Just a few of the many facets to the recent Standing Rock delay

I have written much about the drastic changes we need to make if we are to survive our self- made crisis. There is no need to point these things out to the water protectors at Standing Rock. I only wonder if the rest of us really understand this.
Today there was a pause in construction announced. This is a victory for all people on the planet. It has significance in many ways. Surely the protection of the water is the obvious one.
Yet this struggle has been a teaching and learning experience even if it is not obvious. The oppressors are not readily able to deal with people who are not driven by greed, material possession and political power. The values are too foreign to them. The protectors also are outside the culture of fear the oppressors have so carefully constructed.
It has been said many times that the most dangerous people are those who have come to the point where they know they have nothing more to lose. You can kill them but you can’t control them.
Yet there is a burning question here. Why now? Why did they back off today? The obvious trigger is the arrival of the Veterans. Yet this may not be as simple as it looks.
I can’t get into the minds of the oppressors nor can I even hope to understand how they think. Yet there are some obvious things we all know at some level of consciousness.
First and foremost is the way power operates in this greed driven system. It divides, it instills fear of different groups it is oppressing and it offers the chance to gain if it must.
The protectors are clearly countering each of these standard ploys. The arrival of the veterans has huge symbolic value for not all of these people come from the value system the protectors do. Yet they are clearly in tune with that value system and are willing to sacrifice for it.
Martin Luther King was assassinated at a somewhat similar time in the evolution of his movement. In his case the assassination could be effective because of timing and the fact that what King was teaching had not yet come to be understood by those who tried to fill his shoes. Many of us understood but we were powerless to convey the message. Only King was able to do that. King clearly called for a deep change of values in the system. One which, if accepted, would have brought it down without the use of force. He had already made it clear that the use of force by the oppressors was counterproductive.
This time the situation has a new level of complexity. Who is there to assassinate? More importantly what reasonable person can deny that these protectors are acting on their behalf? This thing comes at a unique time and is spreading fast. I suspect that the oppressors are kicking themselves for not giving in sooner. But with their worldview and their values how were they to know?
Time will tell but I have more hope today than I have in a long time. More power to the people. The system may have met its match.

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mhagle's picture

All of those folks in ND .... Hope it becomes a celebration and planning session!

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

riverlover's picture

And yes, the mass of people against it there in ND had something to do with this late, expensive delay. Perhaps a not- obvious leader is a plus in going forward. This is a tightly-run protest, mind you, with multiple talking heads, not labeled as leaders, other than Archimbault. Whose profile is kept low. Are we learning?

I have yet to trust the snake-driller to obey.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

WindDancer13's picture

commuted. Yes, celebrate, but then get to work. A rear guard needs to remain at Standing Rock. In addition, legal actions must be taken against the ND governor, etc who tried to murder people and suspended civil rights. Keeping a careful eye on any things happening under the radar is going to be very important. Pressure needs to be kept on those who are financing pipelines and other destructive agendas.

I keep hearing people say that "we" are just waiting for a leader to start taking back our country. We could wait forever. The Native Americans have shown us how and what needs to be done. Will we listen and learn? Doubtful. From what I have seen, even here, is people will talk about it for awhile and then wander off to the next "story of the week."

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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

Steven D's picture

I think the banks are calling the shots at present:

http://caucus99percent.com/comment/220845#comment-220845

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

I have to agree.

One factor which has occurred to me is that there has apparently been already a statement made purportedly on behalf of the military to the effect that they will not obey illegal orders under Trump.

Add to this the optics of

militarized US police and corporate mercenaries torturing and assaulting pacific victims with everything from rubber bullets and toxic and painfully damaging chemicals to blasting them with concussion grenades, water-cannons in freezing weather and novel 'crowd-control' weapons potentially causing not only hearing damage but deafness

and injuring, possibly killing, thousands of peacefully protesting American war veterans forming a firewall protecting already tormented and injured American civilians

against government-supported corporate destructive, if lucrative, depredation in order for a very few to profit from the pollution of a supply of dwindling essential resources on which over 18 million Americans depend for drinking and washing water

- in a government-supported corporate invasion within their own homeland - under the current corporate/billionaire-controlled government.

