Slightly off topic to the Peninsula, but worth noting. This in from members of Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship who have returned from Standing Rock.
We are writing to bring attention to the great need (and opportunity) to support the Standing Rock Sioux, more than 300 other Indigenous Tribal Groups from the Americas, and many other American citizens. Thousands of individuals and groups have gathered at Standing Rock, joining there in peaceful actions to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline across Sacred Tribal Lands and under the Missouri River, which is the source of the region’s drinking water.
A group from Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, led by Rev. Florence Caplow, journeyed to Standing Rock and suggest that it is best to contribute funds, so that Native Peoples can purchase what they know best is required to survive the Dakota winter, and so that they will be able to sustain opposition to the invasion of their sacred lands, and prevent significant risk of toxic contamination of their Missouri River drinking water supply.
The Pipeline is intended to carry large quantities of volatile Bakken oil from North Dakota to refineries in Illinois (1,172 miles). Transportation of volatile Bakken oil was responsible for the huge, lethal explosions of an oil train in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, July 2013, resulting in the deaths of 47 citizens and destruction of most of the town’s buildings.
Peaceful, unarmed “Water Protector” Native Americans (Elders, Women, and their Children) have been pepper-sprayed, and attacked by guard dogs deliberately set upon them as they tried to keep bulldozers from destroying ancient gravesites.
Snow-filled Dakota winter days bring temperatures often as low as 40 degrees below zero. Peaceful defenders of their land and water have great need of warm clothing, supplies of water and food, firewood, etc.
Please contribute as much as you can, as soon as you can, to:
http://standingrock.org/news/standing-rock-sioux-tribe–dakota-access-pipeline-donation-fund/
Native Peoples Connections Action Group – Green Sanctuary Committee
Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Port Townsend, WA
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound |
