#NoDAPL is Really Just Woodstock 2016
You'll be hard-pressed to find many photos of the Dakota Access protesters without a person of native heritage being the central or primary focus. That's because the feel-good protesters are using the indigenous people as optics for their big environmentalist movement.
And perhaps there may be some symbolism behind this, as a sort of "we stand behind you" sentiment. That would be plausible if there was any evidence that this really had anything to do with the Standing Rock Sioux or protecting their water, and not some giant orchestrated eco-warrior and social justice movement.
You see, despite what you may have heard, the Dakota Access Pipeline is not intruding on native land. It is not poisoning the water. It is not trampling over sacred burial sites or artifacts. It is just one of many pipelines that actually crisscross our nation and even along the same path as this current project.
So, why all the fuss? Well, because this has become a call-to-action for all the no-growth, anti-capitalist, environmentalist hippies of the left to unite for the common good against "evil" corporate pollution of the earth and to right a wrong against the indigenous people who's land we have stolen, of course. And when I say these protesters are trying to right a wrong, that means they are literally bowing down in apology to the natives in this area.
Here are a few facts that most people have not even heard about the Dakota Access Pipeline:
- Energy Transfer Partners LP applied to build the pipeline in 2014 that would span 1,172 miles across four states from North Dakota to Iowa. The project was estimated to cost $3.7 billion.
- The Dakota Access pipeline would transfer as many as 570,000 barrels of crude oil a day.
- Transporting oil and gas via pipeline is overwhelming considered the safest and most cost-effective mode of shipping these resources compared to train, truck, barge or ship. Sources 1, 2
- Although much of the pipeline travels across private property, the Army Corps of Engineers must be consulted when crossing federally regulated waterways such as the Missouri River and Lake Oahe. That is why they are involved in this process.
- 99% of the private property was negotiated as a voluntary easement but owners of 17 parcels, not on the North Dakota route, have sued the State of Iowa in an eminent domain lawsuit.
- The Army Corps of Engineers rerouted the pipeline to avoid 91 of 149 possible sites deemed to have "cultural significance." Energy Transfer Partners settled on the current site with TACE several miles north of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation to reduce environmental impact. This route also parallels an existing pipeline built in the 80's.
- There have been multiple archaeological surveys conducted by the government, the tribe, and ETP along the pipeline route and archaeological experts are onsite during construction just in case. To date, there has been no credible evidence of any historical or significant culture artifacts found in areas impacted by construction.
- 389 consultations were held between the US Army Corps of Engineers and 55 tribes and nations surrounding the pipeline route, including the Standing Rock Sioux which is opposing the pipeline.
- The Army of Corps of Engineers had deemed the location safe and concluded that Energy Transfer Partners "developed response and action plans, and will include several monitoring systems, shut-off valves, and other safety features to minimize the risk of spills and reduce…any potential damages.” Furthermore, ETP have stated, "Monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, including rigorous pipeline integrity planning and maintenance, federal statistics show that underground pipelines transport crude oil more safely than ships, rail, or trucks." ETP have even offered to provide fresh water storage in case of any potential leaks.
- Two green energy companies gave $250,000 to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in April 2016.
- Other indigenous tribes northwest of the Standing Rock Sioux have openly embraced the pipeline business, understanding it has brought economic prosperity to an otherwise impoverished area.
But in reality, this is still all about money....for the Standing Rock Sioux that is. As the Washington Examiner pointed out in November:
This is why the Standing Rock Sioux eventually teamed up with a radical environmentalist law group called Earthjustice, who's primary goal is to stop fossil fuel infrastructure. This wacko group tried filing an injunction back in July to stop construction of the pipeline on the grounds that it would lead to the destruction of sites of "historic, religious, and cultural significance."
This of course turned out to be completely false, as it has been in other instances where they've tried this stunt before; but nonetheless, it slowed down the progress of the pipeline all the same. And it was during this particular time that the protest made major national headlines and its way to the newsfeeds of social media everywhere thanks to viral news headed by the progressive hacks at Democracy Now and other similar activist sites.
