A Different Perspective:

"To protest is to be weak, to give your power to what you protest against. It’s just an illusion, protest just empowers the illusion of your mind. We are not weak, we are power. A warrior does not stand aside protest when a bully tries to make a brother or sister his victim, warrior stands up and protects. We are power."

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phre0bArD0M]

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Lookout's picture

good luck with your trip Bisbonian...power to the protectors!

“Upon suffering beyond suffering; the Red Nation shall rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world. A world filled with broken promises, selfishness and separations. A world longing for light again. I see a time of seven generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth will become one circle again. In that day there will be those among the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things, and the young white ones will come to those of my people and ask for this wisdom. I salute the light within your eyes where the whole universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am that place within me, we shall be as one."

-Crazy Horse

This last vision of Crazy Horse’s was spoken in 1877, approximately seven generations ago. It was retold by Chief Joe Chasing Horse, a relative of Crazy Horse. He translated it from the words of the grandmother who was present when the words were spoken, while Crazy Horse sat smoking the sacred pipe with Sitting Bull for the very last time, four days later he was slain.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Bisbonian's picture

my sig line, for the last week or so. Black Elk said something very similar, some years later. He was Crazy Horse's nephew, I think, and another spiritual leader. He brought the Ghost Dance to the Sioux, which did not go well, and he was despondent for much of his life, but he had a vision for the future.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Lookout's picture

Hey! Lean to hear my feeble voice.
At the center of the sacred hoop
You have said that I should make the tree to bloom.
With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather,
With running eyes I must say
The tree has never bloomed
Here I stand, and the tree is withered.
Again, I recall the great vision you gave me.
It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives.
Nourish it then
That it may leaf
And bloom
And fill with singing birds!
Hear me, that the people may once again
Find the good road
And the shielding tree.

Safe travels Bisbonian...

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Bisbonian's picture

I can't find my book Smile

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

mhagle's picture

Facebook.

Thank you and thank you.

I'm glad the veterans and going there this week.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Morton County sheriff yesterday, they like to play phone tag. Anytime you get a last four digit number with the first three the same and a zero, try changing the zero to any other number to get through. They're usually extensions of the public number. I went through them all for about an hour and a half,the computer would say party not answering at about the two minute ten second mark, Or it would ring on until I tried again at the six minute mark. Constant, dogged, persistence(who says pot is no good?) until THEY got tired and started picking up and hanging up immediately.
THEN I knew I had 'em! They would pick up and I would say Very quickly, don't hang updonthangupdonthangup and eventually I Talked to someone. Very polite, robotic almost, but we Engaged with each other. I got him laughing, startled out of his professional personae, for a minute(don't remember over what, pot is bad!). I ended by telling him the protesters were Protecting the water for millions, and why did the company move the route from the 'burbs to the rez in the first place and that the Protecters were doing it with prayer and love for the opposition and I would follow their lead. He thanked me for the call and we parted.
Upshot? None, except, be polite, be persistent and Engage the people, don't lecture.
My take anyway.

peace

edit to add my wishes for a safe and successful trip, Bisbonian! Don't let the bahstahds turn you into one of them!

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

gulfgal98's picture

Thank you for standing with the native peoples in the fight to protect their water resources and their sacred tribal lands. May the time you share with the water protectors be one of power.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Bisbonian's picture

It's already having an effect.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

is essential. How hard is that to figure out? Why is there even a battle over this? Every mother with a newborn infant knows she doesn't want to feed her baby contaminated breast milk or formula. Every mother would recoil at that thought. Every 5 year old would not want to drink dirty water. Why do the adults in positions of power have difficulty with this concept?

We were given the gift of this planet earth. We have failed utterly in taking care of this gift. Succeeding generations (if they survive our destructiveness) will rightfully condemn us. I understand this battle involves other issues as well. However, it can be pared-down to this essential issue of clean water. All we have to do is think about the horror of the Flint Michigan water debacle. No American wants that to happen to their water supply. (Although it may be a problem in many other communities.) The only thing Americans need to do is to imagine their own water supply in peril (which, unfortunately it is) and then we are all on the same page.

My heart and respect is with the water protectors.

