Intro to American Indian Studies

Summer 2018

Mike Thompson Week 6: Standing Rock

My final paper was on Red Dawn Fallis and her conviction compared to the Bundys’ conviction. The Ryan and Ammon Bundy, and an armed militia group that they founded, took over a wildlife refugee in Oregon. Red Dawn Fallis had a weapon, that was given to he by an informant for the FBI, discharge when she was tackled by police.

Unsurprisingly, Fallis was convict for five years, the Bundys were acquitted. Fallis was a protestor at the Standing Rock reservation. Standing Rock was one of those reasons I voted for Jill Stein. It was a group that was trying to protect nature.

The Dakota Access Pipeline is a pipeline the effects the entire country. For one, it runs over the largest aquifer in the US. It has as more fresh water than the great lakes. Yet, despite all this the US and Canada has decided that this is the best place to run oil out of the country.

This is one of those fights that pits a wrong versus a right. We can extract oil out of the Dakotas for short term economic gains. Or, we could preserve the fresh water we have for the benefit of future generations. The election of Trump has paved the way for short economic interests over longterm stability.

The racism and short sidedness that is on display wounds me deeply. It forces me to think that the cynic in me is the one who is right. I hope I am wrong, but much like Red Dawn Fallis, it’s going to rough few years ahead.

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