“Yesterday’s holiday isn’t about Yay Indians. It is a day to make commitments to expanding our knowledge base on native issues both locally and worldwide. It is a day to take action. Speaking of action, Indigenous water protectors and land defenders gathered in Washington DC yesterday, Indigenous Peoples Day, to demand President Biden take a stand on fossil fuels. Police used an LRAD – Long Range Acoustic Device, or sonic weapon within feet of Indigenous water and land protectors (mostly women and grandmothers). This weapon can be loud enough to cause vomiting and ear damage. It was created by the U.S. military for use in war and was used against our people yesterday in broad daylight, in front of the white house, on a day that the President declares is a day to honor the resilience of first nations people in the country – YET! Our people were brutalized on his watch at his doorstep. Which means the ridiculousness of President Bidens proclamation is meaningless and performative. No surprise there.
As many as 130 cities and a number of states have moved to observe Indigenous Peoples Day in the rightful place of Columbus day. Yesterday that list continued to grow which is great news. However the hypocrisy doesn’t go unnoticed that President Biden simultaneously acknowledged Indigenous Peoples Day, while also continuing to keep Columbus Day an active federal holiday. We are not asking, we are demanding to been seen and for true and accurate history to be acknowledged. Land Acknowledgements and holidays are hollow without committing to actual change.
Indigenous people are fighting to protect everyone’s future! To read more on Indigneous Peoples Day please check out our toolkit collaboration with Greenpeace.org – https://www.ip3action.org/celebrating-indigenous-peoples-day/
For more on Line 3 and what took place yesterday check out – https://www.stopline3.org/news/lettertobiden-dcaction101221
IP3 Stands with and supports our Indigenous people fighting daily to protect and preserve their homelands and culture which is under attack on all fronts every single day of our lives.
