November 28, 2016COMMUNITY

Water Is Life: Stand With Standing Rock

We believe in protecting our environment for future generations. We believe in basic human rights. We believe in the necessity of free speech. We believe #waterislife. This is why we are donating 10% of all sales from this Friday 11/25 to Monday 11/28 to help support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all those standing with them at The Oceti Sakowin Camp.

"In honor of our future generations, we fight this pipeline to protect our water, our sacred places, and all living beings."

Water is Life : Stand with Standing Rock

image of water by Yuriy Khimanin

About Stand with Standing Rock

In North Dakota, Indigenous leaders from the Standing Rock Nation are fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The Oceti Sakowin Camp where protesters have peacefully assembled represents a first of its kind historic gathering of Indigenous Nations. The most recent such assembly of Tribes occurred when the Great Sioux Nation gathered before the Battle at the Little Big Horn.

“As Lakota, we do our best to follow the teachings found in our language and culture. Wopila is our word for thanks, and it is important to practice gratitude in all our daily lives. And we, at Standing Rock are thankful for so much that the creator has provided for our family and friends, and the experience of togetherness. We are also grateful for those who understand the importance of respecting and safeguarding our water, our homelands, our sovereignty. These past few months have tested us, but we have remained strong in prayer and peace in spite of violence from law enforcement. We have been blessed with the support of millions. Whole communities and cities have said, “We stand with Standing Rock,” calling for President Barack Obama to deny the easement and to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline from ever crossing our sacred waters. We thank you for standing with us and for standing for all our future generations.”

-Standing Rock Sioux Chairman, Dave Archambault II

With the escalations of violence and life threatening tactics by the more than 1,300 militarized law enforcement officers from 9 states against peaceful protesters, and the onset of a harsh winter...they need our help.

About the pipeline

The Dakota Access Pipeline project, also known as Bakken Oil Pipeline, would carry crude oil across 1,172 miles through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois, crossing through communities, farms, tribal land, sensitive natural areas and wildlife habitat. This pipeline and the dirty Bakken Shale crude that will pass thru it from Canada to the Gulf Coast could add 101.4 million metric tons of CO2 per year to the atmosphere. These emissions are equivalent to 29.5 typical U.S. coal power plants or the average emissions of 21.4 million U.S. passenger vehicles.The Oceti Sakowin Camp and its people are not only trying to protect their land, water and sacred sites. They are trying to protect the very earth we all inhabit.

UPDATE 12/05/16

On December 4th, 2016 the pipeline has been officially stopped. Congratulations Standing Rock!!!!

From the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe website:

“Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will not be granting the easement to cross Lake Oahe for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline. Instead, the Corps will be undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible alternative routes. We wholeheartedly support the decision of the administration and commend with the utmost gratitude the courage it took on the part of President Obama, the Army Corps, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to take steps to correct the course of history and to do the right thing.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all of Indian Country will be forever grateful to the Obama Administration for this historic decision.

We want to thank everyone who played a role in advocating for this cause. We thank the tribal youth who initiated this movement. We thank the millions of people around the globe who expressed support for our cause. We thank the thousands of people who came to the camps to support us, and the tens of thousands who donated time, talent, and money to our efforts to stand against this pipeline in the name of protecting our water. We especially thank all of the other tribal nations and jurisdictions who stood in solidarity with us, and we stand ready to stand with you if and when your people are in need."