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V

irginia

C

apitol

C

onnections

, W

inter

2017

20

Susan Hughes, a long-time friend, is the founder of the Baby

Girl Project and has raised money over the years to build almost

40 schools for children in Africa. Like many Americans, Susan

has closely followed the situation with the Dakota Access Pipeline

(DAPL) and the Native Americans located on the Standing Rock

Indian Reservation. These Native Americans oppose DAPL because

of the serious risk to their water supply and the potential irreversible

harm to their land.

I confess:

Going to Standing Rock to bear first hand witness to

what was happening to Native Americans was no where on my list

of things to do this past November

. However, Susan inspired me as

she, in passing one day, told me of her plans to visit Standing Rock

and why that was important to her. She already knew what I would

learn from visiting Standing Rock; that there was something of much

deeper importance occurring at Standing Rock;

something that should concern all Americans.

Weston Mathews, Vice-Rector at Stephen

Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, who did

not know me beforehand but had already been to

Standing Rock, gave his time and insights to us on

what to expect. He warned that the racism toward

Native Americans is perhaps unlike any that I

might have seen. And he, sadly, is correct.

Mainstream media coverage showed little of

the violence being directed at peaceful protestors.

Here is where my shock set in regarding the racism

toward Native Americans.

The government and

private contractor are essentially running a military

action against people who are unarmed and using

prayer and courage to stand up for themselves.

It

was what I might have expected in a totalitarian

country but not in the United States. The night that

we left we saw horrific violence against Native

Americans and their allies. It was heartbreaking for me to witness.

Consider the following. When police shootings and race concerns

broke out in Charlotte, did the militarized police use: (1) water

cannons in sub-freezing temperatures on unarmed peaceful protestors,

(2) tear gas in a manner where protestors could not escape but also

on those aiding protestors, (3) rubber bullets and devices to cause ear

pain for days and (4) the ELRAD sound cannon to cause concussion

and disorientation? No. That would not look good for television news,

which was virtually 24-hour coverage for several days in Charlotte.

All four things happened the night we left Standing Rock.

It is well-documented that oil pipeline spills happen around the

United States at a far more alarming rate and damage than many

Americans realize since only catastrophic

oil spills garner serious media attention.

It is a legitimate concern for not only

Native Americans and other Americans who live in rural or less

populated areas where many pipelines exist and should be for urban

and suburban-based Americans.

Here are people, who don’t want a pipeline planted under their

only supply of drinking water, the same pipeline that was redirected

from Bismarck because of health risk concerns to that population,

so that oil can be sold, not in the USA, but overseas. Although there

are federal directives for Energy Transfer Partners to stop work

on DAPL, those orders have been largely ignored and the rights

of Native Americans, who are still “citizens” of our country, have

been trampled.

During my time at Standing Rock, I was never

in harm’s way. I, along with Susan and another

friend, Lainie Gratz, helped by washing dishes,

moving building supplies and assisting in any

way needed. I loved sitting in prayer with Native

people, many who are Christians, who talked about

their faith, their convictions and who demonstrate

incredible courage. There was never any discussion

of doing harm to the police or others. In fact, many

led prayers for their oppressors. Women Native

American leaders spoke so eloquently about their

values and their purpose.

The Hopi and Lakota Indians tell of a native

ancient prophecy of “the Black Snake” attempting

to cross rivers around the country and if successful

will bring destruction and harm to many waters

and lands. These are not prophecies of convenient

storytelling but teachings in their Native American

traditions that go back hundreds of years and

demonstrate a profound stewardship for the environment. If oil

pipelines are “the Black Snake” in such prophecies I pray they don’t

come true.

There is a saying that God speaks to those who take time to listen

and God listens to those who take time to pray. I am grateful that I took

time to listen to my friend, Susan Hughes, about Standing Rock and for

bearing witness to something all too easy to ignore.

Kirk T. Schroder is an attorney with the law firm of Schroder Davis in

Richmond. From 1998 to 2002, he served as president of the Virginia

Board of Education. Kirk currently serves as a legislative appointee

and member of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission.

Standing

Rock

APersonal

Reflection

By Kirk Schroder

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