Image courtesty of Joe Brusky/flickr
You may have noticed on social media recently that there are a lot of people posting about what’s occurring on the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. Right now, there are hundreds of Indigenous people and allies from across North America protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline for the purposes of protecting the waterways for future generations.
It’s important for Canadian citizens and the general public to be aware of the injustices that are occurring because prior to the colonization of North America, Indigenous people did not recognize the current borders between the United States and Canada. It is also a reality that the political and environmental issues in the United States will have an impact on us in Canada.
I’ve seen online comments expressing skepticism about the impact that can be made from being an “online activist.” I agree that online activism will never make up for assisting on the ground with community-led initiatives and causes. But it’s also a reality that not everyone can easily drop their school or work commitments and head to North Dakota.
I do think that there is an opportunity on social media to inform and educate the public about the issues at Standing Rock. There is significance in sharing articles and providing updates on Facebook, Twitter or whatever your prefered social media platform is. We should be informing our non-Indigenous friends and colleagues about the issues with the Dakota Access Pipeline. Some people have been ‘checking in’ on Facebook and others tweeting articles and sharing videos. I think that all of these are great outlets to share information. Everyone needs to know and be aware of the violence occurring in the United States. Along with informing others who may not know about the conflict, engaging online is also a symbolic gesture to stand in support with the Standing Rock reservation.
That being said, I would also like to encourage people to take concrete action any way they can, if they can’t be there in person. Check out 10 ways you can help Standing Rock Sioux fight the Dakota Access Pipeline here.
Continue sharing articles, videos and providing updates on social media. Please do not let the skeptics deter you from doing so.
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