MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

Mni Wiconi:
Policy Solutions to the Threat posed by the Dakota Access Pipeline
Rebecca Sproul
University of Maine, Augusta
SOC 201 Social Problems
29 November 2016

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

Abstract
This year, as we ate turkey with our families on Thanksgiving Day to celebrate the union of our
pilgrim ancestors and their native brothers and sisters, the Sioux tribe of Standing Rock, North
Dakota faced another day of their protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, a movement which
began in April. The Sioux and their allies have being attacked with tear gas, rubber bullets, and
water cannons in subfreezing temperatures as they protested [the] oil pipeline [which] threatens to
contaminate their water and disrupt their sacred sites (Bassett, 2016). For, the Dakota Access
Pipeline poses a threat to not only the environment and the economy as a whole, but also to the
rights of Native American people specifically, and though there are several proposed solutions,
only stopping construction can will serve as a reasonable solution.
Keywords: oil, fossil fuel, environment, Dakota Access Pipeline, Sioux tribe, Native American,
cultural appropriation, race, oppression, criminalization, human rights

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

Mni Wiconi:
Policy Solutions to the Threat posed by the Dakota Access Pipeline

In grade school, our teachers tell us the story of a group of humble people in search of a
better life. These people traveled by way of sea to the great land of America, where they came
across native people, who welcomed them with open arms, offering them food and gifts as
congratulations on a successful journey. We sit at our desks to make our paper hats and turkeys,
half of us to play Indians, and the other half Pilgrims. We run around on the playground in midNovember shouting our Indian calls. We pow-wow with our friends. Finally, we get a week
off from school to celebrate and stuff our faces at loud dinners with extended family members we
hardly ever see otherwise.
As we continue our education, we learn a slightly different story. We learn of the years of
genocide and oppression to these Native American peoples which were to follow this
Thanksgiving festival. We learn we were responsible for a decrease in the native population of
over ninety percent; we intentionally gifted them with blankets infested with smallpox; we were
paid to kill them, and collect the scalps of men, women, and children; we used the Indian Removal
Act to eradicate them from their land, killing 4,000 Cherokee people on the Trail of Tears; we used
the California Gold Rush in 1848 to push them out of their homes and destroy their land with our
use of toxic chemicals and gravel, which effectively destroyed their ability to continue in their
traditional hunting and farming practices, ultimately leading to starvation; and we legalized slavery
and used that legalization to buy and sell their children (United, 2016). In fact, it was not until
1978, [that] Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act, which protects Native American

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children and the custody of their parents (United, 2016). Even here in Maine, the Maine Truth
and Reconciliation Committee [still] seeks to uncover and acknowledge the truth about what
happened to Wabanaki children and families involved with the Maine child welfare system. To
this day, the State forcibly [removes] children from Native American families (United, 2016).
This is without mention of the countless military battles and unprompted massacres. Most
importantly, we learn we have been one of the last to apologize for the atrocities we caused to our
countrys indigenous population.
Now, as adults, we have, sadly, not learned from our mistakes. This year, as we ate turkey
with our families on Thanksgiving Day to celebrate this so-called union with our native brothers
and sisters, the Sioux tribe of Standing Rock, North Dakota faced another day of their monthslong protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

As our handprint turkeys hung on our

refrigerators full with leftovers, the Sioux and their allies were being attacked with tear gas,
rubber bullets, and water cannons in subfreezing temperatures as they protested [the] oil pipeline
[which] threatens to contaminate their water and disrupt their sacred sites (Bassett, 2016). For,
the Dakota Access Pipeline poses a threat to not only the environment and the economy as a whole,
but also to the rights of Native American people specifically, and though there are several proposed
solutions, only stopping construction can will serve as a reasonable solution.
THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE
To understand the concerns of the Sioux tribe and those protesters, who prefer to be called
water protectors, who stand beside them, it is important to understand what the Dakota Access
Pipeline actually is. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,885 kilometer crude [fracked] oil delivery
pipeline running from Bakken, North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. If completed, it will transport as
many as 570,000 barrels of oil per day (Atack, 2016). The 3.8 billion dollar project was

