Bringing Leonard Peltier to Iowa and New Hampshire
The Clintons are running for a third term in the White House. As expected, their first eight years in office are being given thorough scrutiny. Everything from NAFTA to Bosnia, from Monica to health care, are going rightfully under the microscope.
The disagreements are deep and generally predictable. But it is equally predictable that there is one issue—one man— being totally ignored by the mainstream media. His case marks the moral low point of the Clinton Era. He deserves to be a part of the primary process.
His name is Leonard Peltier.
There is incontrovertible evidence that Bill Clinton was—and remains—fully aware of the circumstances of the Peltier case. But because of his cowardice, this esteemed Native American activist and spiritual leader was imprisoned not only for every day of Clinton’s eight years in office, but now all the way through George W. Bush’s.
Clinton infamously ended his second term with a flurry of dubious presidential pardons. Among those freed from the judicial system was Marc Rich, a freewheeling scoundrel whose filthy financial dealings were loathsome to say the least. But he was a key Clinton donor who essentially bought himself a get-out-of-jail card. Even the most corrupt Democratic loyalists found the Rich pardon hard to swallow.
By contrast, Leonard Peltier has spent more than three decades behind bars for a crime he almost certainly did not commit. In 1977, Leonard was wrongly convicted in the killing of two FBI agents amidst the native rights uprisings at Wounded Knee. His trial record is so laden with fraud and illegalities as to mock the fabric of our entire criminal justice system.
Amnesty International and a host of other independent global observers have long since confirmed that the FBI intimidated witnesses, withheld evidence, falsified affidavits and perpetrated every other dirty trick they could find to slap Peltier behind bars. To this day, in the name of �national security,� the FBI is withholding some 140,000 pages of critical documents, in direct violation of numerous federal statutes. Peltier’s sentence has been wrongfully extended. And his repeated requests for a retrial have been routinely denied.
Peltier’s effectiveness as an activist has grown through his years in prison. From his jail cells—he has been frequently moved around—he’s hard worked to bring critical resources to the desperately poor native society from which he came. Through the Native American Energy Group he has helped bring 4,000 energy efficient homes to the Pine Ridge Reservation. His deeds have prompted a nomination for a Nobel Prize.
The prison system has retaliated by denying Peltier his religious freedoms—and reasonable medical care. He’s been continually thrown into into solitary confinement, and denied the right to communicate fully and fairly with the outside world has been restricted. His medical needs have been ignored.
Now in his sixties, he has somehow survived more than three decades in prison with his commitments in tact.
Bill Clinton was thoroughly and repeatedly briefed on the Peltier case throughout his presidency. Yet eight years came and went, and Leonard Peltier was left to rot. Desperate last-minute pleas as he prepared his final pardon list were to no avail. It would have been easy enough for Clinton to �triangulate� by merely ordering that Peltier get a new trial.
Yet Bill Clinton left the White House fully aware that George W. Bush would do no such thing.
This is not an issue that should go unmentioned in these early primaries. Hillary Clinton is most certainly aware of the case of Leonard Peltier. She should be asked early and often whether she, as president, would have the courage and commitment to justice to at very least grant Leonard Peltier the new trial her husband would not. All the other candidates on both sides of the aisle should be asked the same thing.
Leonard Peltier now has great-grandchildren he’s never met. As the native American community grows in strength and clarity, so does his stature as a spiritual and political symbol.
We cannot save our national soul without bringing justice to bear for Leonard Peltier. No one should enter the White House without a clear commitment to doing just that.
To learn more about Leonard Peltier, see http://www.leonardpeltier.net/.
Harvey Wasserman’s SOLARTOPIA! OUR GREEN-POWERED EARTH, A.D. 2030, is at www.solartopia.org. He is senior advisor to Greenpeace USA and the Nuclear Information & Resource Service, and is senior editor for www.freepress.org.
What happened to Peltier could happen to anyone of us. We are no longer safe in our country. The greatest danger is not from terrorists but from our own government.
Peter Mathiessen (sp?) wrote a wonderful book about the wounded Knee situation entitled “In the Spirit of Crazy Horse.” It is a vivid and convincing indictment of the criminality of the US government. Read it - then act on it.
http://www.republicoflakota.com/
Dead on, Harvey Wasserman. Thanks for reminding all of us of Peltier’s plight, which, as dlnelson7 points out, could happen to anyone of us, especially since Clinton’s successor took office.
