From my newsfeed, I got the impression that the protesters were a bunch of weirdos. All that the million and one sources in my feed mention about the protesters is that they are “defending sacred ancestral sites”, and it’s hard to take this concept seriously.
But then I finally saw a representative of the Standing Rock Sioux on TV and he explained that the protests are about preserving water from being contaminated by the pipeline. That is, the protest is important and reasonable and the protesters are not kooks but people who should be supported in their good fight. I Google photos of the protest, and sure enough, people are standing with placards that say “Clean water!”
It’s almost like there is a conspiracy to shit on the protest and make it sound like a bunch of weirdos being extra special weird.
One should always go to the source and not trust retellings – that’s the lesson here. I almost condemned people who defend an issue I care the most about because I trusted retelling.
Clarissa's Blog 
Thus the importance of primary sources. I had a problem using a secondary sources recently as you can see from this post. Make sure to read the whole thing especially the part after the word “correction.”
http://jpohl.blogspot.com/2016/10/soviet-kurds-and-assimilation.html
LikeLike
I have that problem sometimes, too. Professors at my sister’s school went on strike, and I was kind of annoyed at the time since that’s all I knew about it and because that kind of thing hurts the students.
Then I found out that the professors were on strike to prevent the school from relegating a lot of classes to grad students rather than full professors. There were other things, too, but it was all for the undergraduate students. There was even a picket line that a lot of students joined. The strike was successful, too. Now I feel ashamed that I didn’t ask my sister why they were on strike.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I believe part of it has to do with the arcane way that the US deals with laws related to Native Americans – their “legal” claim has to do with “sacred lands”, even though that’s not the main reason they’re protesting. At least, that’s how I understand it. Because for some reason, the laws will protect “ancient lands” but not clean water or other actual basic human rights…
LikeLike
Wow, I had no idea. That’s absolutely insane.
LikeLike
I hope this is because she’s in the middle of an election.
LikeLike
I’m afraid it’s what it is, election or no election.
LikeLike
Hillary isn’t stupid enough to oppose the pipeline — it would alienate too many union voters.
LikeLike
Yes, all 3 of them. That would be a huge loss.
LikeLike