Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Teaching Nonviolent Atonement

Home
Progressive Christian
Dear President-elect Trump: Oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline

Dear President-elect Trump: Oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline

Last updated on: November 15, 2016 at 2:23 pm by Lindsey Paris-Lopez

Dear President-elect Trump: Oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline 2016-11-15T14:23:56-05:00 Lindsey Paris-Lopez

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Dear President-elect Donald Trump,

Congratulations on your electoral victory. You have promised to be the president for all citizens of the United States, and I look forward to your fulfillment of that promise in a way that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable among us – racial and religious minorities, the LGBTQ community, the differently-abled, the poor and working classes. You have a difficult job ahead of you in a heavily divided nation, and for the sake of healing, I wish you success.

I write today to suggest that you do something to help alleviate some of the deep concerns many citizens, including myself, have that you are willing to crush the most vulnerable and push the marginalized further aside in order to advance your own interests. As you know, your campaign and victory have been catalysts for the spontaneous outbreak of hate crimes, which, thankfully, you have now denounced. Yet, even acknowledging this denunciation, you yourself have made overtly racist and sexist comments and have called for violence at your own rallies. People are understandably concerned that your presidency will inflame bigotry nationwide. Yet, while it is the duty of every citizen to critique the policies of any public servant and hold them to the highest standards, I have a suggestion for how you may restore some of the trust of the citizenry while remaining consistent with many of your campaign promises.

I suggest that you vigorously denounce the Dakota Access Pipeline immediately.

Central to your campaign has been a hard stance against undocumented immigrants. I oppose the merciless policy proposals of a “wall” and unquestioned deportation. They lack empathy or any understanding of the United States’ responsibility in creating deadly conditions that many immigrants flee. Yet opposed as I am to your proposals, I acknowledge a good intention behind them: the protection of the American people.

With that in mind, consider that those most in need of protection from outside invaders are our nation’s First Peoples. The area on which the Dakota Access Pipeline is being built belongs to the Sioux Nation, and Energy Transfer Partners is violently stealing, desecrating, and poisoning the land and threatening to poison the water. Law enforcement and private security companies are viciously attacking lawful peaceful water protectors with mace and rubber bullets along with arresting and strip-searching them. Mr. President-elect, these are clear violations of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, in which the United States vowed to prohibit harm to any person or property belonging to the tribes within the territory reserved unto them. The real threat of illegal immigration throughout our nation’s history is the threat European settlers and their descendants have posed and continue to pose to the indigenous peoples. The construction workers for the Dakota Access Pipeline should be ordered to leave, and Energy Transfer Partners reprimanded. Security forces should be turned around to drive not the water protectors, but the pipeline workers, away from territory where they have no permission to drill. And then security forces, as well, should pull out of the Sioux Nation territory and leave the people, land, and water in peace.

It is not only treaties that are being violated. President Obama has not yet granted the easement to drill under the water, but Energy Transfer Partners is promising to drill within two weeks. This blatant disregard for the law flies in the face of the “law and order” administration you have promised to uphold. Affirmation not only that you are a man of your word, but that you enforce your power to protect, rather than harm, ordinary citizens against forces of greed would enhance both your credibility and your favorability. It is pragmatic, and it is also the right thing to do.

Additionally, while you have denied the threat of climate change, you have said that you care very much about “clean air and clean water.” Pipelines leak frequently, and an oil spill under the Missouri River, polluting the water not only for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe but for millions of Americans, could easily happen under your watch. Although oil and natural gas companies deny the threats of oil spills, they tend to build pipelines through poor areas where citizens do not have the resources to litigate in the event of a leak. You know you would never allow a pipeline through one of your estates or golf courses, and the American people deserve the same consideration.

The CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, where you have investments, is confident that you fully support the Dakota Access Pipeline. You could make it clear that you now have a deeper, stronger commitment to the future of the American people, and that means putting our health and safety above concerns for profit. To the workers who are relying on construction of the pipeline for employment, you could allay financial concerns by promising and delivering jobs to repair America’s crumbling infrastructure in your upcoming administration. To all Americans, you could help allay fears that you put your own interest ahead of the welfare of the people.

Finally, Mr. Trump, you invoked your Christian faith to gain the support and trust of the American people. But the history of Christianity for this nation’s First People’s is a dismal betrayal of the ethics of Jesus, who said, “Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.” Jesus teaches us to see the image of God’s love in every person, especially those marginalized and dehumanized. Jesus teaches us to see the image of God in the Native Americans that people and powers of the United States have cheated, brutalized, stolen from, and killed.

Strong but vulnerable people have gathered at the river to pray. They are being brutalized and humiliated. Jesus is standing with them. Our nation should, as well. While you do not yet have the authority to call off construction, you, like the rest of us, do have a responsibility to speak out for justice. And few voices could encourage President Obama to take a stand for Native American rights and the safety of all the American people like yours right now.

Mr. President-elect, the world is waiting to see how you will fulfill your promise to be the president of all Americans. Many are fearful; many are hopeful. While this one action will not allay all the concerns many people have, it will be a tremendous leap in the right direction. Regardless of whether you heed this advice, I promise to continually call upon you to use your power for the good of our nation and the world, voicing my opposition when warranted, but crediting you and supporting you when credit and support are due.

Sincerely,

Lindsey Paris-Lopez

Image: Screenshot from Youtube: “Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters: The World Needed To See What Was Going On” by NBC News

Uncategorized

climate change

dakota access pipeline

donald trump

environment

Fort Laramie Treaty 1868

Native American rights

peace

standing rock

Previous Post

November 12, 2016

Public Displays of Holy Protest – Moving Beyond Shame and False Unity

Next Post

November 16, 2016 Wednesday Sermon: Gaining Our Lives

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement and Current Events Curriculum Faith and Families Interviews Jesus the Forgiving Victim Lent Montessori politics Reviews The Bible Explained Uncategorized Valentine's Day Wednesday Sermon Who is God?

Select a Month July 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 January 2014 December 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz