first amendment), and the freedom to gather (the freedom to peacefully assemble). Unfortunately, you fail to look at the idea of eminent domain which is the power given to the government and recognized in the 5th amendment. This allows the government to seize the property of US citizens if the property is going to be used by the public. Moving past roads, it also covers key infrastructure like pipelines. We citizens are only due just compensation for whatever the government takes. People may not like it when their property is seized, but it is the law and needs to be respected as such. There are also some minor points within your argument that I disagree with. You quote that the land is “their home. Not ours.” This is a very black and white (binary constructionist) way of looking at the issue and has no legal footing. Sovereign Tribes act, in reality, like independent states. Congress can act on these states like they can anywhere else and has a legal precedent. Worst case scenario, Congress could even refuse to recognize the sovereignty of a tribe and basically annex their land, which we have done before. Native Americans are also subject to the Constitution of the United States.
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It sickens me that the President of the United States cares so little about so many Americans and their overall well-being and health. That he took the time and energy to restart construction on a pipeline that will put so many lives in danger is disgusting. I just don’t understand how he thinks he can gain popularity and respect from blatantly disrespecting so many people and cultures. It’s just a horrible reality that we have to witness.
Also, the fact that so many other law makers and policy makers and normal people don’t care about people having access to CLEAN WATER is despicable. Anything could happen to you at any time that could put you in a situation where you wont have access to basic human rights. If that time comes, you would want other people to care and to help in any way that they can. This is called being a decent human being. I can’t believe people are still being forced to live like this.
Rachel Cowgill
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