Standing Rock DAPL
Prayer gathering and vigil in San Diego on December 5
By Anna Daniels
Standing Rock Solidarity Prayer Gathering and Candlelight Vigil
Monday December 5
3:30- 5:00 pm
US Army Corp of Engineers
8775 Aero Drive San Diego 92123
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San Diego Free Press asked Stan Levin and Gil Field of San Diego Veterans for Peace to let us know about local involvement at Standing Rock. Over two thousand veterans are currently providing support and protection at the Standing Rock Sioux nation camp near the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.
Stan and Gil put us in touch with Veteran for Peace Will Griffin whose work can be found at the Peace Report. Will provided us with the video below from his October 2016 trip to Standing Rock with Matthew Hoh, Advisory Board Member of Veterans For Peace.
“For the first time, we served the American people.”
It is striking to hear how Hoh, a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who resigned from his State Department position in protest over strategic policies in Afghanistan described his presence at Standing Rock.
Matt and I also agreed that after our military “service” and multiple deployments to two wars, this was the first time we served the American people. After going to a few nonviolent direct action protests against the Black Snake [oil pipeline], we realized what it actually meant to stand by the American people and fight in their interests. We suddenly had this feeling of honor, something we never had from our deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Veterans are at Standing Rock right now, acting as human shields for the Water Protectors. Representative and veteran Tulsi Gabbard ( D- Hawaii) is at the site. She has expressed concern that there is so little awareness, let alone interest, from Congress on what is happening at Standing Rock. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple issued a mandatory evacuation order that is to go into effect tomorrow, Monday December 5th.
Officials have threatened those bringing in supplies to the camp with exorbitant fines. The Morton County Sheriff’s Department has deployed brutal force, including the use of water hoses in frigid temperatures, against the protestors. The government has said that it will not forcibly remove anyone but can cite them for a variety of offenses, including trespassing. The Department of Justice has sent in observers.
Why have thousands of people from all over the world spent time during the last four months at this prairie encampment?
The Sioux struggle against the pipeline embraces so many other struggles in this nation. It encompasses struggles against climate catastrophe, a history of breaking treaties with Native Americans, attacks on the right to assemble, assaults on journalists, the militarization of police, and placing corporate profits over human rights.
San Diego Stands with Standing Rock: #NoDAPL
Attend the Standing Rock Solidarity Prayer Gathering and Candlelight Vigil Monday December 5.
Rep. Gabbard stated that Congress has shown little interest in Standing Rock. On Monday, call your congressional representatives and ask them to stand with Standing Rock and stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).
Contact North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple Phone: 701-328-2200; Email
Contribute to Standing Rock here.
Why we do this….
We also know now that not only is water life, as the Standing Rock Sioux continue to cry out, but water is also peace. None of us can have any peace without the basic necessities of life such as clean air and water, arable land, clothing, shelter and justice.
Anna Daniels
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