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

developed by Energy Transfer Partners, who created a daughter company called Dakota Access,
LLC (Sidder, 2016). Supporters of the project say the pipeline will help Americans gain energy
independence because although the United States is the third-largest producer in the world, we
are the number one consumer of crude oil. [They say] we need to close the gap between what we
produce as a country and what we consume before we can be truly independent of foreign imports
(Energy, 2015). Supporters also cite the fact that the Dakota Access Pipeline will create around
10,000 local jobs while it is under construction (Energy, 2015).
#NoDAPL. There are, however, a great deal of opponents to the Dakota Access Pipeline
project, as well. What began as a small protest camp in April on the Standing Rock reservation
(Sidder, 2016) has since turned into a vast social movement, even attracting the support of
celebrities such as Shailene Woodley, Ian Somerhalder, Susan Sarandon, and Mark Ruffalo. For
water protectors unable to attend peaceful sit-ins and prayer circles on the actual reservation, many
have turned to other methods to show their support.

From writing letters to the Obama

Administration, sending supplies to Standing Rock, and spreading awareness through social media
under the blanket hashtag NoDAPL, this movement has gained a great amount of support. In fact,
over 1.6 million people [have] checked in via Facebook at the reservation in an act of solidarity
with Standing Rock Sioux tribe members and other supporters who for months have been
protesting the construction of [the] oil pipeline (Erbentraut, 2016).

Water protectors are

concerned because, although construction has already begun . . . the plan is for the pipeline to go
underneath the [Missouri] river, despite the risk that creates for the [Sioux] tribe and for millions
of others who rely on the [river] for water (Johnson, 2016). The threat of spill or leakage is very
probable, considering the history of the fossil fuel industry in the United States, and across the
globe. The activist movement has grown steadily since the tribe established Sacred Stone Camp

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, [and the] movement has remained strong even as temperatures have
turned frigid (Gagnon, 2016). The willingness of the Sioux and other water protectors to remain
at the site shows how truly significant this movement is.
Environmental Impact. The primary foundation of the protests is the impact the Dakota
Access Pipeline will have on the environment, though there are severe social implications, as well.
Environmentally, oil pipelines break, spill and leakits not a question of if, its a question of
where and when (Johnson, 2016). The Sioux tribe, of course, gets its water directly from the river
the pipeline will lie beneath. A spill could have detrimental effects to their drinking supply, as
well as water to farm with. The protesters want to see construction of the pipeline halted entirely
and its route changed. They point to a rising number of pipeline accidents in recent years as
evidence that they are right to be concerned about the safety of their water source (Erbentraut,
2016). As recently as October, a pipeline leak led to an explosion that killed one, and injured
several others in Alabama, further leading to several wildfires in dry heat, just two of which
managed to burn 31 acres of land (Associated Press, 2016). Similarly, leaks in September spilled
nearly 300,000 gallons of gasoline leading to days of dry pumps and higher gas prices in Alabama,
Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas (Associated Press, 2016) without mention of the
environmental damage. Imagine if such a leak were to occur under the Missouri River, and the
detrimental consequences for our earth. These are consequences we have already seen since the
use of fossil fuels began.
The [#NoDAPL] movement is unique, because while it addresses a symptom, [namely
leaky pipelines,] it also challenges the system which allows climate change to transpire (Alcorn,
2016). To build this pipeline, the United States Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for
ensuring a safe design. Many have noted that the pipeline corridor was repositioned from its

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

original route north of Bismarck after white citizens spoke up against the threat a spill would pose
to their drinking water a threat duly recognized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Sack,
2016). Not wanting to endanger the citizens of Bismarck, which is the capital city of North Dakota,
the pipeline was shifted to a crossing half a mile from the reservation (Sidder, 2016).

