You Will Anyway: Veterans Stand for Standing Rock

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Veterans Stand for Standing Rock

US military veterans continue to arrive at Standing Rock, with up to 3,500 expected in total. They are due to meet with tribal elders to discuss how they can best help the ongoing protest, marked by heavy police force and bitterly cold weather conditions.

Members of “Veterans Stand for Standing Rock,” who have been told to bring supplies such as gas masks, earplugs and body armor (but no drugs, alcohol or weapons), plan to form a human shield around protesters to protect them against rubber bullets and the police.

[...]

“The veterans are saying we can’t stand for that,” explained filmmaker Josh Fox, who has documented the police force at Standing Rock.

“What you do to the water protectors you do to the United States Constitution. We are sworn to uphold and protect the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And they’re saying listen, if you wanna burn the United States Constitution, you have to go through us. It’s quite a brave and amazing act that’s never happened in the history of the United States, that two thousand veterans just said you know what? Shoot at us first.”

[...]

In another recent development, the Morton County sheriff’s department has threatened to fine anyone bringing in supplies. This, say protesters, will make the situation even more desperate.

“We have what we need but we don’t have enough. We rely on supply runs,” said protester Keytha Fixico.

Those at the scene believe the National Guard may be called in, potentially escalating the situation. Veterans have already been asked to protest peacefully and avoid confrontations with officers that may get them arrested.

[...]

Veterans on-site have begun building a makeshift barracks and mess hall near the Oceti Sakowin camp site. However, for those who couldn’t make it to North Dakota there are other ways they can help.

“We ask folks, members of Veterans for Peace, and veterans everywhere and allies of ours to contact their local officials, contact their congresspeople, contact the state of North Dakota and the banks that are funding the Dakota Access pipeline and say that this is wrong,” Brian Trautman told RT.

“All these methods we hope will finally put an end to this pipeline.”

RT

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Life, as Explained in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead"

GUILDENSTERN: What a fine persecution---to be kept intrigued without ever quite being enlightened.

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ROSENCRANTZ : The only thing that makes it bearable is the irrational belief that somebody interesting will come on in a minute.

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GUILDENSTERN: But for God's sake what are we supposed to do?!

PLAYER: Relax. Respond. That's what people do. You can't go through life questioning your situation at every turn.

GUILDENSTERN: But we don't know what's going on, or what to do with ourselves. We don't know how to act.

PLAYER: Act natural. You know why you're here at least.

GUILDENSTERN: We only know what we're told, and that's little enough. And for all we know it isn't even true.

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GUILDENSTERN : We act on scraps of information... sifting half-remembered directions that we can hardly separate from instinct.

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PLAYER: Life is a gamble, at terrible odds-if it was a bet you wouldn't take it.