Water is Life – Mni Wiconi
Photo (c) John M. Kingery
The Beatitudes for Standing Rock
By John M. Kingery
11/22/2016
Matthew 5:3 -12
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
They are the 40% of Standing Rock residents living below the poverty line. They are the 86% who are unemployed.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
They are those who mourn the loss of their young people. Forty percent (40%) committing suicide are 15 to 24 years old.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
They are the Sioux who have had their great Sioux reservation reduced in size since 1868. The Great Sioux Reservation once comprised all of present-day South Dakota west of the Missouri River, including the sacred Black Hills and the life-giving Missouri River.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
The land taken from them was never approved by a vote of the Sioux nation as required by treaty. The U.S. Supreme Court concluded that “A more ripe and rank case of dishonorable dealings will never, in all probability, be found in our history.” United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians, 448 U.S. 371, 388 (1980).
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
They traveled to Mandan County Jail on November 6. They forgave the police officers for any violent acts. They asked for forgiveness for any violence they may have done. They entered the jail and fed the officers.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
They are praying, singing and drumming for dialogue and respect.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
They are the elders, clergy and others gathering for peaceful dialogue and non-violence.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
They are the approximately 300 injured including 26 seriously including an elder. The elder suffered a cardiac arrest.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.
Ongoing prejudice means Native Americans must constantly fight for their rights. They are praying to the Creator, God for strength. They are God’s children and we called to stand with them.
http://standingrock.org/history/
http://fortune.com/2016/11/06/dakota-pipeline-native-poverty/
http://www.communitycommons.org/2016/11/beyond-the-pipeline-standing-rock-sioux-tribe/
http://fortune.com/2016/11/06/dakota-pipeline-native-poverty/