Despite the graphic videos, eye witness accounts, and major press coverage, many Americans are still in the dark about Standing Rock. More precisely, most Americans are aware but just don't care. While a massive oil pipeline is being built illegally through Native American land and peaceful protesters are being tear gassed, the vast majority of our population is just sitting back. It appears that everyone is till living under the illusion that they could never be affected by the outcome of this conflict.
The Dakota Access Pipe Line, if completed, will cross over the Missouri river twice. Standing Rock Sioux nation chairman Dave Archambault II stated that "We have been told by the officials that there will be breaches in the pipeline, but they claim that these situations are generally never very bad. This is unacceptable.” He's absolutely right that this is unacceptable. Look at a map of the major waterways in the U.S. The Missouri is the longest river in America, stretching 0ver 2,341 miles. You'll see that the Missouri river is not only the single most used fresh source in the central United States, but it also feeds into the Mississippi. with that in mind, you can appreciate how important it is that that water supply is protected from any possibility of an oil leak.
If the pipeline continues to be built and the oil does leak into the river, then it would be a catastrophe not only for the 17 million people who drink from the Missouri but also potentially the residents along the Mississippi. Of course, that's only the immediate damage. Once the water availability in the midwest is compromised, that region will become dependent on the fresh water from other areas of the U.S. like the north east. And considering the fact that California has been suffering a drought for the past couple of years it's unlikely that they'll be able to contribute to the fresh water supply of the mid-west.
As with any scarcity in a resource, you can be sure that the price of water will rise. So if the big business types get their way and the pipeline goes through leading to a massive contamination of the Missouri river, that, in turn, will affect the rest of us by draining our water supply. The really funny part though is that when the price of water skyrockets, you know the conservatives will still find a way to blame Obama.
