Standing Rock Tribe Case Study

The Standing Rock Tribe is protesting a pipeline that goes against their religious beliefs. This pipeline would be a detriment to the ecosystem, and would contaminate the supply of drinking water for the people of many states. On top of all this, a privatized enforcement company sicked dogs on the protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline. They were simply trying to protect their natural resources and sacred ancestor's death rights. The multiple standoffs that have occurred between the protesters and the company's private security force have been cover by a reporter for the The New Yorker, Bill McKibben. During a protest “A private security force, which used dogs to confront the Native Americans who tried to prevent the destruction of the old graves. Tribal officials stated that the dogs bit six protesters, including a small child” (McKibben). Another incident regarding the mistreatment of journalists and protesters, was when …show more content…
The tribe’s official stance given on an article written by .CNN journalist Holly Yan, states that the pipeline "would damage and destroy sites of great historic, religious, and cultural significance to the Tribe" (Yan). Another account of the possible cultural damage that can occur if the pipeline is built is “the horizontal direction drilling in the construction of the pipeline would destroy valuable cultural resources” (Davis). An account of disrespect was brought forth by Catherine Thorbecke of ABC News told about the pipeline’s original route which was rejected by the city of Bismarck, North Dakota due to proximity of the pipeline to the city (Thorbecke). The people of Bismarck didn’t even have to hold a protest. The destruction, defilation, demolition, devastation of these cultural sites just shows the disrespect that is held by certain outsiders for the Standing Rock Tribe’s land and