Maybe you’ve heard, or maybe you haven’t, but you should know that there is an oil pipeline being built through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation against the wishes of the people there, invading their sacred ground and threatening their access to clean water. The route of the pipeline originally took it just north of Bismarck, North Dakota but that was deemed too risky to the community. The same (legitimate) worry does not seem to apply to inhabitants of Standing Rock. The construction of the pipeline is currently on hold but it has not been permanently halted or rerouted and the protest is ongoing.

America is the third largest producer of crude oil but also the number one consumer, which means the oil produced domestically is not enough. This means we buy lots of oil from other countries which can lead to some dangerous dependency. The desire to get more of our oil domestically is understandable. What is not understandable is beginning construction on reservation land without a permit, ignoring thousands of protesters, and using pepper spray and rubber bullets on non-violent protesters. This is the final stretch of the pipeline, rerouting it at this point could cost the company lots of money. Inconvenient? Yes. Worth risking the lives and well-being of hundreds of people? No.

Maybe you can’t pick up and go to North Dakota and be physically present at the main protest, but there are plenty of ways you can help from home. You can donate directly to the protestors (be wary of any go fund me pages you see, most of them are not made by anyone from the camp), donate necessary supplies, donate to the legal fund, you can participate in a march near you, or you can write to your congressman. The construction of this pipeline on its current route is a gross violation of the rights of the people at Standing Rock. Do not stand by and just let them be trampled, make their voices heard. Stand with Standing Rock.