CIVIL DISOBEDIENCENorth Dakota Access Pipe Line Protest

By Mary Pelzer

DEFINITION

Definition of civil disobedience, according to Google:The refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest

“Civil Disobedience." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define%20civil%20disobedience>.

THESIS

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has a legitimate reason for protesting against the North Dakota Pipeline, because a pipeline leak could ruin their water, they own land along the route, and their sacred burial grounds are being destroyed. Some of the protests did become violent; however, it seems that the police were mostly responsible for the violence and they arrested and attacked peaceful protestors.

This is an example of civil disobedience because the natives refused to comply with police demands, to get off the land on the pipeline route for example, and it was almost always a peaceful form of political protest.

MAP OF PIPELINE FROM THE PIPELINE

COMPANY, DAKOTA

ACCESS, LLC

“Project Maps." Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer, 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.daplpipelinefacts.com/resources/project-maps.html>.

ARGUMENTS FOR THE PIPELINE

“The Corps of Engineers argued in court in Washington this week that the Standing Rock Sioux and other parties had ample time to express concerns during a review process and that the pipeline was properly approved. Energy Transfer Partners, the Texas company building it, says the pipeline will increase the nation's energy independence and that it is a safer means of transport than rail.”

• The Sioux already had an opportunity to fight against it• The pipeline was legally approved• The pipeline will help with the nation’s energy

Yardley, William. "Occupation Echoes Wounded Knee." Los Angeles Times. 28 Aug. 2016: A.8. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000385456&type=ART.

CONFLICTING “FACTS”“The Standing Rock Sioux also say the pipeline is violating treaty land, Sioux territory that was established many years ago by the federal government…Thousands of Native Americans and their allies have gathered on unceded Sioux land delimited by the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie.”“Tribe members insist that the 1877 act of Congress that moved the Sioux from their sacred Black Hills is not valid: it wasn’t agreed to by enough tribe members, and the land was never for sale in the first place.”“The land beneath the pipeline was accorded to Sioux peoples by the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868. Eleven years later…the tribe ceded much of the Laramie land, including the Black Hills of South Dakota, where many whites believed there to be gold.”

• Does the land belong to the Sioux by the 1851 treaty?• Does the land belong to the US by the 1868 or 1877 treaty?

Bernabe, Nick. "5 Things You Need to Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests." The Anti-Media. Anti-Media, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://theantimedia.org/5-things-dakota-access-pipeline-protests/>.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE PIPELINE

“This demolition is devastating,” [Standing Rock Sioux Chairman] Archambault said. “These grounds are the resting places of our ancestors. The ancient cairns and stone prayer rings there cannot be replaced. In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground.”

• Sacred land, burial grounds are beingdestroyed

MacPherson, James. "North Dakota Oil Pipeline Protest Turns Violent." The Denver Post. Denver Post, 31 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/06/north-dakota-oil-pipeline-protest-turns-violent />.

AGAINST THE PIPELINE“In North Dakota, a spill of nearly 1 million gallons in 2006 caused a massive die-off of fish and plants in the Yellowstone River and a tributary. Cleanup costs approached $2 million. Two larger spills since then scoured vegetation along an almost 2-mile stretch… The ‘black snake’ could poison the Standing Rock Reservation’s water supply. ”

• Spills have already occurred – it’s not speculative• Oil spills kill fish and plants, pollute the water• Cleanup is expensive

Flesher, John. "Drilling Spills Foul Ranch Land." Los Angeles Times. 20 Sep. 2015: A.10. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000376498&type=ART>.

AGAINST THE PIPELINE

“Many have noted that the pipeline corridor was repositioned from its 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. Yet the Corps failed its federal mandate for meaningful consultation with the Standing Rock Tribe before signing off on a route that moved the pipeline to their doorstep.”• People in Bismarck worried about their water, so route was adjusted• Now native protestors are worried about their water, but they’re

ignored by pipeline company

Sack, Carl. "A #NoDAPL Map." Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-nodapl-map_us_581a0623e4b014443087af35>.

The residents of Bismarck complained that the pipeline was too close to their homes. They worried that pipeline leaks could pollute their water. The Army Corps of Engineers acknowledged this by altering the original route of the pipeline.

Now the Sioux are complaining about the same thing. But they’re being ignored.

Sack, Carl. "A #NoDAPL Map." Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-nodapl-map_us_581a0623e4b014443087af35>.

LET’S REVIEW…

Definition of civil disobedience:The refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest

Are the NDAPL protests a form of civil disobedience?

“Civil Disobedience." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define%20civil%20disobedience>.

PEACEFUL PROTEST?0:31-0:47

• Protestors do not attack police

• Police attack protestors with dogs, tear gas, water cannons in freezing weather

• Protestors set fire to trucks to block highway, but didn’t attack police

• Protestors set up camp on land along the pipeline route, refusing to move NBCNews. "Police Clad In Riot Gear Move In On Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters | NBC Nightly News." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFoHfBfv_8>.

Keith, Stephanie. "Dakota Pipeline Protesters Drenched With Water Cannons." NBC News. Reuters, 21 Nov. 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/dakota-pipeline-protesters-drenched-water-cannons-n686721>.

CONCLUSION

• The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe have legitimate reason to protest:• They owned the land• Oil leaks could be devastating• Sacred land, burial grounds were being destroyed

• Police were mostly responsible for the violence

This is an example of civil disobedience because the natives protested by peacefully disobeying laws; for example, they refused to move off the land on the pipeline route but they didn’t attack police.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS?

“Dozens of journalists have now been arrested, and an arrest warrant was issued for high-profile journalist Amy Goodman. One independent media outlet, Unicorn Riot, saw four of their journalists arrested in one day in North Dakota. One filmmaker is facing up to 45 years in prison for filming acts of civil disobedience against the pipeline.“Anti-Media’s journalist on the ground, Derrick Broze, was tased by law enforcement while covering the protests on Thursday as this article was being written.”

• Journalists are being arrested for no legitimate reason!

Bernabe, Nick. "5 Things You Need to Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests." The Anti-Media. Anti-Media, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://theantimedia.org/5-things-dakota-access-pipeline-protests/>.

WORKS CITED• “Civil Disobedience." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define%20civil%20disobedience>.

• “Project Maps." Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer, 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.daplpipelinefacts.com/resources/project-maps.html>.

• Yardley, William. "Occupation Echoes Wounded Knee." Los Angeles Times. 28 Aug. 2016: A.8. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000385456&type=ART>.

• Flesher, John. "Drilling Spills Foul Ranch Land." Los Angeles Times. 20 Sep. 2015: A.10. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000376498&type=ART>.

• MacPherson, James. "North Dakota Oil Pipeline Protest Turns Violent." The Denver Post. Associated Press, 31 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/06/north-dakota-oil-pipeline-protest-turns-violent/>.

• Bernabe, Nick. "5 Things You Need to Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests." The Anti-Media. Anti-Media, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://theantimedia.org/5-things-dakota-access-pipeline-protests/>.

• Sack, Carl. "A #NoDAPL Map." Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-nodapl-map_us_581a0623e4b014443087af35>.

• NBCNews. "Police Clad In Riot Gear Move In On Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters | NBC Nightly News." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFoHfBfv_8>.

• Keith, Stephanie. "Dakota Pipeline Protesters Drenched With Water Cannons." NBC News. Reuters, 21 Nov. 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/dakota-pipeline-protesters-drenched-water-cannons-n686721>.