The ones attacking and persecuting journalists and whistle-blowers and refusing to let an award-winning Canadian photographer into the country to document this incident, in order to keep the public ignorant and subject to propaganda until it's too late.

I personally believe that this could have triggered an uprising among the military, who are sworn to defend the American Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic and who evidently take such oaths more seriously than the corporate reps currently running the US government.

So TPTB may be waiting until the ongoing attempt at censorship of the internet has been achieved, so that all such abuses can be kept quiet and resistance picked off as it appears, without solidarity being achieved through public knowledge.

Our ignorance is their bliss, as they really are deluded and ignorant enough themselves to believe that the destruction of civilization and the life support system of Earth won't be a negative for them and they'll be able to buy a great and even immortal life with data-dots and an artificial life-support system dependent upon a power supply and no glitchs, ever, since there will be nowhere else to go and nothing else to eat, drink or breathe.

And if they only keep denying that this disaster could occur in the very near future with unrestrained global greed running rampant in an ecology, societies and economies already perishing from snowballing die-off due to 'cost-saving' industrial pollution and other industry/military abuses and threatened nuclear war-crimes creating global dimming causing global crop/plant die-off creating global famine and failing oxygen production for likely over a decade in a time of already-diminished and diminishing global oxygen production, they apparently believe that they can make their own reality in which this doesn't happen.

We are not dealing with sane, reality-connected humans...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

The water protectors were amazingly well organized, peaceful and principled. Not to mention committed and very brave! OTOH do they really think that the last 20 miles of a $3.8 billion pipeline are not going to be completed? It might get re-routed closer to Bismarck.

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"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

don mikulecky's picture

you really miss the point that much?

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

I get the point, and I am awestruck at the level of commitment by everyone involved. Yet you have to admit there is a mismatch between the five months of effort and suffering on the part of the water protectors and the results they can hope to achieve.

I thought the same thing about Keystone XL. There are plans to construct 12,360 miles of new pipelines in the USA alone. Without the federal and state governments on our side, these pipelines are unstoppable.

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"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

don mikulecky's picture

Yet you have to admit there is a mismatch between the five months of effort and suffering on the part of the water protectors and the results they can hope to achieve.

besides being trite and irrelevant to the discussion what is this supposed to mean?

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

President Obama stood calmly on the sidelines for five months while this played out, ignoring previous commitments. This is just one pipeline out of many. Thousands of people put their lives on hold, got arrested and packed into cages, hundreds suffered injuries when attacked by the police (looked like a repeat of OWS), and the likely outcome will be a re-route of the last 20 miles of a 1,172 mile pipeline.

You don't agree, I get it. But characterizing the facts as "trite" won't make them go away.

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"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

jwa13's picture

... let's just count the ways --

Banksters? Lies to involve the US in a not-so-phony war, in which millions of innocents have been murdered? "... look forward, not backward" -- all the fraudulent criminals walked, and pocketed billions in "bonuses", paid for by the gov't (i.e., thee & me)

Illegal wars, illegal torture, illegal assassinations, illegal "extrajudicial renditions", illegal hounding & prosecution of truth-tellers (aka "whistle-blowers"), illegal surveillance of ALL US citizens, and many foreign nationals, illegal... well, you get the picture.

If the International Criminal Court was doing its job (and not bought off or threatened by the USofA), O'Bummer, (together with Jr, Cheney, The $Hill, and numerous others) would be hesitant to travel to certain countries, for fear of arrest and prosecution as a war criminal. (Fortunately for the world, War Criminal Kissinger already is under threat of arrest, and has to plan his travel very carefully.)

