Introductory note From Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor, Tikkun:
Last night I received an urgent call from a spokesperson for the courageous Water Protectors at Standing Rock. In pain and shock, they reported vicious assaults on them even as they planned to depart their camp where they held their months-long attempt to protect the waters near their homes from corporate forces who decided to build a pipeline that will likely pollute the Native Americans' water supply.
As I listened, my eyes filled with tears and my heart ached as I recognized that we in the U.S. are once again betraying Native Americans, remnants of a people who were the victims of US genocide for the past several hundred years. The media has been largely ignoring their ongoing efforts and current atrocities. We spiritual progressives need to insist that US and global media give much more attention to this story, even as we recognize that the level of outrageous actions and positions taken by the Trump Administration have unleashed violent acts by individuals against people of color, Muslims, and Jews that rightly commands media attention as well.
Please read a communication I just received from those brave defenders of our environment and Native American human rights, and then call both national and local media and insist that they give more attention to this story.
Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor, Tikkun rabbilerner.tikkun@gmail.com
Today there were 45 arrests, and we still have 8 missing. Prayers are continually going out and we will start doing prayers aloud on Facebook each day, as many are hurting. Prayers give us a sense of solidarity and the strength we need to continue our efforts to defend our lands and water.
We respectfully request, on behalf of the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota people, and all the people of all races and generations that have joined to support the Water protectors, your help in sharing the footage of atrocious acts of violence against the Water protectors. We have hidden footage from the forced evacuation of Oceti Sakowin by Morton Country Sheriff Police Department and hired mercenaries. The footage is hidden because the police and mercenaries have been confiscating cameras, cell phones, etc. that we've used to document their abuses. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has also raided Rosebud camps in these last two days.
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We implore you to get US media to contact us, to share this inhumanity so that the world can see the injustice to all these people and to the U.S. veterans who came to help and support as well.
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Our email is drmichael@drmariamichael.com, our Facebook pages are Dr. Maria Michael and Maria D Michael. It is time to help our Grandmother Earth, and her peoples so that we may all live as one family of humankind in peace, prayer, and love.
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Help us save our world!
Blessings,peace, Mitakuye Oyasin -- We are all related,
(Dr. Maria Michael, a Lakota/Dine Elder, in Tikkun, 2/24/17)