nightnurse57:Statement made by Zhooniya Ogitchida an Iraq and Afganistan war veteran from the Ojibwe
nightnurse57:Statement made by Zhooniya Ogitchida an Iraq and Afganistan war veteran from the Ojibwe tribe.Update:“I walked up to the frontline, wearing my ACU top (uniform), with my Sergeant rank, my name tape, U.S.Army and flag. behind me there was hundreds and hundreds of water protectors. I wanted to walk up alone, so I did. As I walked up they begun to take their positions. Some sheriff captain and a few other officers came to greet me. I stood there on top of a barrier concrete divider, looked at all them Police/sheriffs. in front of me Concertina razor wire, around me… burnt ashes and wet abandoned clothes. I said to them “I am a 10 year, 2x war veteran. I am not a protestor, I am an Ogitchida, I am here to protect these people from you. I am a defender of the constitution. I came to see this for myself. I seen the rubber bullets, I seen the gas, I seen the attack dogs, I seen the water at freezing temperature. I seen the riot gear and the violence inflicted on so many U.S. citizens. I seen how you’ve been mistreating my people. I am the first of many warriors to come.”Then what looked like to me a thousand water protectors cameWalking up behind me to the front line.As I stood there on top of the concrete divider with the razor wire, I said “If you’re going to shoot rubber bullets, shoot them at me, at this uniform.”The captain and the other officers said to me they appreciated my service, I said“I wish I could say the same”#NoDAPL #VeteranStandingRock” -- source link
#standing rock#police brutality#indigenous people#soldiers