While Americans were arguing regarding Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand during the National Anthem, there was a surplus of reasons not to. The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) construction began in early August and was faced with protests from Native American tribes and other organizations, as this pipeline would affect both sacred sites and most importantly, the water supply to the Standing Rock Sioux, among others. For awhile, protests fought online or in courts, but nothing was done. However, on September 3, the protests became violent as crews bulldozed the sacred burial site. This action was something both the courts and the company supporting the DAPL were aware of. This site, located near a reservation, has proven to be both for worship and a burial ground for the local tribes. This did not stop them, of course, and they continued their work. When protesters from all over the nation, climbing over the fence to meet with private security guards that immediately attacked. Guards threw protesters on the ground and pepper sprayed them and eventually used attack dogs, injuring some. Currently, the DAPL company is working on pressing charges and getting a restraining order against the protesters – including tribal leaders, children, and even pregnant women. All anecdotes about ancient Native burial grounds aside, the construction of the DAPL is a slap in the face to the tribes that have lived in total oppression to the government. This is a prime example of how corporations are seen as more important than people.

According to their website, the DAPL is being built to transport “light sweet crude oil” from North Dakota to other locations and markets along the route, to be “direct, cost-effective, safer, and environmentally-responsible.” The range from North Dakota to Illinois was tested by the company to make sure the land was suitable. If anything prevented the use of the land, they worked with the landowners to get a solution. The partner company, Energy Transfers, was previously working on another pipeline, which was halted and replaced by the DAPL. In this case, DAPL received the approval from the Army Corps of Engineers in July and began working along the route. This caused concern for Standing Rock Sioux because the pipeline would contaminate the Missouri River, a primary source for water. Starting in April, the Standing Rock formed a protest camp, known as Sacred Stone. Slowly, more and more people arrived, from all over and of all tribes, including some not even of Native American descent. Upon the approval of the project, demonstrations appeared, leading to 28 arrests. Protesters wore sunglasses and bandannas to conceal themselves, some riding on horseback. To combat the increasing protesters, private security was hired out, who has been extremely aggressive. The Sacred Stone Camp gave papers to the courts stating that the land that was to be used was a sacred burial site and requested a restraining order against the DAPL workers as well as Energy Transfers. On August 31, eight people were arrested following a protest where they chained themselves to the construction equipment.

The September 3 protests began with a march on the land – the land that, of course, the Standing Rock owned. The protesters were unaware that the land would be bulldozed as they stood there. When the protesters discovered this, the anger went from internal to being expressed verbally. They began screaming, protesting with signs and pleading for the workers to stop. The workers did not stop and continued destroying the site. The protesters were able to climb the fence and continued to yell and fight for their land. One worker/security guard threw a man to the ground, leading to physical combat between the protesters and the private security. The security started holding people back and attempted to force the march back to beyond the fence. Then, they began to use mace – one guard, who was holding a can of mace, denied this to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! even though one victim was there to state otherwise. As the protesters started calling for them to leave the site and let Mother Nature be, the security began to set the dogs on them. One woman also denied that she was setting her dog after the people, and again was accused by a protester of charging them. She was later caught on video sending her attack dog after protesters, denying once again the blood on the dog's mouth. Despite the violence, the protesters did not back down and instead kept pushing them back. When they all had enough of being brutally attacked over their rights, the Sacred Stone group started pushing the security back, sending them back down the road and halting the day's construction. As they walked back, some on horseback, they continued their rally for clean water, stating that this “land belongs to no one, we are just the caretakers” (Democracy Now!). Six protesters were bitten, including one child, and 30 more were pepper sprayed. Four guards and two dogs were also injured in the struggle. Security contractors set a dog after children. How is that even a considered possibility to anybody of sound mind?

The next day, DAPL started looking into pressing charges against the protesters – wanting them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, no exceptions, including the children who were there. Sacred Stone also returned the case to court, requesting yet another restraining order until this all could be taken care of. The protests were declared “unlawful” by North Dakota Lt. Governor Drew Wrigley, while the Army Corps of Engineers said that they were in favor of stopping work on the pipeline until an agreement can be made. The struggles began being put up on social media, including video, photographs, and detailed accounts. While the demonstration did turn violent, what else was there to do? The government would not help, DAPL would not listen, and the courts did nothing. All that mattered was the money that would come in by desecrating hallowed land and creating a pipe to run through the states. This also is not just an issue for the reservations – the pollution of the Missouri River will affect millions of people who are connected to the river's water supply. The real fault falls onto the government, who sold the land and approved the project, despite knowing that the pipeline would go through the reservation and through the river, likely polluting it. DAPL could have been denied, they could have been told to readjust the route as to not go through the burial ground and the river. But instead, it was granted approval and, due to money speaking louder than people, has been given the support and special treatment by the courts.

The question is, of course, why did the protesters turn “violent”? Well, imagine you're in a tight-knit community. You all use the nearby river for water. There's a cemetery that nobody really has been buried at in years, but you all have ancestors whose final resting place is this cemetery. Then, a group comes in, having bought the land from the federal government, and had all the approvals. They're going to cut through the river, contaminating the water, as well as building it through the cemetery. Would you all stand by, watching them bulldoze the ground your ancestors are buried? Or would you try to stop them, no matter what? Standing by won't do anything, especially when they don't care about the land or your requests for talks. So you'd jump in and try to stop them from desecrating the land, right? And you'd want to protect your major water source, by any means necessary, correct? Better yet, if this helps show how important this land is to the Standing Rock, imagine a company wanted to build a pipeline right through Arlington National Cemetery. They kept going despite protests. Would you support people jumping over the fence and fighting back? What makes the Sacred Stone Camp any different?

Nobody is talking about this. Green Party nominee Jill Stein arrived at the construction site and spray painted a message in support of Sacred Stone Camp, and now Energy Transfer wants to press vandalism charges against her. Bernie Sanders has made a statement in support of Sacred Rock, and social media is exploding with coverage. Actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Shailene Woodley have paid visits to the camp to talk with the protesters and show their support. The cast of Justice League made a video wherein they directed people to a Change.org petition. Despite all this, none of the media networks are covering this event. They would rather argue about a guy not standing for the National Anthem, Trump vs Hilary, even some changes at Disney parks. They do not want to talk about the abuse and dare I say ---- towards the Standing Rock Sioux and the others at Sacred Stone Camp. Their water is under threat from greedfueled company who would rather destroy hallowed ground and risk contamination of a major water source for millions of people than actually think about the moral and ethical implications of turning up a burial site.

We need to become aware of this. What is happening to these people is wrong. They were attacked for trying to save their sacred land. People of all ages and backgrounds joined in the fight. This isn't even just the Sacred Stone Camp's problem. It's the problem of everyone who uses the Missouri River for water. It's the problem everyone who has hallowed ground, especially cemeteries. The real fault lies with the government and those who put money before human rights. Yes, the protest went violent. But if you had no other choice, and simply yelling slogans wasn't working to save the grounds that your ancestors are forever resting in, wouldn't you want to fight back? We need to join the Sacred Stone Camp and the Standing Rock Sioux in their fight against this injustice and lack of respect for their property. We as a nation already turned our backs and pushed our oppressive reach onto the Native Americans by forcing them into reservations, then saying they don't even own the land and are simply “granted the right” to live there. Having clean water and a place to live isn't a right you can just take away. And respecting the beliefs and sacred land of the first people in America is the least they can do right now. Spread this around. People need to know about this. And people need to join Sacred Stone Camp in protecting the land and river, because once we ignore their struggle, we've let the corporations run our lives and keep us in the dark about the truth. I stand with Sacred Stone Camp.