When Clinton was deliberating Peltier’s pardon in 2001, FBI agents marched on the Whitehouse. This behind the scenes solidarity is why Peltier is still in prison. A fundamental regime change is needed.
Well, free Leonard, all well and good, but I’d have expected Harvey of all people/journos to have fact checked a story that carries ramifications for the entire Lakota Nation, not just Leonard or, um, Russell Means - who recently grabbed similar media attention for actions not approved by the Oglala Sioux or entire Lakota Nation.
If there are 4,000 new homes at Pine Ridge I’m gonna drive right over and check them out but I doubt I’ll be making that drive anytime soon. As for Leonard’s and Harvey’s NAEG, where in the world did you get the idea NAEG is either a Native owned corporation or that it supports sustainable energy? It is all about further exploiting resources on First Nations land and in fact was tossed from Pine Ridge recently for trespassing after going there to scout for exploratory uranium mining. OST council passed a resolution banning uranium mining from its lands. Now why didn’t THAT come to Harvey’s attention?
With all the real attention Pine Ridge and other SD First Nations’ peoples need one hardly has to resort to making things up.
The Clinton’s are so corrupt it makes some republicans look clean but they are experienced.
Great insight!!!
Clinton trashed his entire ideology by not granting a pardon to Leonerd. Instead his corporate handlers like Miliken got a blank slate to slid into the margins of history along with all the money they stole from hard working Americans.
As far as I am concerned Clinto ought to be sharing the same prison with Bush and CHeney were they all can live out what is left of the worthless lives serving the prison population on their knees!
Another, similar, case of wrongful imprisonment in order to fulfill a political (i.e. criminal) agenda is the U.S. mafia government’s imprisonment of the Cuban Five.
http://www.injusticia.cubaweb.cu/
That rotten scum which comprises the U.S. government and their evil secret services are actually so stupid that they don’t realize that using their corrupt legal system to imprison the good people in society only serves to create martyrs and that, ultimately, and exponentially, increases the power of the moral forces which are, and always will be, arrayed against their evil regime.
At this point it is clear that the Clintons are players as much as the Bushes are. Not at the same level…the Bushes have been building a white supremacist dynasty for a century, the Clinton’s are newbies, but they have adopted the practices of the ruling elite. They’ve been allowed to join the club. As such they are not people to be trusted. It is foolish to expect anything other than the racist classist status quo from the Clintons.
Leonard Peltier is a political prisoner. He has been wrongly imprisoned for thirty one years. The basis for his imprisonment is fundamentally racism. Leonard was a part of the American Indian civil rights movement. The United States Government wanted to acquire lands rich in uranium located on the Sioux reservation. The activities of the FBI sparked a confrontation and two FBI agents and one American Indian were killed in the shootout. Leonard was wrongly convicted in one of the shootings and the FBI illegally contrived to make sure Leonard was not given a fair trial and convicted. Someone had to pay for the killing of two FBI agents, and so an innocent man was framed by the FBI and convicted.
See this link for additional information. http://www.leonardpeltier.net/qfacts.htm
No one is safe in the United States as long as the FBI can falsify and withold information leading to the conviction of an innocent man, yet, few are concerned enough to tilt the scales back on favor of justice.
Thank you Mr. Wasserman for rekindling this subject.
You all purport to care because of some deep abiding respect for First Nations peoples
that is clearly misaligned or you wouldn’t be using their sovereignty rights issues for
shallow political maneuvers against Hillary Clinton.
Come January after the Iowa primaries I guess we’ll actually read about how many First
Nations people are in prison unfairly (would you forget them after you get Leonard out?)
or for bizarre sentences and about the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1868, constantly being
shattered by YOUR govt. (hint hint - ever thought of DOING something about it?). Did YOU
ask the Senate Indian Affairs committee this session to actually fund IHS services in
accordance with our Treaties? Of course not. More likely you bitched about welfare when
in fact First Nations’ health care is an entitlement under treaty with the US.
