If you have been keeping up with the news-real news-you know the plight of the Sioux and their fight to keep the oil pipeline from ever carrying that first drop of crude oil across their lands or near the waterways. You may think, oh-the pipeline is legitimate and is for the good of the people. Well, here is my take.
When the white man came to the continent of North America, the lands were already settled. The white man was the immigrant with no legitimate claim.
- Most will say that Columbus discovered America but he wasn’t the first white man and America was already discovered.
Imagine if schools taught history in that light. The greatness and pride we were taught in school of how the white man took this country changes in perspective the more we learn the real story. Face it. We were sold a bill of goods and are we are still buying the BS.
In time, we-the white man-fought against the Native Americans or what I call Real Americans. On some fronts it was subtle. Like any good marketing ploy, the buyers/takers found something the Americans (Indians) would trade. A little swap here and a little swap there and the white man had gotten in the door. Eventually, we swindled the Americans out of their lands and put them on reservations. OOooo… pat ourselves on the back (sarcasm).
Reservation life was almost the equivalent-no, it was actually worse than ghettos because we were creating ghettos on purpose and not providing real resources to help. After all, if you keep someone “down” they won’t know they are “down” and will not present a problem for others, right? Sigh. I could go on and on about this.
Fracking (fracturing) is killing us. It is causing earthquakes-what do you expect when you use water to blast out gas in rocks that have been in place for millions plus number of years? And what type of water is used? Contaminated water which is another issue. Tell me there is no chance of water contamination when we don’t know that. Let’s ask Oklahomans how they feel about never-ending earthquakes due to fracking.
Take a look at the fracking wells. I was particularly interested when I was planning on moving to Colorado. Here is a link to show fracking wells plus other info: http://www.drillingmaps.com/fracking.html
Fracking wells tend to be in the poorer areas of the state. That’s because people who have money won’t put up with it and those who don’t can’t fight it. Usually, it’s a done deal before anyone can try to fight it in court but this piece is not about fracking. It’s about oil, Real Americans and greed.
Pipelines carrying liquefied fossil fuels
Pipelines carrying natural gas
Oil was never meant to be used in great amounts. In natural form, it contaminates water and land. It can never be removed completely. When burned, it pollutes the air. It does harm and kills wildlife including humans. These pipelines are not safe. Leaks happen all of the time. The companies go to great lengths to hide these spills and misreport the spillage. This is greed at its finest. We allow this to happen. We encourage it when we don’t stop it.
One of the ‘take and give’ (in the white man’s eyes) legal actions came in the form of treaties. Listen, if I was a member of a gang that surrounded you with weapons and threatened to kill your family, would you make a treaty with me to save them? You bet you would. That’s how I see many of these “treaties” with the Real Americans happened. In order to keep some of their lands and people intact when they were backed into a corner, they signed. Today, we are doing the same thing. Like usual, we go back on our word.
Maybe you see this as a protest against a rightful oil pipeline and that the protestors are in the wrong. I see it as where every American should be outraged and should be protesting against this type of takeover. It should have never been built and furthermore-should have never been thought of being built: One, for the respect of Mother Earth and two, respect for Real Americans. Believe it or not, these actions affect us all.
We have given all of America over to the greedy corporations which in turn own our government. A nice cozy pair they make, right? What’s wrong with this picture? This is not the America that any of our ancestors envisioned. This control is not for the good of the people-all or any-except those who are raking in the millions at the top. I wonder where they live. It’s not around a pipeline or a fracking well or a coal mine, etc.
Until next time … Happy Gardening! 🙂
Photos used are from-http://www.pipeline101.com/where-are-pipelines-located
Credit there was given: American Energy Mapping (AEM) 2013
Let’s not forget nuclear waste. But it’s all really okay if it’s in somebody else’s back yard. Who could be somebody elser than people we never see? Especially if it’s someone we already dump on and nothing they do has any effect.
I’m afraid America will continue to ignore them. We should be ashamed that anything that doesn’t affect us directly is acceptable.
Yes. In South Carolina-about 30 miles away from me-a town called Ellenton was moved in the 50s to build Savannah River Plant (Site-today). Poor people couldn’t fight it and it was all for the good of the country, right? My parents worked there. The plant ceased operations long ago. They had plenty of radioactive material just by themselves but they built a MOX facility which I hear is not what they wanted. The deal was the new spent fuel would be processed and sent to Yucca Mountain and you know how that went over. More fuel comes in and doesn’t leave-comes from other countries, too. The burial vaults are leaking-ground water is contaminated even into Georgia on this side of the river not far from my old home place. To top that off, the two nuclear reactors are set to come online at Plant Vogtle in the next few years completing the plant operation of 4 reactors. Whoopie-lol. We were successful in fighting the government for a practice landing strip but that was when Charlie Norwood was still alive. That’s nothing compared to these other things but if you don’t have friends in high places, you are screwed. We continue to keep blinders on. We are one selfish people.
I just noticed that on your map, crude oil is labeled ‘crud’.
I guess they ran out of room for an e.
You’re not the only one bothered by our government’s cavalier attitudes.
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2016/09/06/the-righteous-protests-of-standing-rock/
Thanks. I haven’t seen this one. Our local riverkeeper is there with one from Alabama. Good to see this.