Whoa Bundys

There’s been a fair amount of news coverage of the protests going on over the North Dakota Access Pipeline but it’s being overshadowed, like most other issues, by the presidential campaign.

The pipeline is a $3.7 billion dollar project that will create 40 permanent jobs. It has been controversial from the start for its negative effects on the environment and it’s angered Native Americans from the Meskwaki and Sioux tribal nations, and actor Mark Ruffalo (don’t make him angry. You won’t like him when he’s angry). Rezpect Our Water, a group organized on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, has sued for an injunction and there has been several protests in North Dakota.

Arrests have been made of unarmed protesters and even a journalist for covering the protests (those charges were later dropped when a judge decided it’s legal to report the news). Many protesters were pepper sprayed and attacked by dogs brought by private security. At least six people have been treated for dog bites.

Meanwhile a bunch of white hillbillies just got acquitted after taking over a Federal wildlife sanctuary in Oregon. The Bundys (yeah, those guys) spent six weeks turning the federal property into their own private gun-happy Yee-Haw party. One of their buddies was shot and killed while resisting arrest.

On Thursday a jury in Oregon acquitted seven of the Bundy people of all federal charges. They still have to remain in jail because they face charges in other states. Their lawyer was so upset he argued with the judge to the point he had to be tackled by U.S. Marshals.

Since a bunch of white nutzoids can occupy federal property and skate, does that mean armed black protesters can take over a federal building? No. They’re lucky not to get shot while peacefully protesting. And you see how Native American protesters are being treated, who are NOT occupying federal property. Basically that’s their property.

The scariest aspect of this is that it might encourage armed conservatives to monitor polling stations on election day. I kinda expect the Republican candidate to use the Bundy case to further encourage that upcoming mayhem. Maybe after he loses the election Donald Trump will attempt to occupy the White House.

I’m sure someone else has drawn a cartoon on the DAPL issue but I haven’t seen one, or I’ve seen it and forgotten. I expect several to come on the Bundy acquittal.

I used “mace” in this cartoon because it has fewer words than “pepper spray.”

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