Sack, 2016

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 94.78 percent of Bismarcks population identifies as white
(AreaConnect, 2016). Essentially, this means the Sioux, and all those downstream who also rely
on the Missouri River, are being forced to accept the environmental consequences the white

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citizens of Bismarck refused, and are being criminalized, arrested, and beaten for standing up to
those so evidently oppressing them.
Social Impact. This forced compliance represents something considerably greater than
ecological impact, for there is a social impact, as well. Despite the fact that race is a social, rather
than a biological, construct, we live in a country, and a world, consistently basing the treatment of
others on their perceived race. For example, there is no gene or cluster of genes common to all
blacks or all whites (Onwuachi-Willig, 2016). In fact, racial identity can be fluid. [For instance,]
a person who could be categorized as black in the United States might be considered white in
Brazil or colored in South Africa (Onwuachi-Willig, 2016). Understand, too, there are multiracial individuals in this world, who make defining race accurately even harder. This is not to say
that race does not exist, for its implications are real. Its implications are very real for the thousands
of oppressed, criminalized, or ostracized individuals in the United States founded on their skin
color, religion, or cultural beliefs. For the Sioux and other Native Americans throughout the
United States, the implications brought-on by the idea of race and racial superiority have led to the
mistreatment, abuse, oppression, and appropriation of their entire culture.
These rigid racial categories we set in the United States are responsible for this corrupt
system, wherein those identifying as Native Americans, such as those in the Sioux tribe, can be
forced at gun-point to accept the consequences, ecologically, economically, and socially, of an oil
pipeline the white citizens rejected, simply because they are not white. These racial categories
perpetuate a culture in which a man, namely Mr. Donald Trump, can ignorantly call Senator
Elizabeth Warren, one of the chief advocates for stopping construction of the Dakota Access
Pipeline, Pocahontas and still be elected President of the United States of America (Atack,
2016). Granted, the argument was based on a statement Warren had made classifying her heritage

MNI WICONI: POLICY SOLUTIONS TO THE THREAT POSED BY THE DAPL

as being Native American, even when many see her skin color and perceive her to be white.
Nevertheless, the racist comment demonstrates a deep concern for many people in America: Native
Americans, and other minority groups, are consistently being belittled to stories greatly changed
and white-washed by the entertainment industry. For, we are a society which embraces cultural
appropriation, rather than appreciation.
There is an immense difference between cultural appreciation, or exchange, and cultural
appropriation. This dissimilarity is commonly misunderstood. Many [people have] taken cultural
appropriation to mean the policing of what white people can or cant wear and enjoy (Uwujaren,
2013). To use the example of Native American culture in the United States, reflect on how a
Native American would be treated showing up to work in traditional Native American attire. It is
highly likely he or she would be considered unprofessional. It is the same reason many black
women have said they feel they have to
straighten their hair to be taken seriously
at work, as their natural curls are
regarded by coworkers and clients as
unprofessional. In this same scenario,
remember young white girls showing up
to frat parties dressed in skimpy Native
American costumes are viewed as
sexy, praised for their acceptance of
other cultures.

This is exemplified

visually in the aside graphic by Tyler

Amato (2016) depicting a Native

Amato, 2016

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American girl opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline on one side, and a white girl dressed in
Indian costume on the other. A hand reaches out to both of them, but while the white girl smiles
for a cellphone photo, for which she will be praised on social media, the Native American girl is
pepper-sprayed. This is a true exemplification of cultural appropriation in our culture. When
actual Native Americans are struggling for their rights, they are regarded as savages. When white
people wear a feather in their hair and turquoise jewelry, they are ethnic. Cultural appropriation
in our culture means as white individuals, we benefit from the same cultures we shame. There
have been times when [Native Americans] had to prove [they] were human (Bassett, 2016), yet,
as white Americans, our response has been to continuously take from them, oppress them, and
harm them.
Maine. This issue is not just affecting those of the Sioux tribe, either. This year, on Black
Friday, over a hundred protesters gathered at the Bangor Mall in Maine to draw attention to this
important issue. The protest was highly visible as hundreds of shoppers headed to and from the
mall and surrounding businesses in search of Black Friday bargains (Gagnon, 2016). For, the
impact of the Dakota Access Pipeline does not stop at the states it touches. In fact, its impact can
even be felt here in Maine. First, the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the damage of fossil fuels in
general, can be felt because we share this world with all of the creatures who inhabit it. If we
damage our planet, whether the destruction be through oil spills, wildfires, or animal extinction,
all of us will be affected by those consequences. Second, a leak in the pipeline could cause
economic consequences for our entire country, not only by means of clean up, but also through the
rising of prices due to limited supply. Perhaps more urgently, the impact of the Dakota Access
Pipeline can be felt in Maine through our understanding of our own local Native American
communities, and the hurt felt for their brothers and sisters. Many members of Maines Penobscot

