Dear Friends,
Our Native allies in North Dakota are making tremendous sacrifices as they stand strong to stop the Bakken Pipeline. Now it’s our turn to ramp-up the fight here in Iowa! Earlier this summer, Bold Iowa, Iowa CCI, 100 Grannies and CREDO Action challenged people to sign the Pledge of Resistance, committing either to risk arrest or support those who are arrested to stop pipeline construction.
With the courts in limbo and President Obama silent, we are at the point in this struggle where non-violent direct action is essential. Our first action will be Wednesday, August 31st near Pilot Mound (see below for details).
Before I tell you more about that, I’d like to invite you to an event to call-out Donald Trump for his personal abuse of eminent domain and his misguided support for oil pipelines.
WHAT: Peaceful protest while we carry signs and a replica of the Bakken pipeline to tell Donald Trump that he should oppose the abuse of eminent domain and the Bakken pipeline
WHEN: Saturday, August 27, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at 10:00 at Ritual Cafe (1301 Locust St in Des Moines) for a briefing, then carpool to the Iowa State Fairgrounds for the protest. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to join us at 10:00,meet us at the Fairgrounds by 11:15.
RSVP by responding to this message, or sign-up on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/184836285255322
Now, about direct action. This may be the most important moment yet in our fight to stop the pipeline. It’s in the middle of the week, but there are reasons why we have to work with that date. I really hope you can join us. We need a strong showing, and plenty of people to support those risking arrest.
WHAT: Bakken Pipeline Direct Action and Nonviolence Training
WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 31, with Nonviolence Training from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and Direct Action from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. (approx. time) at an undisclosed location
WHERE: Community Hall, 112 Pilot St., Pilot Mound, IA 50223 (map)
RSVP: Click here to RSVP to attend the Training and Direct Action or send me a message in response to this email.
Those individuals who complete the training and commit to risking arrest will be supported with bonding out of jail, if necessary, and follow-up legal aid. Others are encouraged to attend and fill volunteer support roles, and to stand in solidarity and observe and record while direct action is taking place. (Click here to donate to the Bakken Pledge legal defense fund.) After you RSVP, we’ll follow-up with you via email and phone with additional details.
If you are tied up that morning but able to participate in the action and have previously completed non-violence training, let’s talk. For a number of reasons, it’s important for people risking arrest to attend the training. But we are able to make some exceptions if you’ve been through this before.
As we finalize our plans to activate signers of the Bakken Pipeline Pledge of Resistance (and we thank the over 1,100 people who have signed!), we are inspired by the Sacred Stones Camp set-up by our Tribal Nation allies in North Dakota to protect the Missouri River — which provides drinking water for more than 18 million people.
And we are inspired by the brave Iowa farmers and landowners who continue to resist the tremendous pressure brought against them by the pipeline company. Beyond the emotional and psychological challenges, these landowners are incurring significant costs defending their right to not have a privately-owned oil pipeline slash through their fairground and precious soils.
Thanks, and I hope to see you this coming Saturday and for sure next Wednesday!
Ed Fallon