By Claire Bernish, The Free Thought Project
Four stars from the movie ‘The Avengers’ have come together to demand President Barack Obama pay attention to abuses and excessive force being used against activists protesting the DAPL.
Four stars from the movie, The Avengers, have now joined forces to demand President Barack Obama pay attention to abuses and excessive force being used against the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other water protectors fighting construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, and Chris Evans have teamed up to use their celebrity status on behalf of Native Americans concerned the pipeline’s route under the Missouri River could poison drinking water for both the reservation and at least 18 million people downstream.
Members of the Standing Rock Sioux are also particularly concerned further construction by Energy Transfer Partners endangers sites sacred to the tribe, some of which tribal historians had been unable to assess until recently due to previously longstanding lack of permission from now-private property owners.
All four Avengers have taken to social media in the past month to encourage others to share their support of opposition to the pipeline. As Ruffalo, who plays The Hulk in the film, said in a recent video:
“Take a stand for our brothers and sisters in #StandingRock! Join me in telling @barackobama to just say #NoDAPL. Period. Sign the petition and #StandWithStandingRock at the link in my bio.”
Thor actor Hemsworth shared a photo in full costume holding a sign which read, “We stand with Standing Rock #WaterisLife #NoDAPL #MniWiconi.”
In a particularly poignant public apology, Hemsworth admitted horrendous ignorance in wearing “traditional dress of First Nations people” to a party on New Year’s Eve, and acknowledged ongoing exploitation of Native Americans and all indigenous peoples. Below the picture described, he wrote to Instagram:
“Standing with those who are fighting to protect their sacred land and water. #nodapl #waterislife #mniwiconi @taikawaititi I would also like to take this opportunity to raise something that has been bothering me for sometime. Last New Year’s Eve I was at a ‘Lone Ranger’ themed party where some of us, myself included, wore the traditional dress of First Nations people. I was stupidly unaware of the offence this may have caused and the sensitivity around this issue. I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to all First Nations people for this thoughtless action. I now appreciate that there is a great need for a deeper understanding of the complex and extensive issues facing indigenous communities. I hope that in highlighting my own ignorance I can help in some small way.”
Evans, who played the role of Captain America, tweeted a link to the Stand With Standing Rock website — which asks people to sign an ever-lengthening petition, call the White House, and/or donate to the cause — along with the caption:
“Tell @POTUS to say #NoDAPL by signing the standwithstandingrock.net petition!!”
Tell @POTUS to say #NoDAPL by signing the https://t.co/dQNr1DwUoT petition!!
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 4, 2016