O'Bummer is a TOOL, and has been used to great effect by the wielders of The Tool. He looks good, speaks the part, and has been totally opposed to any agenda that might address the needs of the vast majority of the people in the US (or on the planet). Glad to see his backside -- and there is no telling what The Trump might do (but it seems unlikely to be any worse) --

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When Cicero had finished speaking, the people said “How well he spoke”.
When Demosthenes had finished speaking, the people said “Let us march”.

don mikulecky's picture

you seem to miss many points....since when has there been an our side with Obama on it? I have been against the oligarchy for over a half century. there are many trite facts that won't go away...that's why facts out of context are useless

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

No, I did not say that. This administration is playing the same triangulation game as the Clintons.

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"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

tapu dali's picture

"trite fact".

Of course they are. All [D] administrations triangulate [i.e. eventually do what their masters wish, under some cover of "compromise to 'get things done' "] whereas Republicans just go ahead and do it with no semblance of an 'apology'.

I think I prefer the Republican way, as it's [at least] starightforward and honestly pro-1%. I detest pretense that one's 'supporting' the 99% and at the same time "gotta keep the economy going" [by supporting the 1%, just like the other side], which is what the D's give us.

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

I know! Acerbic, irascible, clear of eye(and mind) and willing to share what he sees with both, with all of us. Much appreciated!
Ttp, you say you have hope now don, and I'm curious to know why? And about what.
Thanks in advance.

peace

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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

don mikulecky's picture

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

you first have to win many battles. This has been an epic battle of possibly great consequence. It is not over yet, but its tide has decisively turned in our favor. This is not a time to despair, or to moan about how great the enemy is. This is a time to celebrate what has been accomplished, to build upon it, and to prepare for more battles to come.

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native

Alligator Ed's picture

Think about Viet Nam. The Vietnamese won no (zero) battles. But they won public opinion. Even Tet was a total military loss for the VC, but it rapidly shifted the majority of American opinion against the war.

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celebrated every time they kicked Yankee butt, no matter how small the skirmish. Point being, they never gave up.

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native

Raggedy Ann's picture

the veterans might have. I'm not saying they are the reason for the "change of heart," but it gave someone pause. Change will only come from the bottom up. I think this is a prime example validating that statement. We, the people, must participate as citizens of our country. This is hopeful.

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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

At a time when hope has been in short supply. A glimmer, a ray, certainly. Maybe even a bright flash of it. We need to keep it alive and growing.

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native

Raggedy Ann's picture

Unquestionably hopeful.

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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

Deja's picture

I know I'm going to sound crazy (not new, so no biggie), but Oprah did an experiment on prayer/focused intentional thought. (Back before she was on cable - just poor people TV.)

She had her audience focus on water. I believe the intent was to make it rain, but I heard about it after the fact, so not 100% sure. They all spent a bit of time focusing their mental energy on "water".

The experiment ended, and everyone left. It's my understanding that Oprah actually got on her plane, and while on her way elsewhere (Florida, I think), she received notification that a pipe had ruptured, and the basement of Harpo Studios was flooded.

I sent my energy into the universe this morning, at 10am CST. My brother did too. So did thousands, if not millions around the world. Smile

When I envisioned the cops turning, and walking away from the line of Protectors, my entire body was flooded with a wave of goosebumps.

I'm not surprised that the construction has halted! But then, I'm a nutter. Biggrin

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don mikulecky's picture

mine is based on science ...but not the science that we have under the oligarchy

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

Deja's picture

I prefer to believe in the fact that our minds are scientifically proven to contain energy. That energy can be focused - either toward addiction or causes, or what have you.

You can call that superstition, if you need to. I get that you don't believe in universal energy, God, whatever. I do.

Have a wonderful night! Smile

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can be effective, but you have to be careful about precisely what you are focusing on.

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native

don mikulecky's picture

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An idea is not responsible for who happens to be carrying it at the time. It stands or it falls on its own merits.

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native

Deja's picture

How do you agree with him/her, but call me superstitious? How are our comments, other than length, that different?

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It could take months for it to be discovered that all of the oil pipelines have spontaneously ruptured; perhaps we should all check our tap water several times daily to discover whether it's flammable yet?

Not sure whether I'm snarking or not... I hope I am, anyway.