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Nation are headed to Standing Rock (Gagnon, 2016) where they will face rubber bullets, tear gas,
and freezing water simply because of their belief to protect our earth and the water supply of
millions downstream of the Missouri River.
INFRINGEMENT OF RIGHTS
The Dakota Access Pipeline and the subsequent protests have shed light on another
important issue in our country, which is the infringement of rights. Protests are always difficult,
because despite having laws regarding the freedom of American citizens to protest, there are grey
areas as to which behaviors people consider within the realms of peacefulness in the eyes of the
law. Likewise, there are loopholes for local governments and law enforcement to utilize in order
to criminalize protest movements. In the case of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the #NoDAPL
movement, there have been many examples of basic rights infringements.
Land Rights. Land rights, for example, have always been an issue of particular importance
in America, as we have a long history of forcing Native Americans from their land, followed by
signing treaties to protect small portions until we decide we want to take more. Various websites
have referenced a number of only two percent of land in the United States being Indian trust
land, a percentage which has drastically being decreasing since Americans settled on the land
hundreds of years ago. What is incredibly important to remember about this specific case
regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline, is that the white people of Bismarck were allowed to deny
the route going through their land because there was a threat of the pipe bursting and polluting
their water. Yet, the Sioux tribe was meant to voicelessly accept these terms without even being
consulted. This act is a shining example of white privilege, of course. In Energy Transfer Partners
defense,

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the government says the $3.7 billion Dakota Access Pipeline is the safest, most
efficient way to carry crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. But the project has
become a rallying point for Native Americans because the pipe would cut under the
Missouri River within a mile of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, potentially
contaminating the local tribes source of fresh water and encroaching on land that
the U.S. government had agreed to set aside for them in an 1851 treaty. (Bassett,
2016)
Though the pipeline technically crosses half a mile from the reservation, as earlier mentioned
through a graphic map, the pipeline does cross through unceded land under the treaty. Additionally,
the Army Corps of Engineers never took a hard look at the impacts of an oil spill on the Tribe, as
the law requires . . . Federal law [also] requires that sacred places be protected in consultation with
the Tribe, but the Corps has not complied with that requirement, either (Johnson, 2016).
Freedom to Protest. Similarly, actions taken by local law enforcement encroach on the
laws of the First Amendment. As American citizens, who Native Americans are, we are granted
the right to free speech, and, within it, the right to peacefully protest. However, oftentimes this
right is limited by law enforcement and government officials. First and foremost, law enforcement
is responsible for protecting citizens. This is a difficult job, for which law enforcement should be
respected. Still, President Obama rightfully mentioned in an interview regarding the pipeline that
while there is an obligation for protesters to be peaceful, [there is also] an obligation for
authorities to show restraint (Hauser, 2016). Thus far, just over 400 arrests have taken place at
the pipeline construction site since the protests began. The arrests have typically been on charges
such as criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot (Erbentraut, 2016). Actress Shailene Woodley
gained momentum for the movement when she was arrested for her participation in the protests.

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Within those others who have been arrested, many have referred to police holding cells as dog
kennels made from chain-link fence (Hawkins, 2016). Although the cells have been approved
by the North Dakota Department of Corrections, and prisoners have access to bathrooms, meals
and drinking water, arrested individuals have also noted that officials have been writing numbers
on arms with black marker, which they view to be reminiscent of concentration camps (Hawkins,
2016). Of course, law enforcement officials said they used restraint throughout . . . and only
advanced on the camp after promising not to make arrests if protesters left on their own accord
(Hawkins, 2016). What is the use of the first amendment, then, if minorities are consistently
arrested for exercising it?
Many have questioned whether these arrests were unlawful, especially when paired with
brutality. For example,
Approximately 300 Native American and non-native protesters were injured in [a]
10-hour clash with law enforcement [one] evening, according to the Standing Rock
Medic & Healer Council, and 26 were taken to hospitals with severe head and limb
wounds, eye trauma, internal bleeding and hypothermia from being doused with
water in 22-degree weather. (Bassett, 2016)
Once again, it is difficult to condemn one group or the other, as there is no way to understand who
started it without being there. Videos released often show individuals peacefully praying before
being attacked or arrested, though that does not mean these videos are accurate representations of
the whole story. In fact, in many instances, people have said acts were committed by police, while
law enforcement says the exact opposite. Unfortunately, as in all protest scenarios, there are good
eggs and there are bad eggs, on both sides. Regardless, the show of force prompted Amnesty
International to send a team of observers to monitor how law enforcement is handling the protests.