Release Leonard. And then release yourselves from this petty political game that continues to
make Leonard a martyr for your own causes and distracts everyone from the enormity of US hegemony
over First Nations’ peoples, their history and future. I’m as worried about my First Nation
relatives out of prison as I am of Leonard. What does that tell you? That they didn’t come
for you first, maybe?
Hurry up and lose, Hil. Bill’s indiscretions are killing us out here.
Please remember that Native Brother Peltier was slapped into prison to rot long before the Bush Gang took away YOUR basic rights.
Laura, just curious about something you tip toe around. After reading your message one might conclude that Clinton’s acted with wisdom by not pardoning Leonard. Is that your view? Do you indeed support his corporate pardons but not Leonard’s?
Living on the Rez in New Mexico a bill was passed by congress to increase health care for First Nations. Although i cannot remember the Bill number.
My concerns about freeing Peltier are irrespective of current presidential politics. When the FBI marched on the Whitehouse, in effect, the military rose up against the President. And it wasn’t that big of a deal at the time. Our Presidents are figure heads, puppets controlled by the Stasi. That is why I say we need a regime change. Do our Presidents really impact our government? Or have we sold out to the oil industry, the war industry and anyone else with pockets deep enough to feed our needs?
Unfortunately, Leonard Peltier got wedged into the machinations of our government back in the 70’s. He is a martyr but he also functions as a sentinel event, a warning of far more virulent government sanctions in our future.
Huck, I don’t believe I responded to that question one way or another.
My point was that both Peltier’s and other citizens of First Nations
plights are far more important to our national discussion than diminishing
them in employment to defeat Hillary Clinton in a state primary. A point
was promoted in support of Peltier’s character (against Hillary Clinton?)
and I refuted that because I thought it was sloppy journalism and unfair to
the daily realities and politics of Pine Ridge and the Lakota Nation. We
shouldn’t have to battle both the MSM and the alt-stream, too, for accurate
news.
Its historically dishonest to distort political events. We have honest
polemics to articulate to win primaries. Let’s use those instead.
Now, did Harvey convince you Leonard should be released (no brainer), that
Hillary sucks because Bill did, too, or that its simply too hard to wrap
one’s head around other nations and cultures so we only bring them up during
state presidential primary debates?
There isn’t going to be a U.S. government in anybody’s future. Those who can should prepare themselves for dire times, because the fundamentals of life are going to be the requisites of life in the near future.
Another shameful case of institutional sadism—that of Iron Thunderhorse, a Native New England (Quinnipiac) leader who has been wrongly imprisoned, denied legitimate parole, and directly physically tortured for years in the prisons of good ol’ Texas. Iron Thunderhorse’s scholarship, spiritual and cultural leadership have been going on from a hell-hole jail-cell surrounded by laughing sadists for decades, and have been more productive and contributive to multiple communities in those circumstances than any more than average comfortable academic “free” on the outside. I went with several Native people and scholars to Texas to testify at such a parole hearing a few years ago; and we got nothing but insults, mockery, and institutionalized game-playing that kept us from even seeing the man. (Prison in Texas: a brutal overcrowded hierarchy of white supremacists, black survivors, Hispanic gangs, Native kicking-dogs, and at the bottom, educated Native people). And what are the paid, tenure-castrated academics doing? Debating whether European Stone Agers were “actually in the Americas” before Native peoples—i.e., “we” have at least as much right to the Americas as they do, as if anything from the ancient past can wipe their guilty greedy souls clean. (Nothing can help to do that but the creation of justice now.) Write in support of the Lakota Secession from the U.S.—and, you can read about Iron Thunderhorse and see many beautiful things about those cultures at http://ancientgreece-earlyamerica.com ….
Laura, no the article did not convince me one way or another about Clinton’s character flaws. I pretty much conclude that on my own long before this article appeared. Hillary is no progressive. My problems with her stem from her marraige to corporate interests. She recently accepted a fund raiser by Ruppert Murdoch, but that aside, she does not represent my views on health care, the war in Iraq, the environment, financing of campaigns, political reform of the voting mechinism, foriegn policy, or sustainable resources of energy. Her husband was president for eight years and did absolutely nothing by way of leadership on climate change and given her cozyness with corporate money my hunch is she might sweep a few crumbs off the table but hardly represents someone capable of change of an order of magnitude required to impact the most important issue of our day: climate change!
