To: President Donald Trump
Protect spiritually and historically significant sites threatened by the planned route of the Key...
Many risks are posed by by the KXL pipeline for First Nation people. On top of water pollution and numerous other environmental dangers, these people may face the damage or destruction of sacred and/or historically significant sites/structures- 93 in total. Moreover, the risks of water pollution include cancer- many kinds of cancer including some very rare types such as bile duct cancer.
First Nation people have faced immense difficulties throughout history as they try to preserve a nature-oriented spirituality in an increasingly industrial society. In a day and age where every American is encouraged to stand up for their right to be able to practice their own individual religions, this is more than a matter of the environment, or even of the price of oil.
This is a matter of morality. Urge President Obama to reconsider his support for this project. The future of energy is not in oil, and the First Nation people have struggled to hold onto their heritage for long enough.
Why is this important?
The Keystone XL pipleline is projected to run through 71 historically and/or spiritual archaeological sites important to the cultures of many First Nation people. 22 structures are threatened. Yet the voice of these people has been largely ignored, despite the many cases of cancer- even rare forms of cancer- which have been the result of tar sand mines in Canada. Numerous other ecological concerns have been raised, yet President Obama recently announced his support for the construction.
This pipeline is something which threatens the remaining pieces of the heritage of America's original inhabitants, people whose ancestors lived here long before the Founding Fathers. Not only that, it threatens the integrity of our rapidly shrinking natural environment, including the 'spirit bears'- black bears born with white fur- and many other ecological factors.