Civil Disobedience Stronger and More Popular Than Ever
On this date in 1847, Henry David Thoreau left Walden Pond. We remember him for his solitude and demand for a simple life, as well as his masterpiece essay Civil Disobedience (1849).
We’re reminded of this as we receive the news that environmental activists have joined the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and members of nearly 100 more tribes from across the U.S. and Canada to protest the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, and protect a tribal burial site that the project would destroy.
Civil disobedience should not be entered into lightly; it comes with distinct perils. In particular, the construction company attacked Native Americans with dogs and pepper spray yesterday as they resisted the pipeline’s construction.
If completed, the Dakota Access pipeline would carry about 500,000 barrels of crude per day from North Dakota’s Bakken oil field to Illinois, where it would meet up with an existing pipeline that would carry the oil to Texas.
Here’s an exclusive report from Democracy Now!
I do strongly support civil disobedience under certain circumstances. For example, I support black athletes who, to protest discrimination, refuse to stand when the national anthem is played. As President Obama stated, that is their right of free speech and must be respected. However, some protests are somewhat questionable.
It may be reasonable for Native Americans (NOT Indians; Indians are in India) to protest the subject pipeline because of it route. However, if the pipeline is not built, the alternative of rail transportation, which is much more dangerous, would most likely be used.
Those responsible for attacking the protesters should be prosecuted. Construction companies and other kinds of companies have no right to take the law into their own hands.
The above said, I’m glad that the post did not refer to Native Americans as Indians. In fact, I do not understand why Native Americans permit themselves to be called Indians, or even worse, refer to themselves as Indians. The only reason they are called Indians is that Columbus had limited knowledge of geography. He even enslaved Natives so surely he should not be granted the authority to name them.
A few years ago, a friend of ancestry from India visited me. When we were in a Native American museum, one of the museum personnel referred to himself as an Indian. My friend said, “I’m an Indian.”. No one was offended and we all laughed, but he had made a valid point.
Hi Frank,
The term ‘Native American’ isn’t popular with those who describe themselves as belonging the ‘First Nations’, or simply want to be referred to by there tribal designations.
Many indigenous Americans are divided of what to call themselves as some tribes and cultures only came into existence as a result of European influences, where others were dislocated or destroyed by the newly powerful tribes.
The term ‘Indian’ was widely used in the 18th and 19th century as a generalization, interchangeable with ‘indigenous’ or ‘aborigine’ and applied to many different native peoples.
@ Frank
thank you for the respect you show for the first aNation Native Americans frank.
They have some very legitimate positions and the whole situation is a challenging one. I don’t have the real on the ground details I think the pipeline would be supported by them if it was re routed around and away from sensitive areas etc. Their tribal Leader was on radio over the weekend and I listened to a speech he gave. He supports oil movement they are realistic so something deeper is going on !
But that costs more money most likely ???
You are so right about those Bakken Light Oil Trains which are speeding Fireballs and dangerous .
Kinda interesting that the throughput of this lateral pipeline reaches 500,000 barrels a day which was close to Keystone tar sand Oil? Interesting using our own less polluting oil , sorta begs the question what the Keystone was really all about ???
A 5 letter word fits! Hope this works out as fairly as possible?
Craig,
” the construction company attacked Native Americans with dogs and pepper spray”
Wow, that’s really a stretching reality a bit too far !
The protestors attacked the construction companies depot, breaking down two fences, bringing their own attack dogs , and assaulting company employees. Some of the protestors admitted to using the protest and assault on the depot as a method of obtaining firearms and explosives.
The heavily outnumbered company security personal were forced to defend themselves against a violent mob, who came determined for violent confrontation. Several Security Personal were injured .
All this was happening while the protestors and company had agreed to stay on their respective sides of the fence.
Civil disobedience is one thing, peaceful protest is even praiseworthy, but you seem to be condoning violent rioting if the law and the courts disagree with your point of view.