An indigenous leader who opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in the US urged anti-fracking campaigners in Lancashire today to “let go of their fears”.
William Hawk (above left), on a visit to Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road near Blackpool, said his one message to protesters was: “Don’t be afraid”.
“Fear is what they want you to feel because they know it’s easy to put fear into people.
“Whenever you let that fear go and whenever you realise that what I’m doing – whether I live or whether I die – is going to protect future generations then that’s the most empowering and beautiful thing you can have.
“Let go of your fears and let that love shine and love one another and love the future. That future is up to us to protect.”
“Get off your video games. Get out of your cars”
William Hawk said young people had started the grassroots movement against the plan to build a pipeline across land owned by the Standing Rock tribe.
“People went from all over the world to Standing Rock because of our youth.
“I encourage the youth here in the UK.
“Get out of your homes. Get off your video games. Get out of your cars. Really do your research on what fracking is. Do your research on what oil companies are doing to your land.
“This is your land. You are the stewards of the land.”
Speaking to Green Party co-leader, Jonathan Bartley, he said he hoped to “empower, encourage and enlighten” the protesters who have been demonstrating outside the site since work began in January.
“I know the community here has been struggling with this for the past six years. I’m here to reignite that flame that’s been dimming because I know that’s difficult to fight a fight whenever you feel defeated, especially when you have a police force like this that’s constantly against you, constantly pushing you down.”
But he said the police were a distraction, as they had been at Standing Rock.
“We weren’t against our government, we weren’t against the police. We were against this oil company because they were the ones that were making our government a corporate entity and we wanted to take that back.
“This is our government. We own that government. We are going to take that back.
“That’s what people need to be doing here. You need to take back your government. Because it’s being bought out simply by oil companies.”
Categories: Opposition
“An indigenous leader who opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in the US” – and lost…..
Well we’ve been telling the anti-frackers the same thing for years. Let go of your fears, and your fearmongering, and trust in science and empirical data. The best way to make reasoned, informed, and logical decisions. Luckily the central government gets it as do the independent scientific bodies.
Nice try Fibs but the visitor has the best lines:
“We weren’t against our government, we weren’t against the police. We were against this oil company because they were the ones that were making our government a corporate entity and we wanted to take that back.
This is our government. We own that government. We are going to take that back.
That’s what people need to be doing here. You need to take back your government. Because it’s being bought out simply by oil companies.”
The eco warriors “own” the government, they sure did well it electing a green loving president as did the same bunch of psychological profiles in the UK did!
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No, Philip. The Tory stance on fracking is made in the light of day with full buy in from its constituents. It’s not some back room, corporate deal that has somehow subverted the processes of democracy. You can read about it in the Manifesto. The Tories were elected to pursue that Manifesto and not doing so would be undemocratic. Your conspiracy theories just aren’t very plausible Philip.
“We are not a dictatorship. Decisions will be made at the local planning level” … it’s on record – a front bench statement made by the Tories (Cameron and Osborne) back when they had a clear majority.
So you think that the principles of democracy for the country should be subverted because an MP made this statement. Sure, Philip, makes all the sense in the world.
Where are you from Fibs? Do you not know that Cameron was the Prime Minister? He made that statement.
Another American right?
I’m not as in tune with UK politics as you, Philip, but my understanding is that the PM is an MP. You have implied that this is not the case. Please clarify? Thanks
“We are not a dictatorship. Decisions will be made at the local planning level.” The local level, Lancashire said NO.
Hello William Hawk welcome to UK, apologies for some of the comments on these posts, we are not all so offensive and unappreciative.
You are welcome here any time.
I hope you don’t mind if I post Russel Means’ speech to US Gov 1989? A great man, sadly missed, like so many others.
Suggesting the US Gov attitude towards the Lakota, and indigenous peoples is not only anti capitalist, and autocratic, but a process of theft and denial of self determination and a failure to support or even allow attempts to preserve indigenous human rights?
We did not lose. Research… it is important to research before speaking loosely.
Híƞhaƞni láȟčiƞ William Hawk, good to speak to you, as you can see we have the same problem here.
Greed and lack of respect for our mother earth.
Please convey our gratitude, and our respect back to your people in their struggle to be free.
