A Protest Victory at Standing Rock

It's frustrating to see people exercising a legitimate form of protests because they want to have a decent livelihood. And the entire state of North Dakota, in conjunction with what seems like could be federal agencies at times, and then obviously the Energy Transfer partners. It's kind of disgusting...

I think that what feels really powerful, to me, is that this is potentially the first time that veterans and military members have stood on the right side of this kind of struggle, and are standing on the side of indigenous communities. And veteran communities of indigenous folks are really holding it down and we're going to be out here, really following their leadership.

DB: Tell us a little bit about how this plan came together. I know that there are veterans from all over the country... are there hundreds? Or are thousands coming? Help us understand, get a picture of what the plan is and what's going [on].

MH: Yeah, the numbers that we're hearing are in the thousands. IVAW didn't put out this call originally, we decided to join it. I think a number of different folks kind of put the call out... veterans of recent wars. And the response has just been ... nothing less than amazing. And we have our own community coming out, about 50 folks ... joining a much, much larger contingent.

And I think that what has been really important to see, is that the crew that's coming out is really looking to follow the leadership of the Oceti Sakowin headsmen and the tribe, to really be doing what is going to best serve them in the fight against these pipelines.

DB: So I'm sure that the vets will follow in the footsteps, if you will, of the youth and the elders who have demonstrated an extraordinary amount of restraint, non-violence and prayer, on behalf of themselves and all of the folks, including the police there.

... Speaking in terms of your experience as a veteran, I was there for a protest that actually went into the city, went to the federal building, and there were circles of prayer. And in the middle of the circles, one indigenous veteran, one Native American veteran after another, talked about their experiences, in terms of going to foreign countries, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and fighting for all the people, in sort of appealing in that context. Do you want to talk a little bit about that?

MH: I think that there's something important [happening] ... This is a prayer camp, I'm sure you've heard that a number of times, and this is... what we have come to understand and learn is that this is a spiritual movement.

And there is something about the way that Standing Rock is almost being treated as an occupied country, similar to Iraq, similar to Afghanistan. Being able to learn more about the land and have a sense of place, that I probably haven't had in any other place I've been to, has been really important.

... My friend and I, who's a combat medic from Iraq, when we first came into the camp, in the night, we felt like we were coming onto a forward op invasion in Iraq. It was almost indistinguishable, because of the militarization [that] the Energy Transfer Partners and the Morton County sheriffs have really brought to this place. Spotlights everywhere, concertina wire over on the line, barricades, helicopters and planes buzzing overhead all night long, all day long.

So I think that that's kind of some of the contradictions [that] are playing out here and I do think that in a lot of ways, what I've heard a lot about in terms of this veterans mobilization, is the potential ... ready for this to be a real [UNCLEAR 07:03] for folks.

DB: And you ... make that parallel structure between what you saw... and also in the actual treatment in dealing with people in a way that one gets a sense that they think [the protesters] are less than human. The idea that people were put in these little outdoor cages, and had their alleged crimes written right on their bodies is pretty profound.

MH: Absolutely. And, you know, I think that despite that kind of ugliness, it's really amazing to see the power of folks really coming together, being led... this being an indigenous led movement, and really coming from a place of prayers as people unite. And I keep hearing... and it's kind of been amazing to see, despite the violence that's been brought to people, people are coming here and are digging in because they know how important the struggle is. And they're doing it in a way that is rooted in their traditions.

DB: ... We know now that it's sub-freezing weather, it's a snow storm [at the Standing Rock camp]. We're getting reports that the law enforcement is attempting to stop the folks from bringing in supplies. What do you know about that?

MH: Yeah ... I know some folks that ... did not have supplies get confiscated but definitely got fined for bringing supplies in. We had heard reports of people actually getting gear that looked like it was coming to supply the camp was literally being confiscated, which is obviously entirely illegal.

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