Moreover, I note that you affirm Leonards plight. Truth is Clinton was Leonards last chance, and has set in prison for eight years too long thanks to Clinton and save for a new Dem (with a pair of balls) elected that might consider it. I see nothing improper with linking Leonard with Bill Clinton. In the final analysis, Clinton’s corporate freinds were more important than justice for First People of which Leonard is a symbol.
Peltier had the bad luck to by tried in North Dakota. Someone had to be held responsible for two killed fbi agents, and they will never let him out of prison as was demonstrated to Clinton. This is not an election issue but he should be allowed another trial.
Huck, I am with you, and Laura, sorry but I am not sure where your ire is coming from apart from the contention that you seem to resent that Clinton’s failure to issue a long overdue pardon to LP could possibly be a another reason not to support Hilary. And clearly First People issues abound, and most of us haven’t got a clue, but your anger seems incomprehensible, in response to this article. Do you know Wasserman? Do you really think he is exploiting LP for political reasons? Sorry but I do not agree. He may have some inaccuracies, but to characterize his motives seems abit harsh, don’t you think? Leonard Peltier is a political prisoner pure and simple. Clinton had NO EXCUSE not to issue a pardon. End of story!!!!!
Just thank you Harvey Wasserman for writing this and holding us to this fire. We really must get this man out of jail. If sanity struck this country what would we do about this?
In addition to setting him free, what would be the just and right thing to do? Mass funding of projects in his name? Funding him directly to head a nonprofit to uplift his people? What could we do to make up for this? In addition to repudiating the underlying philosophical principles that allowed such a miscarriage of justice to happen and seem “normal.” What could we do?
There are many more American Indians who are still in prisons even after serving their complete sentences. The government is fearful of Indian people, especially the activists, because the enormity of the continuing genocide still remains hidden from the American People. The fear of its realization and deep continuing racism prevent American Indian issues from reaching the media. Cultural events have been acceptable but political realities have not. Common Dreams has posted two articles here in the last couple of weeks and that is an improvement. If however, we could get past the Lakota to the important news of the other six hundred plus Indian Nations that would be a break through. The issues here are a good beginning.
Another issue related to imprisonment is violence. The United States and Canada often provoke Indian People. The imprisonment of Leonard Peltier is such a provocation. The hope is that Indian Peoples will become violent and thereby necessitate a strong governmental response acceptable to the American People. American Indians have learned these lessons the hard way and therefore approach provocations with caution and restraint. Therefore, it takes the vocal and economic support of non-Indian people to break the deadlock and to free Leonard before he crosses over. Leonard is not well and the time has come to free him.
From the AFN:
WHEREAS Leonard Peltier, of the Ojibway – Dakota Nation, came to Canada seeking refuge from persecution for alleged first-degree murder of two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on June 26, 1975 at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota; and
WHEREAS upon presentation of fraudulent affidavits, in violation of the treaty of extradition between Canada and the US, to Canadian officials by US prosecutors, Leonard Peltier was extradited to the United States; and
WHEREAS Leonard Peltier was subsequently found guilty of first degree murder despite the US prosecutors’ admission that they have no idea who killed the FBI agents, and has been sentenced to two life terms and served 23 years in jail; and
WHEREAS the Supreme Court of Canada has recommended that the Minister of Justice investigate the possibility that the extradition was illegally obtained, and, further, Senator Daniel Inouye (Hawaii), vice-chairman of the Select Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, has issued a statement in support of Leonard Peltier, and a petition of 20 million supporters including world leaders, members of congress, Parliament and Amnesty International has been submitted to the parole board without result;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), supported by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), urge the Minister of Justice of Canada to make a formal request to the Attorney-General of the US for Leonard Peltier be freed, as recommended by MP Warren Allmand in his report to Justice Minister Rock; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the AFN urge the NCAI to petition Senate and Congress to hold an investigation into the judicial improprieties by US law enforcement agencies in Leonard Peltier’s case.
http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=986
Have you heard of Fred Kaufman’s Inquiry concerning the Peltier case?