I see a renaming coming up-PNR becomes Little Big Horn!
Mind you, the last American who popped over to tell the UK what they should do wasn’t a great success. I’m not sure who thinks up these stunts but they do seem to be totally aimed at getting publicity, even though most of it is bad.
Americans are popping over regularly Martin – through O&G lobbying and Climate Denial bodies (like the Global Warming Policy Foundation) didn’t you know? … directly into the higher levels of government – telling them what they should be doing. Maybe this will add a bit of balance.
I think somehow the vessel carrying US fracked gas docked in the UK carries a little more leverage.
GBK. And exactly which vessel is this that carries fracked gas? I think you know this does not exist. More fake news DT?
Sherwulfe, I suppose this is what the anti-frack community calls fake news, right? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/07/05/national-grid-import-lng-us-shale-first-time/
This makes sense and is consistent with what we have seen from your group in the past.
HOT OF THE PRESS.
Is this fake news fibonacci009 ???
Fracking can contaminate rivers and lakes with radioactive material, study finds
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fracking-dangers-environment-water-damage-radiation-contamination-study-risks-a7837991.html
Is this is the price people have to pay ???
It reminds me of the 5,000,000 gallons of radioactive waste United Utilities, Davyhulme, Manchester secretly dumped in to the Machester Ship canal on behalf of Caudrilla a few years back.
To be fair though to United Utilities, we were later told that the water was very low in radioactivity ..
How low is low and is it safe ???
Maybe someone else can expand on this.
Don’t know that it’s fake news, Jack. But it looks like a problem with wastewater treatment, not with fracking. As you may know, fracking fluid can be treated effectively so that this isn’t an issue. Sorry to dampen your hyperbole! https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2016/04/18/report-drilling-didnt-strain-water-supply-in-susquehanna-river-basin/
Apologies, Fib, when I am wrong, I say I am wrong; thank you for the link. The information I had read did not clarify that it was actual shale gas.
Fibs… your link is of no relevance to Jack’s . Does your knowledge not extend to the area of the huge problem of waste water disposal i.e. wastewater from the fracking process itself? Your point was a total red herring.
Ah the leftie dream god El Presidente, err forgot his name. The one that was actually a big failure but it was the Republicans fault because they didn’t play ball, is that the one?
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We do trust in science and empirical data Fibs, and that’s why you will always be on the defensive, and eventually on the run.
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Western States in US and Canada have been going up in flames (not scaremongering – actually scary). All the more reason not to deplete water tables and to not make the precious stuff flammable … AND to take climate change seriously. Preliminary insurance losses for Canada alone estimated at $3.5 billion. https://www.natlawreview.com/article/wildfires-blaze-through-western-us-and-canada
So this ‘failure’ (and that is technically a valid term as he has failed in his quest) doesn’t cut it at home so decides to preach to a foreign land. Anyone else noticing a trend appearing here? Paul and Martin you’re both on the ball I’m sure you can connect the dots.
Foreigners that come here lately are predominantly left whingers who have become fed up of getting no results in their own countries. They prey on the weak minded that are easily led up the garden path to a pasture of green grass on the other side. I’ve discussed all forms of subjects with them. I’ve also lived all over Europe and can assure you a Brit wouldn’t be able to do the same over there. Phil, Hobbit, Sher etc wouldn’t last two seconds preaching from their green gospel. They’d be barred from the US for life.
The left don’t understand how capitalism works and believe in fairytales and money from enchanted forests.
They’ve had the full support of the left leaning UK media, European and Intl eco warriors and still they cannot stop one little site? We true Brits are made of far stronger stuff.
While he’s here he might as well enjoy the spectacle of St George meeting the fire breathing dragon (speaking of quests).
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[Edited by moderator]. Local people in Lancashire, Yorkshire, wherever fracking is threatened, oppose fracking.
No they don’t, I don’t oppose it and I live in Lancashire. And I know many others that do not oppose it.
The missing word Ian is ‘some’.
Cuadrilla will probably came up with a dry hole and all this bs is for nothing. The investment would have been flowing in if they have good data and the push for drilling would be a bit more convincing but none of these have happened. So the company is just playing for time.