The controversy arisen from the Dakota Access Pipeline has created a divide between Native American activists verses a large United States pipeline company and police officials. Both Energy Transfer Partners and indigenous activists sociologically construct this situation to result in very different ideals of what the pipeline will contribute to society. The Native Americans advocate environmental rights while the corporation advocates economic growth. The legal consciousness of Native Americans also contributes to how they interact with emplaced laws affecting their actions to halt pipeline production. Using critical race theory and over policing, this essay will analyze Native Americans interactions with law.
The Dakota Access Pipeline has …show more content…
Energy Transfer Partners takes an economic stance on this issue, framing the implementation of the pipeline to benefit nationally and locally. A statement from Energy Transfer Partners described the great need for the Dakota Access Pipeline in order to move the United States into energy independency, focusing on closing the gap between production and consumption of crude oil, thus leading the United States to become independent on foreign nations (Energy Transfer Partners 2016: 6). These pipeline developers also socially construct the intentions of indigenous protestors. They are regarded as a negative aspect to the construction of the pipeline because they have disregarded trespassing laws; actions have been taken against this by involving law enforcement (Nicholson and MacPherson 2016: 1). Police officials have constructed this issue to take a societal stance, specifically regarding containing protestors by upholding trespassing laws, and protecting the companies right to mine. Law enforcement actions have been executed in order to evacuate protestors with military vehicles, security dogs, and numerous arrests (Strickland 2016: 2). Lastly Native American people have socially constructed the pipeline’s meaning to be severely unstable for the environment and their water supply. Some of the major concerns Native Americans propose are; leakage into river ways affecting quality of water, violating federal law by not complying to provide an environmental statement, and the negligence of nation to nation consultation involving indigenous leaders (Camp of the Sacred Stone 2016). Although all three groups have constructed their own interpretation of the Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners have formed an alliance with law enforcers
The Dakota Access Pipeline has …show more content…
Energy Transfer Partners takes an economic stance on this issue, framing the implementation of the pipeline to benefit nationally and locally. A statement from Energy Transfer Partners described the great need for the Dakota Access Pipeline in order to move the United States into energy independency, focusing on closing the gap between production and consumption of crude oil, thus leading the United States to become independent on foreign nations (Energy Transfer Partners 2016: 6). These pipeline developers also socially construct the intentions of indigenous protestors. They are regarded as a negative aspect to the construction of the pipeline because they have disregarded trespassing laws; actions have been taken against this by involving law enforcement (Nicholson and MacPherson 2016: 1). Police officials have constructed this issue to take a societal stance, specifically regarding containing protestors by upholding trespassing laws, and protecting the companies right to mine. Law enforcement actions have been executed in order to evacuate protestors with military vehicles, security dogs, and numerous arrests (Strickland 2016: 2). Lastly Native American people have socially constructed the pipeline’s meaning to be severely unstable for the environment and their water supply. Some of the major concerns Native Americans propose are; leakage into river ways affecting quality of water, violating federal law by not complying to provide an environmental statement, and the negligence of nation to nation consultation involving indigenous leaders (Camp of the Sacred Stone 2016). Although all three groups have constructed their own interpretation of the Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners have formed an alliance with law enforcers