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Lady Libertine's picture

is about as spot on as it gets.

they have all the guns. they have all the lies. they have all the money. but that is not power. it is illusion...

didnt know you were going there, Bisbonian, best to you! Please be careful. I hear they have a good training or orientation of some sort for newcomers but this week coming up, Im afraid its gonna get ugly. Also be wary of, ya know, Im sure there's jackasses infiltrated there. they may try to sow discord or sometimes they just fan flames if they happen naturally (which is kind of inevitable) so be mindful of that shit. Tune up your radar before you go.

Walk in peace, stand strong.

(and thank you!!)

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Raggedy Ann's picture

Safe travels to you and thank you for going to SR. My thoughts, hopes, and dreams are in your bag. Many thanks for standing with the water protectors and standing with the 99%. Stay courageous.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Amanda Matthews's picture

the solution was for the BLM to offer the people that have lived on that land for hundreds of years land somewhere else. Now today you're heading out to join the protest?

***
Dervish post

"...some of these thing aright. He could stop the madness at Standing Rock, and even better, he could honor the judgment that the Sioux won in the SCOTUS years ago, they've refused the ridiculous monetary award, but I'm sure they'd accept BLM or other federal lands in lieu of cash. In short, in these remaining weeks, he could leave a lasting legacy for himself and for the native people."

Your response

Yes!!

"they've refused the ridiculous monetary award, but I'm sure they'd accept BLM or other federal lands in lieu of cash."

Instead he's busy handing out fake medals to Hollywood celebs." And pardoning (some of the) turkeys.

***

When it was pointed out that these were sacred burial grounds you posted:

"They lined up three bulldozers side by side,
and plowed through the site in formation. That was the day they released the vicious dogs on the protectors...I think it was around September 3rd. "What remains?""

http://caucus99percent.com/comment/218583#comment-218583
***

Like I said, your post today is rather confusing.

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Bisbonian's picture

"they've refused the ridiculous monetary award, but I'm sure they'd accept BLM or other federal lands in lieu of cash."

I thought it was obvious.

The bulldozers was not snark. That was fact...the tribe filed a motion with the court to protect a specific site, and the next day, the ETP/DAPL people took that information, drove over to the site, and bulldozed it. voila...no more sacred site to get in the way.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Amanda Matthews's picture

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Bisbonian's picture

it was sarcasm. They have refused payment (with interest, the account is up to 1.3 billion dollars) for the land that was taken from them in the 60s. It would be ridiculous to believe, under those circumstances, that they would want any other land. The chief of my grandmother's tribe faced a similar situation in 1903. This is what he said:

“You ask us to think what place we like best next to this place where we always live. You see that graveyard out there? There are our fathers and our grandfathers. You see that Eagle-nest mountain and that Rabbit-hole mountain? When God made them he gave us this place. We have always been here. We do not care for any other place! There is no other place for us! If you will not buy this place we will go into the mountains like quail, and die there, the old people, women and children."

His plea of "if you will not buy this place" refers to the fact that the former governor of California had laid claim to their land, and there was a chance that the US government would buy it 'back' for them. Instead, the government offered to buy them a different piece of land, foreign to them. The whole story is here: http://www.socalhistoryland.mysite.com/article_12.html

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Amanda Matthews's picture

I was/am going off your "Yes!!" after the suggestion that the BLM swap pieces of land with the Water Protectors.

So I'll just repeat "Okay".

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

lotlizard's picture

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It does seem that the time is ripe for this movement.

I know you'll be extemely busy, and I'm sure communicating from there is not easy, but it would be great if you can continue to post here. Your perspective on what is happening there would be something people would love to hear.

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gulfgal98's picture

has been organizing the veterans support of the water protectors at Standing Rock. I am assuming that Bisbonian is going as part of that group. I believe the date was December 4. If I am wrong, please correct me.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Bisbonian's picture

joining a convoy to get up there the night of the 3rd. On the 4th, there will be a spiritual assembly to prepare us to help the Standing Rock tribe, and then for three days following, we will be on the line.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

wishes and warm regards to you and the other Protectors on site.

(When it gets all North Dakota-y up there, sing Sweet Sunny South by Charlie Poole to yourself for internal warmth.)

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Bisbonian's picture

It's a Charlie Poole Song,
You can't go wrong.
--Chris Coole

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Cheers.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

mhagle's picture

Thank you. Be safe.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo