WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Glenn Greenwald

THE PHRASE “FAKE NEWS”... lacks any clear definition, it is essentially useless except as an instrument of propaganda and censorship. The most important fact to realize about this new term: those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it. -- The Intercept

Bob Dylan

Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, “Are my songs literature?” So, I do thank the Swedish Academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question, and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer. -- Nobel Prize acceptance speech

Donald Trump

“The African American community was great to us. They came through big league. And frankly, if they had any doubt, they didn’t vote. And that was almost as good. Because a bunch of people didn’t show up, because they felt good about me.” -- Think Progress

Anti-pipeline activist Tabitha Tripp  

“I think it’s important for people to realize that … we don’t have to drive 17 hours to North Dakota to see the extraction issues that are causing so much pain to people in our communities. We don’t have to look far to find issues to work on locally that have to do with water rights and protecting our environment for the next generation, which is what the people at Standing Rock are doing.” -- Southern Illinoisian 

Bernie Sanders

In defeating the Dakota Access Pipeline, we had to take on the entire fossil fuel industry and, once again, a majority of Congress. When faced with a strong grassroots movement, led by the Native American community and environmentalists all across the country, President Obama did the right thing — and deserves credit for it. -- Blueprint for defeating Trump

Rev. Dr. William Barber II

Along with much of the rest of the country, North Carolina fell victim this year to the extremism we’ve not yet experienced in Donald Trump. But we could not be deceived by the extremism we have endured under Pat McCrory. Though we know too well that America faces some tough days ahead, this moral victory should give all Americans reason to hope that we can revive the heart of our democracy and move forward together to a more perfect union. -- The Nation

Author Steve Coll on Exxon

But when the question involves the human factor, building trust with your communities where you’re drilling, or convincing people that fracking is not going to ruin their water, or dealing with political environments in 150 different countries with lots of supply problems, or dealing with violence on the ground around your oil fields in Africa — in all of those areas, I think they have a habit of not really taking anybody’s advice. They keep the windows closed." -- New York Times

I suspect liberals who write we aren't empathetic enough w/Trump voters will eventually write we were too weak to resist U.S. neofascism.

— Rafael Yglesias (@rafaelyglesias) December 11, 2016

The original plan called for pipeline to run though mainly-white Bismarck

The Snake is headed our way.

Isn't this the way things go?

According to court documents, original proposals for construction placed the pipeline near the water supply for Bismarck, a city that is 88% white. “They altered the route because people were concerned about the impact on the city’s water supply,” Jan Hasselman, an Earthjustice attorney representing the tribe said in an interview. “ (The government) put the risk on the tribe. That’s not right.” -- High Country News

The Army Corps of Engineers has a long history of taking lands at Standing Rock including the creation of Lake Oahe which inundated prime agricultural lands and fruit orchards so mainly-white Bismarkians would have a place to water ski and fish for walleye.

Super proud of the Windy City for the big turnout at yesterday's solidarity rally and march on the Army Corps of Engineers office. Other protests took place in cities around the country, including Bismarck. 

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's ruling was a big blow. But Justice Dept. and Army Corps of Engineers heard footsteps and have temporarily halted operations.

Classic Obama... He calls on Dakota Access to "voluntarily" delay bulldozing Sioux sacred ground.

Chicago solidarity marchers.

But at least Obama did/said something (only after being embarrassed by a student in Laos). Where's Hillary Clinton? She reversed herself last year and came out in opposition to the XL Keystone Pipeline. But now, as the battle rages in Standing Rock, her silence is deafening. Is she afraid of offending the big-bank campaign contributors who have sunk more that $3B into the project? Or the neocon Republicans who have allied with her against Trump?

This despite the fact that the Democratic platform devotes more space to protecting Native American rights than any single other issue. The section was written by a Bernie Sanders appointee, veteran tribal campaigner Deborah Parker, but it was approved unanimously and without debate by every single member of team Clinton, who were in constant contact with their campaign headquarters. -- Bill McKibben, L.A. Times

My friend, filmmaker Michelle Noble drove 23 hours from L.A. to film, record from the encampment. She posted this video clip today.

My fave headline of the day, from the Bismarck Tribune:
Highway 1806 was briefly closed as protesters, horses entered the roadway

Please avoid the National Guard checkpoints if you can. And chip in to our bail fund here: https://t.co/FZ3sBOYveP #NoDAPL #WaterIsLife

— Sacred Stone Camp (@SacredStoneCamp) September 9, 2016

WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Hedge-fund manager Steven Eisman

I thought there would never again be an opportunity to be involved with an industry as socially destructive and morally bankrupt as the subprime mortgage industry. I was wrong. The for-profit education industry has proven equal to the task. (Bloomberg)

Deb Meier 

It's the new civil rights project. Just as the subprime mortgage fraud was justified by some as a wealth-equalizer, the privatizing of education becomes a civil rights crusade. (Bridging Differences)

Oil watcher Paul Sankey

 Oil is really sunlight plus plants. ..This spill might be a giant fertilizer shot into the Gulf. (Fast Money)

Gov. Schwarzenegger 

The school superintendents who prepared the [Race To The Top] bid deserved an Oscar “for the great performance in putting this together,” he said, thanking several by name, including Carlos A. Garcia, the San Francisco superintendent. (The Bay Citizen)

 Pablo Eisenberg, Georgetown Public Policy Institute

There's concern that their [Gates Foundation] programs are too top down and they don't listen to the grass roots. (USA Today)

Kati Haycock, Gates funded Ed Trust

"I hear a lot of grousing about the Gates Foundation, (USA Today)