When then President Clinton was considering a pardon for Leonard Peltier, 500 FBI agents marched in front of the White House in opposition to a pardon. 9000 law enforcement offices presented a petition to a President who himself was being pardoned. The Senator from S.D. urged no pardon. Now how is this a Clinton issue?
Free Leonard Peltier!
Per Treefrog: “When then President Clinton was considering a pardon for Leonard Peltier, 500 FBI agents marched in front of the White House in opposition to a pardon. 9000 law enforcement offices presented a petition to a President who himself was being pardoned. The Senator from S.D. urged no pardon. Now how is this a Clinton issue?”
I didn’t know about that. Thanks for the info. I learn something new. However, that does not excuse Clinton for caving into the thug FBI agents. There is nothing in the Constitution that says that the FBI and law enforcement control this country. Clinton can go to hell for caving into these thugs.
This does say something chilling about Bill Clinton, if not Hillary. Some may recall that he sacrified the life of Ricky Ray Rector, a seriously retarded black man on Arkansas’ death row, in 1992 when he was running for president for the first time. Those around Clinton said that in an ordinary year, he would have commuted Rector’s sentence to life, but he was afraid that Bush the Elder would use that to label him soft on crime, so he let Rector be executed; he even interrupted campaigning and flew back to Arkansas to personally witness the execution. Rector was so mentally damaged that he saved part of his last meal to eat later. (Read the details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Ray_Rector)
What political advantage he gained from leaving Peltier in jail in 2001 is hard to discern, but it isn’t beyond the realm of imagination to wonder if he might have been thinking of Hillary running for president in the future and eliminating a possible arrow for the Right to use against her.
Like the Bushites, the Clintons are corporate conservatives and closet racists. This uppity Indian stands in the way of oligarch’s resource exploitation on Indian lands.
Conservative oxymorons Condo, Powell and Clarence, house negroes that lift conservative’s image and assorted Asians in the administrations have that in common. If Peltier agreed to sell out, he would be welcomed into the corporate conservative fold.
re - What political advantage he gained from leaving Peltier in jail
It was not so much an advantage he was gaining but a disadvantage he was avoiding. Clinton figured that letting Peltier go would make it look like he did not care about the lives of FBI agents.
BTW - Have you heard of Fred Kaufman’s Inquiry concerning the Peltier case?
I’m glad that all the democrats (who we liberals are ordered to vote for at every election) voted to suspend habeus corpus and leave it up to an insane, dyslexic, warmongering alcoholic - George Bush - to decide if we could be labeled as enemy combatants and imprisoned forever, with no trial, and no recourse.
Good job, fascist democrats.
Presidential candidate Mike Gravel is the only candidate who said he would seek to release Leonard Peltier.
What about DENNIS KUCINICH or Ralph Nader?
I met both Kucinich and Nader and posed the question of clemency for Mr. Peltier.
Dennis told me this past summer that he would review the case. “Review the case?”, I asked. Clinton promised to review the case. Dennis Said that he is not responsible for what Clinton did. But jeepers, it’s been almost 32 years of Mr. Peltier’s incarceration and Dennis doesn’t know about the case? He’s on the Gov’t Reform Committee.
This committee oversees public records, like the remaining FBI documents withheld despite the fact that they are over 25 years old and a Clinton executive order states that such documents should be open to the public.
I think Kucinich supporters should question Dennis and ask him why he doesn’t take a stronger stand on releasing Leonard Peltier. The same goes for supporters of all the candidates, including Ralph Nader, who stated in 2004 at Harvard U. that he would seek a new trial, but not clemency.
I would have to question whether a President can order a new trial; so that may very well be moot
Per ezyflyer: “If Peltier agreed to sell out, he would be welcomed into the corporate conservative fold.”
Exactly. We saw that in 1994 when former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) sold his soul to Newt Gingrich and the neocons.
The intentions of the Native American Energy Group are not points to gloss over but we do that alot, most of the time, in both MSM and on these alt pages. Witness, as another poster pointed out, that Russell Means was recently on these news pages “seceding” (well, no, he says they’re not “seceding” - good thing since they’re still a sovereign nation) from the US on behalf of the entire (do you know what that means?) Lakota Nation. All over the blogosphere folks with nothing at stake in his solo-declaration were patting him on the back and rocking him on. Meanwhile, anybody think whether he had that authority or that maybe there really is some process to Oglala nation government that doesn’t just allow some guy - who was defeated in his bid for tribal chair by Cecelia Fire Thunder, btw - to unilaterally claim to yank desperately needed funding to his people, funding set in place by treaty?
