The North Dakota Pipeline crisis

Samo students in the past year have been apart of many movements from presidential elections to standing up for black lives. However due to the presidential election, one issue has been slightly looked over. Sioux Native Americans have been known to fight commoners throughout history; it has now been proven that this has not changed. A corporate conglomerate DAPL has decided to establish a pipeline running straight through native Sioux soil ruining a once sacred land. The North Dakota police has been using social media to track these protestors and neutralize them. This has been a topic of controversy toward their law enforcement and many people across the country have decided to throw it off. A few Samo students have decided to share their location in North Dakota, throwing off the police and making the protestors able to voice their opinions.The North Dakota access pipeline is going to be one of the longest pipelines in the United States, stretching from Three Forks North Dakota to Patoka Illinois if the government allows for the construction. It is being installed by Dakota Access [ DAPL], an American based Oil company originally founded in Three Forks North Dakota. However, the main complexion that these tribe members have is the fact that they are ruining a once sacred ground for the Sioux. Hundreds of protesters from around the country have come to North Dakota to protest the completion of the pipeline in order to support the Sioux’s fight for their land. Dakota Access didn’t want these protestors causing up a scene, so they ended up hiring security to manage the protests. This security has been using excessive force including, attack dogs, pepper spray, and even tear gas to make sure these protestors leave as soon as possible.“Our country has a long, delicate history of disrespecting and exploring tribes and their land," Analisa Burns (’17) said. "This protest is not just on behalf of one sacred spot, but the concept of respecting indigenous culture in general."Samo has participated in this movement, with multiple alumni sharing their location in certain areas of North Dakota so that this system will fail. Students like Analisa Burns (‘17) who is a very avid supporter in this moment. Analisa is part Native American which is most likely she is so passionate about this issue. Some students even considered flying to North Dakota to join the native american protesters“They have the right to peacefully protest the current situation without being having to be shut down with violence”, said Alex Holt (’19) one of the students considering to go to North Dakota in order to support the issueAlex Holt's father is british with no Native American heritage showing that you did not have to an former owner of the land to fight for it.However not all students see this matter as an issue. Certain people see it as a new frontier for jobs, to put into the hands of North Dakota citizens. These people believe that employment is what North Dakota truly needs right now. Desean Eikens is a North Dakota native and is for the DAPL pipeline.“There land along with other peoples is being taken… but oil is down right now so it’s not in full effect”, said Desean Eiken (’17)All in all Samo has given a renowned yes to the resistance against of DAPL's new pipeline. Hopefully Samo’s efforts will compress the police brutality in North Dakota supporting these Native American tribes in their fight for their land.