Erych Frankenfield, Staff Writer
People who have been active on Facebook or other social media throughout the past couple of weeks may have seen a photo that talks about or a post that stresses the Dakota Access Pipeline. Many popular memes are “Share if you support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe” or “I Stand With the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.”
The creator of the pipeline idea is Energy Transfer Partners. The pipeline, if finished, would run through four states — North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois — and allow for faster transport of crude oil in the North Dakota area. The pipeline would run under the Missouri River, allowing the oil to be refined faster and heading towards possible gasoline independence.
The Native Americans, however, argue that the pipeline runs through sacred ground and a burial site. Some of the protesters have exposed environmental risks of the pipeline, such as ruptures leaking the oil into the Missouri River or greenhouse gas emissions, so now they themselves would have contaminated water to drink such as in Flint, Michigan.
The police are in riot gear to try to push back the crowds of protesters. However, the natives believe they are, once again, getting the short end of the stick.
David Archambault II, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe Chairman, said according to CNN, “What we are opposed to is paying for all the benefits that this country receives. Whenever there’s a benefit, whether it’s energy independence… whether it’s economic development, tribes pay the cost.”
Clergy members joined the protesters on Thursday, Nov. 3. They were of all faiths and backgrounds and sang hymns, marched along and ceremoniously burned a 600-year old document, according to ABC news: “ The interfaith event was organized to draw attention to the concerns of the Standing Rock Sioux and push elected officials to call for a halt to construction of the $3.8 billion pipeline.”
Posts on social media may branch to making your current location Standing Rock, North Dakota and another post to elaborate why. The explanations say, “The Morton County Sheriff’s Department has been using Facebook check-ins to find out who is at Standing Rock in order to target them in attempts to disrupt the prayer camps, so water protectors are calling on everyone to check-in at Standing Rock, ND, to overwhelm and confuse them. This is concrete action that can protect people putting their bodies and well-beings on the line that we can do without leaving our homes. Will you join me in Standing Rock?”
Regarding this, Trafford has been an area of potential fracking to find natural gas. There are signs that say “ ProtecT”, with the “P” and the “T” capitalized to show some Trafford’s residents’ fight to defend against fracking.
The fracking had its own scrutiny before it even started.
On the other hand, the pipeline would allow for independence from foreign countries for oil and potentially have lower gas prices. It would allow for more money opportunities and 8,000 to 12,000 jobs for the construction of the pipeline.
The Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure, who joined the fight for the pipeline to be built, stated, “Already eight pipelines cross the Missouri River carrying hundreds of thousands of barrels of energy products every day.”