While we seem to have a messiah complex and look to individuals to save the masses its probably a cultural misappropriation to portend Native Nations function the same way. So, we say/agree Peltier should be released and probably should be, that Russell Means is the guiding light of the Lakota and he probably is not. In either case, it would do us well to consult the peoples for whom we create their saviors and then look away from the vastness of the needs we’ve left them holding.
Does all this have a place in responding to Harvey’s plea to vote against Hillary (which I’ve no stand)? Yes. The NAEG is not something to glaze over about because of the more sensational story about Peltier. Its time we took reporting about the First Nations seriously instead of creating funky blowback into their news cycles. If we did we’d have known that uranium mining in First Nations is a serious, urgent matter and that the Lakota Nation is not alone in passing resolutions against it. A better question for Clinton might be why does she support nuclear mining? I bet many First Nations people would like to know.
http://www.defendblackhills.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=27
RE - A better question for Clinton might be why does she support nuclear mining? I bet many First Nations people would like to know.
My guess is political donations.
Do you know where the Americans got the Uranium for the bombs they dropped on Japan during WWII? Seems as if things haven’t changed much:
The ore was mined by the Dene, a semi-nomadic people who followed the migratory caribou herds. The miners were paid three dollars a day to haul forty-five kilogram sacks of ore out to barges on the Mackenzie River for the long trip to the United States. The Dene called the grey stone the “money rock.” …
After the war, the Dene town on the shores of Great Bear Lake would become known as the village of widows, because so many of the men die of cancer.
At Los Alamos, New Mexico, the uranium was used to develop the first atomic bomb
http://history.cbc.ca/history/?MIval=EpisContent.html&series_id=1&episode_id=14&chapter_id=2&page_id=3&lang=E
BTW - Anyone here heard of Dudley George? We found out later that the only people who had guns at the protest were the police:
Ontario Provincial Police move in on the protesters during the night. Shots are fired and native protester Dudley George is hit. His brother and sister drive him to hospital. They are stopped and arrested for attempted murder before George is taken for medical treatment. He dies in hospital. The protesters say they were unarmed. The police say they only fired after they were fired on.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/ipperwash/history.html
Big governments worship the police and army.
Clearly Clinton knew that the idiots would have taunted him about it for years–or the FBI would make his life miserable.
I dont think the FBI even cares if they got the right guy–its a message. Kill one of us and you(the group) will pay for it.
Same with Mumia Abu Jamal.
I like this topic, and it’s debate so far.
For Ms. Ross…..
I like your reminder to us (I presume Anglos, in particular) Not to limit our concern for the First Nation’s People to this case for the release of Leonard Peltier. Clearly, any person who is fair-minded and knows of Justice B. Served is saddened by the complete story of Mr. Peltier. So please let us also consider the complete story of the many Native Americans who faithfully observe the rights, privilages and laws we live by; and agree to military service in defense of those observances! My experience among the youth of the Dineh and Hopi was truely a blessing and eye-opener… I now know it is a big mistake among us non-natives to lump all “reds” together.
For Tree Frog…..
Responsible? for the killing(ssssssss) give me/us a break! Do the research, then let us know how you figure the FBI/Dept. of Interior/Div. of A.T.F should not be fully responsible. Also, do you really need to refer to No. Dakota as part of your argument?
For RSJ…..
Yes it’s possible… even problable that Clinton the First had such a thought.
which brings me to this view point folks-
We have had enough of Bush’s and Clinton’s family feud. Once, and for all, we should just let ‘em go at it in the ring (let’s have Jesse Ventura in there as referee). Then let’s move on to some real Progress for our great country.
Supposedly, the eye-covering is for intrinsic objectivity of truth and justice,
but I guess that assumes JUSTICE is f#%king AWAKE !
One minor correction. A president does not have the power to order a new trial. Only an appellate judge can do that. A president can, however, grant a pardon or commute a sentence.
