“As you know I approved two pipelines that were stuck in limbo forever. I don’t even think it was controversial. You know I approved them, I haven't even heard, I haven't had one call from anybody saying, "Oh that was a terrible thing you did" I haven’t had one call. Usually, if I do something it's like bedlam. Right? I haven’t had one call from anybody. And you know, a lot of jobs, in the Keystone case we have potentially 32,000 jobs. Almost immediately. And then as you know I did the Dakota pipeline. And nobody called up to complain. Because it was unfair. Years of getting approvals. Nobody showed up to fight it. This company spends a tremendous, hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars and then all of a sudden people show up to fight it. That's not fair to our companies. And I think everyone’s going to be happy in the end. Okay?” (ABC News)I heard President Trumps comments and was astounded. Was he really talking about the Dakota Access Pipeline? This is the pipeline that has brought about one of the largest gathering of Native peoples in the history of the United States. Tens of thousands of people, from hundreds of tribes have stood in solidarity for months against the building of this pipeline. I did not know how many of us have actually CALLED Donald Trump's White House, but no halfway informed leader could legitimately say they have not heard voices of opposition. Especially the President of the United States.
But I thought, OK. I'll do it his way. So I looked up the Contact the White House web page and found the comments phone number. I composed a re-tweet of the video with a comment imploring people to call the White House Comment line at 202-456-1111. If Donald Trump wanted to hear from us via phone calls, so be it.
I clicked Tweet and then immediately picked up my phone to call the White House, voice my complaint and protest President Trump's support and approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Ring...Ring...Ring...
Male voice: "Thank you for calling the White House Comments line."
Female Voice: "Thank you for calling the White House Comment line. The comment line is currently closed..."
I hung up the phone and deleted my tweet.
Our elders leading the resistance at Standing Rock are very wise. When confronting companies driven by greed, they have modeled that the best resistance begins with prayer, ceremony and standing in solidarity. I would apply this same model to confronting a narcissistic President who is surrounded by billionaires and insulated by alternate facts. Donald Trump has intentionally chosen not to hear our protests, but Creator will definitely hear our prayers.
Resist in beauty my relatives.
Water is life.
You cannot drink oil.
#NoDAPL
Mark Charles
(Navajo)
UPDATE: Feb. 13, 2016 @ 4 PM EST: I received a comment today that someone was finally able to get through to the White House Comment line and register their opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. So I tried calling and, after waiting on hold for nearly 8 minutes, was able to get through and voice my opposition. I have no idea how long the line is open for or how consistent it is. But apparently it is occasionally open. :-)
The number to call is 202-456-1111.
Resist in beauty my relatives.
I normally check my Twitter feed every morning to catch up on the latest news, opinions and events that happened throughout the night. This morning I saw a tweet by ABC News embedded with a video of President Trump responding to questions regarding the US Army Corps of Engineers announcement that they intended to approve the final easement and allow the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross the Missouri River less than a mile above the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark. Sharing out as usual.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, after reading what you wrote here, I called the White House, too. I am so appalled at the lack of ability to communicate with this administration. Since the recording on that phone line suggested it, I went to the official White House Facebook page and sent a message. Here's what I wrote:
ReplyDelete"Mr President, I tried to call your comment line at the White House, but it is currently closed. You commented officially that there were no phone calls of opposition to the Dakota pipeline. Since there is no way to make a phone call about the Dakota pipeline, I am officially voicing my extreme opposition to what you are doing with pipelines in our country in a Facebook message.
Respectfully, there have been months of protests by people standing in the face of this project. I do not know how anyone could have missed this strong opposition!.
This is the pipeline that has brought about one of the largest gathering of Native peoples in the history of the United States. Tens of thousands of people, from hundreds of tribes have stood in solidarity for months against the building of this pipeline. Please listen to your people. We have stolen the land of the Natives of this land, dedicated their culture and languages, took their children, and the list goes on. Yet we have never apologized. And now we want to endanger the drinking water of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, A federally recognized Indian tribe, a successor to the great Sioux nation.
We have laws that require Federal agencies to consider environmental risks and to protection of Indian historic and sacred sites. But the Army corps of Engineers has chosen to ignore all those laws, and fast tracked this massive project just to meet the pipelines aggressive construction schedule.
I join millions in my opposition to the construction of the Dakota pipeline. I am voicing my opposition here. Please hear me, Mr. President!"
I meant to also say to you: thank you for your unfailing beautuiful resistance, dear Mark. You challenge me and so many to follow God's call for justice and Shalom with such grace. Thank you for the gift of being fully who God has made you to be, no matter the cost. May He shine on you tonight, ever more brightly.
DeleteHi Mark-
ReplyDeleteThanks for your work.
I recently ran across White House Inc, from the folks that set up Sanders's digital campaign: https://whitehouseinc.org/
They argue that until trump divests from his properties they aught to be treated at proxy White Houses white the comment phone line is shut down. They have a number to call that will connect to one of his businesses at random to leave your comment