Edit for clarification: we know that all of these oil/gas pipelines will leak/explode at some point and sooner or later have multiple major spills which the corporations (not being actual humans) will not be concerned about and that even existing spills and fracking waste will eventually reach most of our water supplies anyway - but then again, maybe it's better to die of thirst than of continual fossil fuel poisoning anyway? We pays our money, but we don't gots no choice in what we take - or where we take it...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

gulfgal98's picture

and I am hoping that is the case, is a social movement that cannot be stopped by conventional means. The reason for this is that this movement is based upon shared values across wide ranging groups of people, and it has no single leader who can be compromised or removed. So there is no way that the PTB can stop it by removing any one person. The arrival of the veterans signified to the PTB just how broad these values are shared among the general populace.

I see this as not the end. But this is a beginning of a movement based up valuing humanity first. I hope I am right.

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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

Raggedy Ann's picture

I was thinking along those same lines. We must not be alone in thinking this - a movement is afoot. Let's help shepherd the way.

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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

polkageist's picture

It seems to me that a movement without a leader but with many leaders is the best kind. It's like a hydra; cut off a head and two more grow to replace it. That was the weakness with MLK and with Bernie. Dylan was right when he said, "Don't follow leaders", although he didn't seem to mean it in just this way. Let's just forget about the shiny social objects and go after the neoliberals and capitalists and financialization; I think it's becoming obvious that gender issues of any kind, gun law, foreign enemies, political parties, and generalized fear are the weapons of choice used by the elites to keep us separated. The issues are important and should be addressed but not as our primary purpose.

Some of us have already found some useful ideas and even allies in places we didn't used to go. Breitbart may be a bridge too far but not necessarily. We need to winnow facts from fiction in all sources. Most of the old liberal sites like Kos are now Democratic Party shills and some groups like TrustVote are doing some good work exposing voting fraud even if one thinks their work suspect in some areas. The point is that there are a multitude of allies if we have the insight and skill to find them.

Liberté, égalité, fraternité

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-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962

Hi, polkageist! I recced your comment, but would like to point out, regarding:

... That was the weakness with MLK and with Bernie. ...

As I believe did MLK, Bernie always placed emphasis on the fact that it was 'not me, it was us' during his run and that a strong and informed public movement was imperative, that it took a groundswell from the bottom up to create change. He relied upon the aware among his supporters to keep the movement going, as they have.

I'm not sure how the facts seem to have been forgotten/replaced so quickly by so many, but there has been a great deal of propaganda intended to discredit Bernie and the democratic ideas he promotes and so determinedly works toward, by any means possible... we must remain rooted in reality, unlike those seeking to control our perceptions to weaken and separate us in thwarting all efforts toward democracy in a sustainable society and world.

Edit: the inevitable typo is your assurance that this comment was that of the official Typo Queen!

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

polkageist's picture

You're right of course. But their movements suffered when they weren't there.

I was thinking more in the line of Bernie being the guy with the microphone. He was necessary because we needed a rallying point and he provided it. When the Dems cheated and lied their way to the nomination, it left us in a confusing place. The rumors and conjectures are still confusing some of us. It looks as if the Sioux and the other tribes are teaching us how to avoid the problem in the future.

MLK was surrounded by lots of competent, good people, but it was my impression then that he was the pivot and the leader. He had the bully pulpit in both a figurative and literal sense. When he was killed, the movement went on but not with the same focus. I think one could argue otherwise, but that's what I saw.

Anyway, we're on the same page with lots of others so there's hope.

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-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962

Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

As an indicator of broad support from the populace that was a threat to them...
They have overcome significant numbers of people before...

I think the arrival of the veterans was an addition to the group that the PTB knew they would not get away with attacking without a strong adverse reaction that could be the trigger point of their demise...

They realize how fragile their divide and conquer is keeping us all apart using race, ethnicity, religion, gender, politics, etc really is...

Physically assaulting the veterans would have brought too many groups together in anger at once...

They know this... I sincerely hope these veterans will not stand down but will continue to protect other unarmed peaceful protesters that are protesting against other injustices across this country...

