The Philosophies and Tactics of War and the DAPL Protestors

Deeper Dive - DSU's podcast

In our most recent episode, "The Philosophies and Tactics of War and the DAPL Protestors," we examine the recent, alarming events at Standing Rock, North Dakota. Grounding our conversation in Locke's famous warning to all citizens, that if you are not vigilant and on guard against the extraordinary acquisition of power by government, then the day will come when your right to protest, resist, or alter the direction of power may be impossible. We have arrived at that day. There are two elements to Locke's warning. First, the acquisition of sophisticated technology and military instruments by government may make government power so overwhelming that physical and material resistance is impossible. Second, the decision by the government to deploy tactics and strategies of war on citizens will erode and ultimately dissolve the distinction between Citizen and Enemy Combatants. The recent decision by the government to threaten a Siege and denial of resources to protestors, to criminalize other citizens for attempting to supply protestors with food, medicine, and materials, and the FAA creation of a No-Fly Zone over the protest site, effectively demonstrate the government's deployment of Techniques and Strategies of War on Citizens. Siege and No-Fly Zones are both tactics of War. The threat of Siege, the criminalization of support for the protestors, and the creation of the No-Fly Zone effectively means that the government has declared war on its own citizens.