By all measures, the nation is at a historic moment
of resistance to President Trump's fossil fueled agenda -- and the
movement is growing stronger by the day.
Now, Indigenous leaders are calling on us to take to
the streets one week after the election to demand that President
Obama’s Army Corps of Engineers and the incoming Administration put a
stop to the Dakota Access Pipeline. We need to show
President Obama and the incoming President Trump (it really hurts to
see those two words next to each other) that this resistance movement
will not fade away.
The
Army Corps is rumored to be very, very close to a decision whether to
approve or deny the final permit needed to complete construction --
that’s why we must act now, and act strongly, to make sure the permit
is rejected. The Army Corps
fast-tracked the Dakota Access Pipeline without proper consultation,
and now bulldozers are approaching Standing Rock. But with
coordinated, massive demonstrations across the country, we’ll make it
clear that we will not allow the Obama Administration or the incoming
president to sacrifice Indigenous rights, our water, or our climate.
Water protectors in Standing Rock have withstood
brutal police repression, freezing temperatures, and bulldozers
destroying their sacred land -- yet they’re standing strong and
determined.
Resistance to fossil fuel projects is rising
everywhere. Almost a year ago we stopped the Keystone XL pipeline;
now, an even bigger movement is rising up to stop Dakota Access. This
is one of the most courageous stands against a fossil fuel project
this country has ever seen, and solidarity actions are popping up
everywhere -- targeting Army Corps offices, banks financing the
pipeline, and other Federal buildings.
Horrible images of people being tear gassed,
attacked by guard dogs, and having their teepees torn down are not
just remnants of this country's ugly past -- this is happening right
now, and it's unconscionable. We can’t alter history, but together we
can change the future.
We know that elections and individuals alone don’t
create change -- movements do. That’s why we’ll continue
to fight until native sovereignty is honored, Indigenous rights are
protected, and our communities' water and climate matter more than
fossil fuel profits.
RL Miller, for
Climate Hawks Vote
PS I'll be at the Los Angeles action in front of the Army Corps'
office. Last Friday I participated in a rally in front of a local G4S
branch office - G4S is the private security outfit guarding the Dakota
Access pipeline. We build our movement by showing up and
participating.
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