An unfortunate part of American history is our dark side, a side where we stray from our foundations of “all men are created equal.” From slavery to Japanese internment camps to deportation of Latin Americans, minority racial groups have been repeatedly targeted and looked down upon not just by the white majority, but the American people as a whole. Perhaps, the most notable of these infractions is one of the first, the relocation of Native Americans.
Proposed by Andrew Jackson and approved by Congress in 1830, the Indian Removal Act forced Native Americans onto designated land in the Midwest called reservations. Since then, many Native Americans have had to adjust to new living conditions and lifestyle.
Now, once again the government is paying complete disregard to Native American’s with the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The 1,172 mile pipeline would begin at the Bakken Formation, an underground oil source in parts of Montana and North Dakota and run through South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. After its completion, the pipeline would deliver over 470,000 barrels of oil per day. The downside? The pipeline would put the environment at great risk, possibly contaminating the Missouri River water supply and disturbing historical territory belonging to various Native American tribes.
By failing to reconsider the Dakota Access Pipeline, the United States government is not only disrespecting the Native American community, but is also showing its lack of support for finding eco-friendly alternative energy sources. Although this oil deposit is a great economic boost, we have to remember that these resources are finite. It is a shame that our government is prioritizing economic gain rather than the well being of the American people. With global warming and air quality concerns on the rise, it is our responsibility to take action and protect our environment.
Instead of investing money into a project that eventually will be abandoned when natural resources become deplenished, the government should be investing in projects that can last forever. Natural gas and solar energy are cleaner options for our future.
Continuing the Dakota Access Pipeline will destroy the Native American community, their culture, their home, and their heritage. If their home is destroyed, then what is to stop the government from destroying ours too? The construction of the pipeline must be terminated not just for the safety of the Native American tribes who live there, but for our planet as a whole.