DUMMERSTON — Tom Buchanan's view that the water protectors at Standing Rock are engaged in a “foolish absurdity” like dogs “barking up the wrong tree” both misses the spiritual force at the center of the indigenous movement and dehumanizes the actors.
The assertion that tribal resistance timed out during the permitting process ignores the longevity of the tribe's habitation, its treaty rights, and the timespan of seven generations as a cultural norm.
There are numerous cases of pipeline leaks that demonstrate the long-term risk. Do we really need yet another pipeline in a market glut of oil to increase exports to China?
Even if industry realists favor profits and dismiss the notion of people defending the sacred, this prayerful and massive gathering of tribes and non-native allies marks a moment of resistance not to be underestimated.
What difference does one more river crossing make among hundreds? All the difference in the world if you depend on this water for life.