An Open letter to the American people:
Has this past week felt like a bizarre April fools version of the film Groundhog Day? I keep hoping to wake up to Bill Murray as president because quite frankly, that would make more sense to me. But alas, every day feels like a nightmarish repeat of the last, with the world watching in horror as President Trump appears hell-bent on throwing out all decency, human rights, and progress ever made in this country. Can I, just for a moment, talk about the executive order regarding the Dakota Access Pipe Line?
I can already hear the moans of so many red-blooded Americans asking, “Who cares?” I do, and so should you. Without even knowing all of the details that the executive order entails, it is fairly obvious that this is meant as a show of force against people who dare to protest and put corporate profits at risk. Where is this so-called President of the people? Many have stood with the people of Standing Rock and made their voices clear: a pipeline is not wanted. This is no frivolous request. It doesn’t take much research to discover how frequent and dangerous oil leaks can be.
Ask yourself this question: if a company wanted to place that pipeline−and all of the risks associated with it−under your source of drinking water, would you still be okay with it? Would you be okay with your children drinking that water? Would you be okay with the government coming in and telling you that it doesn’t matter what you think or feel about the issue because it’s going to happen anyway? I don’t think you would. In fact, some of the most repeated reasons associated with supporting Trump were the desires to “clear the swamp” and “get rid of big government.”
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but clearing the swamp had something to do with career politicians who were out of touch with what the average people wanted, and who just operated out of the pockets of corporate money. And again, correct me if I’m wrong, but big government is the kind of government that execute orders regardless of what the people of the nation want, sometimes using force against their own citizens.
Does this not seem like exactly what is happening here? This is the year 2017. I sincerely hope we are all kind of aware of the history of this country and the horrendous disregard for and treatment of the indigenous people who lived here long before the age of European exploration and colonization. We may not be able to alleviate past wounds, but at the very least, we cannot inflict more by ignoring their voices today.
Today, we all speak the same language. Today, their country is also our country. Today, their voices are our voices. If the people of Standing Rock's voices are ignored today, your voice may be the one ignored tomorrow. We cannot justify every destructive action with money! Eventually, we will run out of natural resources if we do. And if you’re one who thinks the environmentalists are “out of control,” consider one thing for a minute: do you really know how to distinguish truth from propaganda?
If you are still reading this, you may be capable of critical thinking and reasoning, so put those skills to work: who stands to make a profit from you believing what they have to say? Are the water protectors making money off protesting this pipeline?
My seven-year-old figured out the answer to that question. I hope you do, too.