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A United Nations group is also investigating the tribes allegations that law enforcement is using
excessive force and committing other human rights violations (Erbentraut, 2016). At the very
least, the methods of force have been ill-chosen. More realistically, and quite frankly, dousing
humans with water in subfreezing temperatures is barbaric.
Governor Jack Dalrymple, claiming to fear for the safety of the water protectors due to an
impending snow storm, has placed an evacuation order on the site [of protest]. Federal officials
said anyone found on the land after December 5 could be charged with trespassing (Mele, 2016).
Though, for someone who is worried about the warmth of his citizens, allowing his law
enforcement officials to soak protestors with water in the freezing cold reminds us his intentions
are not to keep the protectors safe, but rather to stop the protests and resume pipeline construction.
Noticing continued violation of First Amendment rights, an action group of 2,000 military veterans
formed. Though they had initially hoped to attract about 500 [they] had to stop sign-ups when
they reached 2,000 (Mele, 2016).
The effort, called Veterans Stand for Standing Rock, is planned as a nonviolent
intervention to defend the demonstrators from what the group calls assault and
intimidation at the hands of the militarized police force. The veterans plan
coincides with an announcement on Tuesday by law enforcement officials that they
may begin imposing fines to block supplies from entering the main protest camp
after a mandatory evacuation order from the governor. Officials had warned earlier
of a physical blockade, but the governors office later backed away from that.
(Mele, 2016)

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The effort will hopefully keep law enforcement from forcing activists into free-speech zones
which have led to questions about legality for years, for if you can only protest in a governmentassigned area, what good is your right to protest?
Freedom of the Press. The Dakota Access Pipeline has also drawn attention for freedom
of the press rights violations. Though most cases have been personal narratives by journalists, it
does raise questions which need to be further researched. Journalists have stated they believe they
have been targeted by the local law enforcement since the movement began in April. One
photographer for a news website gave the following statement over Instagram accompanied by a
picture of a rubber bullet:
They'll arrest you, lose your memory card in jail processing, and your storys
gone. Or the quick version, try taking me out with a 40mm sponge round from a
riot gun. A cop whod rather see me be knocked unconscious than to publish a
story I'll be honest, it shook me to my core. The only problem for him, it just
validated how important this story really is. (Atack, 2016)
While many remain peaceful, there are always exceptions whenever there is a large gathering of
people for a protest. However, there have been many journalists who have been fired at and
arrested, even if they are not participating in the protests themselves. This leads us to question
whether people are being arrested for unruly behavior, or simply for exercising their right to free
speech.
SUMMING UP THE PROBLEM
The Dakota Access Pipeline, in itself, is not a social problem. Though the way we treat
our earth is unsustainable, the transition to clean energy is also not all-encompassing of the
problem posed by the pipeline. What is, is the utter lack of respect being given to Native American

