Over the past couple months, the Dakota Access Pipeline has been a controversial topic that has been widely publicized. People have failed to recognize the other recurring problems that are present on Native American reservations.

According to an article by Kevin Woster, on Native American reservations like Pine Ridge, people are struggling with horrific outbursts of suicide, and the only suicide prevention program capable of helping these people ran out of money. A 13-year-old girl was shot dead on the Pine Ridge Native American Reservation due to a meth epidemic that threatens the families on the reservation each and every day. Yet no one showed up to protest that.

The ER closed at the Rosebud Native American Reservation forcing patients to make a 50 mile journey to the next closest hospital and causing the lives of those patients to be threatened. Yet, no one showed up to help.

Other Native American reservations have continued to run out of propane and have had gas shortages during the ferocious winter months and people have continued to freeze to death year after year. Yet, no hot shot celebrities showed up to have their name on these unknown events.

People continue to do work through suicide prevention, caring for the sick and giving people basic items they need to survive, like heat, without the help from outsiders and donations. If protesters and reporters were to show up and advertise this event, lives could be saved and crises will be averted. Yet, thousands were able to make it to a protest over the Dakota Access Pipeline, which is not instantly impacting lives.

As this issue of lack of basic supplies and materials continues to grow, few are likely to show up and make the difference that is needed for survival. If people were to show up and protest these problems that are affecting the lives of Native Americans every day on reservations all over the state of South Dakota, then change could be made and lives could be saved. If an issue like this were to be dropped in the laps of Congress, there is no possible way they could turn their cheek and refuse help. American people seem to be unconcerned with problems unless the issue directly affects them. Many believe they choose to live this way, but in reality it is they have no other option but to live this way.

The issue of stopping the Dakota Access Pipeline is important to allow us to protect our environment and water source, but protecting the lives of people is something that needs be widely publicized and largely demanded.