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"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,

and I too think the addition of the Veterans caused the PTB pause. Too many different "groups" know a veteran or are one, brings in their parents, friends, relatives.... Bad optics. I hope the vets stick around a good while.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

Alligator Ed's picture

to modern US political behavior. Don, you said it perfectly:

Yet this struggle has been a teaching and learning experience even if it is not obvious. The oppressors are not readily able to deal with people who are not driven by greed, material possession and political power. The values are too foreign to them. The protectors also are outside the culture of fear the oppressors have so carefully constructed.

Now the march must continue from Standing Rock, ND to Window Rock, AZ (Pinon Pipeline). Navajo Nation has precious little water. They need it all.

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Wink's picture

to get our country back is to stand up to these futhermuckers. Why we didn't do this Much sooner at Standing Rock is worrisome but better late than never. I doubt if the next time (and the time after that) will be easier, hell, eventually there's likely to be bloodshed; but if we stand up we likely win, send these futhermuckers packing. The oligarchs didn't stand down becuz the Vets showed up, but becuz they saw there were hundreds, if not thousands behind them. God bless Americans.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

have been great warriers with the ability to withstand physical pain;
same with the blacklivesmatter people;
and there are many others among us with such history
may it be that the giant has finally responded to the wake up call

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riverlover's picture

Equality makes privileged feel oppressed. The Tribal Nations have long been oppressed. Let them join with us as equals!

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

gendjinn's picture

Anything less can (and will be) overturned by Trump.

Unless, the prospect of Vets was too much negative PR for them to handle. This may be a new opening that can be exploited. Michael A Wood Jr on Jimmy Dore this week was very impressive, what he was proposing to do, to walk forward - that is my definition of a hero.

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that they were afraid of what the optics would be--retired vets standing up to violent law enforcement, OMG. And all those media trucks lining up, it was going to be a PR bloodbath.

Quick, start figuring out what the people have learned. The enemy is rich and powerful but not smart. And the enemy is afraid of deep, true beliefs just like they were afraid of MLK. And for now they are still afraid of looking bad...for now.

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blazinAZ's picture

This land is people's ancestral home. A monument would lock them out of it forever.

I don't agree with this as a goal.

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

gendjinn's picture

I did not realise that consequence of using the Monument act, and would never countenance exiling people from their land.

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sojourns's picture

natives in about 2010. I watched a flick today, "When Worlds Collide" about the Peruvian Gov't clashing with the natives over land use. Land that was guaranteed to remain in the natives hands in perpetuity. It became ugly with many deaths on both sides and the Gov't finally backing off and repealing the false laws they had passed to give them license only to have another batch of unconstitutional laws passed so that the gov't in concert with N. American firms to proceed unfettered with the land raping. It was ugly.

They'll back off for awhile and then just pave over the Sioux, et al. after a period of time. GOD I want to be wrong.

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"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage

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"We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

though I had sworn off tv and only watched them sporadically on the web. Now I think they have lost whatever luster they might have had.

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glitterscale

Wink's picture

had years ago. When they continued to roll out Joe F'ing Lieberman as the representative of the Democratic wing of the Democratic party, well... it was time to turn the channel. And that was a good four years ago. It's likely been since the '90s that these Sunday wonk shows had any cred.

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

precious little clean water left. "We" need it all collectively, to share with every other living being, plant or fish or bird or animal that lives on this planet with us. They are us and we are them -- there can be no actual distinction, only an imaginary one.

Despite our corporate capitalist overlords having claimed dominion over the greater part of the Earth's land, air and water, to exploit and ruin as they see fit, none of it actually "belongs" to them. They have bullied and bamboozled us into believing that it does, but in fact it does not!

A superb essay, Don Mikulecky.

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native

in the pipeline building. His motives have always been murky to me. I never have understood him. I only thought I understood him when I voted for him in 08. But I think he was looking at those vets and asking himself what could possibly go wrong. He doesn't want his exit to be remembered as the beginning of the apocalypse.

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glitterscale