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citizens. This pipeline has not only already destroyed various sites of religious and cultural
significance, nor does it only potentially threaten the Sioux tribes main water source and economic
stability should a leak occur, rather, it is also threatening the Native American value, which should
be shared with all Americans, of preserving the earth. The social problem is in the treatment of
these water protectors as if they lesser than the white citizens of Bismarck who refused the pipeline
because of the threat it posed. It is in the viewing of their culture as insignificant compared to that
of regular white Americans, and appropriating it whenever we see fit. Furthermore, the social
problem is in the violation of their rights throughout this protest, including not being involved in
the discussion to re-route the Dakota Access Pipeline, itself.
PUBLIC AND SOCIAL POLICY SOLUTIONS
There are certainly an array of possible solutions, but few would be worth even considering
implementation.
Solution 1: Develop a New Treaty. Most likely the least effective solution would be to
develop a new treaty with the Sioux tribe. This would help Dakota Access in the sense that the
land would no longer be in the territory of the Sioux. Not change much else regarding the issue
would be changed or solved, however. The Sioux and other water protectors would still be willing
to protest, as the pipeline, itself, threatens to ruin the water not only of the Sioux Reservation, but
also millions downstream of the Missouri River. Likewise, it does not reverse the damage done
to the religious and cultural sites, though no solution ever will. Such a solution would also be
difficult to implement, as it would lead to protests of its own, namely the continued oppression of
our native peoples.
Solution 2: Environmental Impact Study. The second proposed solution is better, but
still imperfect. One of the major complaints in this debate is that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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did not do an in-depth environmental impact study. While this would mean halting the project,
which the Dakota Access company would certainly not like to hear, knowledge could be spread
regarding the damage which could be done to the earth. What they would most likely find is that
while pipelines are safer than oil-by-rail systems, which is Dakota Access, LLCs primary talking
point, pipelines historically fail and the damage done is often irreversible. This could help the
Sioux, as understanding the impact could lead to the company being forced to make advancements
in their design. However, flaws still exist. Primarily, there can never be any promise that a leak
or burst will not occur, and with so much area being covered by the pipeline, it would likely have
multiple breaking points, therefore being difficult to predict or maintain. Secondarily, there is not
much regulation to ensure the U.S. Army Corps properly does their job. Depending on their level
of investment in the project, they may be influenced to do the job quickly, rather than well. This
is especially true as contracts in association with the pipeline are set to expire if the project is not
completed by the first of January (Erbentraut, 2016), just one month away. Likewise, the protesters
may not be swayed even knowing a study has been done. For, if a study has been done and the
Corps gives the go-ahead anyway, they are clearly ignoring a great deal of scientific evidence and
pipeline history.
Solution 3: Move the Pipeline. Another solution is to move the pipeline to protect the
Sioux reservation. As with any plan, there are problems. On the positive side, if the pipeline is
moved to its original route, it would again run through Bismarck. This is not to say that a pipeline
leak would not devastate this area, but it might influence Dakota Access to hire more qualified
laborers and focus on creating a better, higher-quality design to appease the citizens of Bismarck
who originally denied the pipeline due to the environmental risks. Rerouting the pipeline would
also mean that no further damage would need to be done to religious or cultural sites. However,

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as with the other plans, there is no guarantee that the pipeline would not leak or burst or damage
the surrounding land or the local economy. There are still millions that would be impacted by
damage to the pipeline. Even moving the pipeline, it would still be built under the river. This
solution also does not solve the social impact on the Native Americans. There would be no solution
to the inferior nature of how Native Americans are perceived in our culture, though at the very
least, at least we would no longer be taking their land, just threatening it. There would not be a
solution for cultural appropriation, either. Moving the pipeline, though, may be the solution that
keeps the most people happy. The contractors get to build their pipeline, and not on native soil.
However, the threat to the river would still impact the Sioux, meaning protests would likely
continue in the name of Mother Earth, rather than just the reservation, which this protest has always
truly been about.
THE BEST SOLUTION
Solution 4: Stop Construction. The best solution, however, would be to stop construction
completely. Unfortunately, any action done by the Obama Administration may be overturned
when president-elect Trump enters office, meaning resolution can only come from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers agreeing to listen to the voices of the Sioux and other water protectors. Though
this solution would certainly not please developers of the project, it does solve a great deal of the
social problem. First, while it cannot reverse damage already done, no further damage would need
to be done to religious or cultural sites. It, within reason, also removes the threat of further damage
to our planet, and it eliminates the risk of a spill under the Missouri River, which helps eradicate
the danger of economic devastation for the same reason.
Most importantly, it proves that Native Americans will be heard, despite police silencing
and brutality. While there would still be so far to go, the Native American people would be one