Democracy Now's Amy Goodman was on the scene to capture scores of protesters, some with children in tow, break down a fence and crossing over onto private property in order to violently chase off workers and private security. There were numerous tales of Native American protesters being attacked by security dogs and being sprayed by pepper spray, but according to authorities, it was all in self-defense. You can be the judge:
Since then, a bevy of lunatics like this have visited the protested area where, despite their own internal ranks causing most of their problems, they have feigned abuse by private security and local police, been threatened to be removed by force by the Army of Corps of Engineers, and even one notorious social justice warrior claimed she was shot by police when "a grenade launcher fired a rubber bullet at me" (I am not even kidding) - her video evidence is even far less convincing though.
Amy Goodman was issued an arrest warrant, which was later dropped, for trespassing during the riot along with fellow loony Jill Stein, who by all accounts still should be served her warrant for trespassing and vandalizing private property. But they are not the only celebrities to let their support of the #NoDAPL protests be known. Since September, Hollywood environmental kooks like Leonardo DiCaprio, Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo, and even the cast of the Justice League movie have made sure their moral wisdom on the subject be known to the public. Budding celebrity dimwit, Shailene Woodley was even arrested when joining in with the mob because Hollywood cannot be content with entertaining people, they have to show the public that they not only know what's best for us but that they are also willing to get down in the trenches every now and then in solidarity. Meanwhile, other outside media that do not fit their agenda or ask any inconvenient questions are harassed and chastised.
But this kind of attention has come to be expected by this cultural fringe movement of protest brought on by a mixture of deep rooted hysteria over anthropogenic global warming, inner feelings of white guilt, and most importantly a passion for somehow enacting social justice. When it comes to this type of collective movement, whether it be Black Lives Matter or Occupy Wall Street, the feeling of inclusion and of accomplishing something important and bigger than ourselves, even if only for a fleeting moment, seems to take precedence over all facts, reason, and logic. What is important to those who fall into this groupthink herd mentality is that they are unifying against something in order to right a wrong. And when you are fighting "the man", you have to sometimes break the rules in order to win the day. Therefore, they are somehow laudably justified to trespass, vandalize, injure, and obstruct any way they see fit in order to fulfill their epic quest of moral righteousness and self-aggrandizement at the expense of the rights and property of others.
And finally when these social justice warriors are done storming the gates for the day, the event inevitably turns into a celebration a la Burning Man or Woodstock outdoor festival. They setup permanent camp as if they were climbing Everest and because I assume most of them do not have real jobs, they just party away when there is no protesting to be done. Just like with the Climate March in New York City, these self-described champions of the environment at the Dakota Access protest ironically leave a colossal mess in their wake. It had gotten so bad that the actual indigenous protesters were starting to complain about their "white colonizers" taking over their tribal camps. This along with the some of the more unruly elements of the protest has prompted Standing Rock Tribal Chairman David Archambault to ask the non-natives to take a hike. Luckily winter weather has started to settle in which will undoubtedly break up their little soiree even for the most ardent of eco-warriors. Perhaps now they'll pack up and go back to the holes that they crawled out of.
On December 4, 2016, this has all ultimately culminated to what appears to be a long pause in the construction progress as the Army Corps of Engineers has failed to grant an easement to complete the pipeline route that is being contested. This undoubtedly appears to be a political move by outgoing President Obama's administration which has been pleaded by left-wing protesters, politicians and activists to do something in its infinite executive power to stop the perfectly legal construction project. While The Army Corps claims it needs to perform yet another Environmental Impact Statement despite stating in July that Energy Transfer Partners "comported with all legal requirements, including the use of an environmental assessment, rather than an environmental impact statement," this is just another setback as ETP has vowed to complete the project as planned. So, celebrate your temporary victory mighty "water protectors" because the war is far from over.