Standing Rock and Environmental Social Movements

Standing Rock and Environmental Social Movements

About this time last year, one of the largest environmentally charged social movements in the history of the United States was well underway, This movement was Standing Rock. The demonstration gathered thousands of people together to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline which was threatening to bring oil under the Missouri River and through the culturally significant land for the Sioux tribe. This demonstration, like many other social movements, started out small but over time became quite influential drawing in thousands of people from all over the protest against the destruction of sacred land, and the potential to contaminate drinking water for the Sioux Reservation that lies downriver from the then proposed river crossing site. The issue of the Dakota access pipeline extends farther from just environmental, and when it was decided that the pipeline would avoid Bismark, a largely Caucasian city, and instead go through sacred Native American land, the issue became racial charges as well. The demonstration lasted months with heavy opposition from companies and heavy support from the side of the protesters. Through formidable winter weather, arrests of the protesters,  and even through excessive violent force from law enforcement, the end result was an achieved goal of halting the production of the pipeline, and for the Sioux, the future of their water seemed safe. Unfortunately, this hard-fought battle to save sacred land, and water so necessary to the Sioux people were put in danger when Donald Trump was elected to office.

What seemed like such an important win for those who respect rights for the environment and of the Native American people, is now in question. Last year at the height of the protests, I was personally following the occurrences at standing rock closely. The demonstrations were truly inspiring and when the verdict came that production was to be paused and put under further review I was exhilarated, Finally a win for the underdog, and a loss for the big business. When Trump took office, however, the future of the pipeline was once again hanging in the balance. Things have only gotten worse on this front as well, with the pipeline becoming operational, it seems to only be a matter of time before a catastrophic spill contaminates drinking water, and leaves a devastating impact on the sacred land. With the end result of these protests being so negative, it's important to consider why these types of social movements matter in the first place.

Initially, in the case of standing rock, it seemed that a major victory had been achieved with the halting of production. With the changing political environment this goal was unfortunately reversed, but as long as people refuse to stop organizing and speaking up for what they believe in the political environment could change once again. These types of demonstrations show a mass reaction to the free speech, and in turn provide a great way to get these messages to the mass public, the media and beyond. Without this demonstration, the access pipeline would have gone on as planned and could have already leaked into the Missouri River. Even when the immediate goals of these movements fail, the lasting impact that people refuse to sit idly by while private corporations desecrate the environment is hugely important. Through these means, the government is kept more on its toes than it otherwise would, and even the results are hard to see through social movements, people can take back power, and truly set forth avenues for wide sweeping political change.

Cruel, Synclaire. “Dakota Access Pipeline in Operation after Months of Resistance.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 3 June 2017, www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/dakota-access-pipeline-operation-months-resistance.  

“Dakota Pipeline: What's behind the Controversy?” BBC News, BBC, 7 Feb. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37863955.