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step closer to proving they will not remain as secondary to white people. This will not solve the
problem of cultural appropriation, but it is a step in the right direction. Consider, the term Native
American would represent something many would consider, if they do not already, positive: social
and environmental activism and change. In the face of rights violations, the Sioux and other Native
Americans, including those in our own backyard of Maine, have stood up and said, Enough!
The flaw with the plan to cancel the project is that it would result in job loss, and it would
not solve the problem of our dependency of foreign oil. However, those problems, too, are
solvable. Despite conservative beliefs that moving toward clean energy would lead to job loss,
energy efficiency would actually stimulate the economy. Moving toward cleaner energy would
also mean we would have no need for a foreign dependency. In fact,
[One] report, from NextGen Climate America, showed that investment in
efficiency, renewable sources of electricity, and fuel switching such as moving
from fossil fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles would add a million jobs by
2030, and roughly 2 million jobs by 2050, while increasing GDP by $290 billion
and improving household income. The researchers looked at scenarios that would
reduce emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels. (Herzog, 2015)
The construction industry, in particular, could see a huge bump in jobs . . . because it will take a
lot of people to build the wind farms, install the solar panels, and retrofit the buildings needed to
reduce Americas dependence on fossil fuels (Herzog). Switching to energy-efficiency will be
no small task, but an investment in alternative energy, is an investment for sustainable futures on
this planet we call home.
WNI WICONI
The history of the Native American culture is fascinating, and one we could all learn from.

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In particular, there is one man who spoke great truth about our world:
Grandfather, a Lipan Apache born in the 1870s, was one of the last Native
Americans to grow up free from the ideologies of European Americans. He
believed that his duty was, To help and nurture creation, not to destroy it. In
general, Native American culture acknowledges that there are enough resources for
all, as long as one takes only what they need. (Alcorn, 2016)
It is this central belief which the Dakota Access Pipeline is, quite literally, bulldozing. As well as
showing us the earth is simply here for us to destroy, the Dakota Access Pipeline has shown us
Native Americans, and other minorities, not just the Sioux, have been viewed as inferior based on
their perceived race for far too long. It has shown us our right to free speech is only free when
it does not interrupt corporate greed or challenge social problems. Should we stand up, we face
rubber bullets, tear gas, and arrests. The #NoDAPL movement has proven we are blinded by white
privilege, for we force the ecological, social, and economic risks we refuse to accept on those of
lower status. In October, we celebrated a national holiday commemorating the conquest of
Christopher Columbus. [But] what does it say about us as a society if we celebrate the genocide
and persecution of ancient civilizations (Alcorn, 2016) particularly when their oppression is still
very real? Though this movement began as an environmental protest, which is an important issue,
it has also shed light on a much bigger problem of oppression, criminalization, and victimization.
The Sioux say, mni wiconi, meaning water is life (Sack, 2016), for we cannot drink oil
(Johnson, 2016). Unity is also life. Unity, though, can never come to a culture who always focuses
on what sets us all apart, rather than what holds us all together. Which is earth, and water, for mni
wiconi.

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21

References
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News: University of Southern Maine Free Press. Retrieved from
http://usmfreepress.org/2016/11/03/climate-change-pipeline-society-solutions/
Amato, T. (2016). [Graphic illustration depicting #NODAPL and Native American cultural
appropriation]. Tyler Amato, Society6. Retrieved from https://society6.com/product/nodapl105456_stretched-canvas#s6-6229256p16a6v28
AreaConnect. (2016). Bismarck City, North Dakota statistics and demographics (US census
2000). AreaConnect. Retrieved from http://bismark.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm
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Atack, P. (2016, November 22). What is the Dakota Access Pipeline, and who are #NoDAPL?
EuroNews. Retrieved from http://www.euronews.com/2016/11/22/what-is-the-dakotaaccess-pipeline-and-who-are-nodapl
Bassett, L. (2016, November 23). On Thanksgiving week, Native Americans are being teargassed in North Dakota. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from
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Erbentraut, J. (2016, November 2). Heres what you should know about the Dakota Access
Pipeline protest. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dakota-access-protests-factsfacebook_us_5818baece4b064e1b4b4e3cf
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how you can help. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from
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Mele, C. (2016, November 29). Veterans to serve as human shields for Dakota Pipeline
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