Sen. Al Franken

[sagetea]

Franken Calls Alleged use of Water Cannons for Crowd Control in Sub-Freezing Temperatures Excessive, Unnecessary, and Extremely Dangerous; Urges Attorney General to Investigate & Take Action

Sen. Al Franken urged the Department of Justice to take action to protect the safety and First Amendment rights of Dakota Access Pipeline protestors following reports that law enforcement used water cannons for crowd control in sub-freezing temperatures.

In a letter sent today to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Sen. Franken said that he is extremely concerned after hearing reports of dangerous clashes between police and individuals protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline project near Cannon Ball, ND, and said the use of water cannons for crowd control in sub-freezing temperatures is excessive, unnecessary, and extremely dangerous.

"The reported use of water cannons for crowd control in sub-freezing temperatures is excessive and unnecessary, and I urge you to take action to protect the First Amendment rights of protestors, and the physical safety of all involved parties," wrote Sen. Franken in his letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. "Native American populations have struggled for decades under the complex burden of historical trauma, and I have witnessed and admired how these communities have turned to their cultural foundations to build strength against that burden. These tactics against protestors exercising their Constitutional rights threaten to add another layer of trauma to these communities. I urge you to do everything in your power to prevent further escalation of violence."


https://www.franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3573


Ho'
sage

[BSdetect]

1. Are those officials thinking that drumph approves this violence?

[sagetea]

3. I'm not sure I understand your question

My officials (the Elders) have absolutely no delusions about drumph's (love that by the way!) love of violence. There were plenty of discussions about it. As it has gotten worse since the election.

Ho'
sage

[WhiteTara]

8. I think the poster meant STATE officials

and I think that the pipeline company does indeed think that the der fuhrer would approve and would send more troops.

[sagetea]

9. Hahaha! lol!!!

Thank you!!! lol!! I think I took decolonization too literally!!! And Yes, they do and are, which is why they amped up the amount of violence they are using on us!!

Ho'
sage

[WhiteTara]

11. Be safe and know

my heart and millions of others are with you.

[haele]

14. Back in the ealy 90's, I worked with a division manager from a family that settled in ND -

when it was still Indian Territory by treaty. He grew up near Harvey, went to college at University of North Dakota before joining the military back in the 1960's.

He never used the term "Indian" or "Native American" when talking about native Americans around fellow white people.
He used the term "Prairie N****r" - and claimed no one who wasn't black or an indian should be offended; it was just a common usage, like "boys and girls" for men and women. In his words, it was a known fact that anyone that grew up on the reservations was usually lazy, hateful and made their way off of cheating the hard working taxpayers of North Dakota, so they deserved all the shit they got.
What was ironic was that one of the most knowledgeable Practical Engineers in our division - the guy everyone depended on to pull an engineering miracle out of his back pocket - grew up in Pine Ridge; the only reason the PE was able to leave the state and get an education was because he had been forced to go to Vietnam or spend a decade or so in jail after he got in a fight with a white man in town and knocked the guy out.

If it weren't for the fact this manager was beloved by the Ops VP, and the current federal and state laws concerning hostile workplace weren't broad enough, he would have been fired. But I did hear he took an early retirement soon after our division got bought out by another company that required management to be more professionally oriented.

Haele

[MineralMan]

2. You might want to edit your post title.

[sagetea]

4. Oh shucks...LOL!

Sorry about that...yikes!

thank you...

Ho'
sage

[2naSalit]

5. At least someone

Is stepping up to point out this travesty. I wish we had at least 75 more like him in our Senate.

[DFW]

6. Using a water cannon in subzero temperatures

That is the very definition of assault with a lethal weapon.

[wordpix]

7. so if pipeline construction needs fed ACE approval and an easement

things maybe can simmer down until those get underway? Are the pipeline builders going ahead without those? What is happening?

Since I've dealt with ACE, a tip to protesters: when ACE approval and easement proceedings begin, get to every one. Otherwise, these agencies form bonds with developers and just let them do what they will, perhaps with a tweak here and there.

Also, ACE approval is not state or local approval, so if ACE approves, that's not the final word necessarily. There are still state and local regs to abide by.

[sagetea]

10. Things are actually heating up

to my understanding, they are losing around 2 million a day. The Army Corp. has asked them to stop, but asked not told, means they can still do it. Our council members are at every meeting. That I know of.

The investors are getting nervous because the deadline on the recent easements expires on December 31st. We are a pain in their backside, they would kill us if we didn't have social media.

Ho'
sage

[mac56]

15. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reading that if the project isn't complete by 12/31

the oil companies can cancel the contracts they entered back in 2014. And since prices have dropped significantly since then, it's likely that many won't sign up again. So the longer this takes, the more nervous the investors get.

[sagetea]

16. Indeed!!!

That is what we are hoping for! Also, the price of oil was much higher in 2014, the investors stood to profit mightily...so they are now getting a little miffed and scared!!! hahahaha!

Ho'
sage

[asiliveandbreathe]

12. Oh, okay, when they send in the Feds to stop this disgusting display of power

let me know..the FEDS should already be there..and yes, trump has an investment in the pipeline...this needs to be stopped NOW! -

Such a peaceful protest....and now this....

Consider this, oh, and btw - thank you for staying on this issue folk's, they (republiklans) are only 1 state from gutting our constitution...

[smirkymonkey]

13. 1000

Al Franken is a righteous man.