The Peltier case is of extreme strategic importance because his release would represent a success that would be recognized worldwide, and the Indigenous Americans haven’t had many of those. But Leonard Peltier being a martyr also works for the Indigenous Americans strategic advantage on a worldwide stage. The big losers in this case are the FBI and the U.S. government. And not that the FBI lost two of their typical human trash, but because the case will never die whichever way they continue it.
But expecting a pardon for Peltier is not reasonable given the U.S. mafia government’s other actions in similar situations, such as refusing to honor the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles, a known and self-confessed terrorist, to Venezuela, a country which has an extradition treaty with the U.S.. Posada Carriles now resides comfortably in Miami under the protection of the U.S. government. So the world now knows that the rule of law in the U.S. is phony and only is used as an instrument when it is needed to further the agenda of the criminal, U.S. corporate government. And now that that evil scum has exposed themselves they can never conceal who they really are and that is a portend of their coming doom.
If Leonard Peltier gets released, they will just try to get him for the murder of Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash. There will be new evidence.
RE - But expecting a pardon for Peltier is not reasonable given the U.S. mafia government’s other actions in similar situations
There is a difference between “not reasonable” and “not likely” - do you want this to be the voice of reason:
Racist comments made by two Ontario Provincial Police officers have been condemned by the Assembly of First Nations.
CBC News obtained a videotape under the Freedom of Information Act that contains several disturbing comments from the officers who were watching aboriginal protesters during a standoff at Ontario’s Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995.
The day after the videotape was recorded, native protester Dudley George was killed in a confrontation with an OPP officer.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/01/21/neweripperwash040121.html
Have you heard about Nora Bernard (from the CTV)?
Bernard was the native activist who spearheaded the class action lawsuit against the federal government.
The lawsuit sought compensation for loss of language and culture on behalf of nearly 80,000 residential school children who suffered physical and sexual abuse in residential schools from the 1870s to the 1970s.
The successful suit could be more than $5 billion and is believed to be the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history.
Mr Charlie:
First, I have read the history, Second, I’m old enough that I rememeber when this happened. Third, My grandmother’s advice.
That being said: This case is a matter of justice not a political tool. The context or history are valid points. There should be a new trial because of all the considerations and everyone should lay thier cards on the table. If you knew the case a little better you would know that it is contended that L.P did not murder anyone and they pretty much know that, but will not give him a day in court because he was there. And technically that meets a legal enough definition of quilt. So, what I think is that what is happening is that L.P. has been given this responsibility and that for whatever reasons some people have power over this to keep it that way. To be paroled he would have to admit to something he didn’t do and to be pardoned it would take a strong and united america to admit THEY WERE WRONG and that is never going to happen.
This is a disappointment that everything is this country has to be considered in political terms. And this is just another example.
Am I dreaming or is the link I posted no longer working?
Maybe it is just too busy.
Ain’t it obvious. Things are going local. Federal entities need to wake up for their own sake, but they also need to realize that federal is most unhelpful for most, or at least that is how it has been now for awile. Seems that way to me.
Will anyone ever learn?
Happy New Year’s Everyone.
2008….could it be great? I hope so.
Peace,
Ken
Treefrog, as Orwell wrote, it’s all political these days:
“In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics.’ All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.”
– George Orwell
Laura Ross, thanks for your comments; I admit I’m not as educated on this issue as I should be. Of course I believe Native Americans should be treated with justice, but I haven’t read enough of the true history of the US government’s despicable treatment of the Lakota Nation.
Yep — Happy New Year, Ken, and everyone else here. 2008 just might surprise us all by being much better than ‘07.
Peace along the trail..
Indeed, sweet Treefrog, peace along the trail.
p.s. What was your grandmother’s advice?
As my inspiring indigenous sisters say, no matter the weather or most recent body buried, Its a beautiful day!
Go get ‘em, Harvey, my friend.
RSJ, I don’t know much about the Lakota Nations either. Hear a bit about our mistreatment of the Native, Metis and Inuit peoples in the news here.
You heard of Neil Stonechild? The Police took 17 year old Stonechild on a “starlight tour” when it was -22 C. They found his frozen body a few days later:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/starlighttours.html
And you must have heard of the 911 murders of February 16, 2000? Two sister kept phoning 911 for help and the receptionist did not take their concerns seriously. They were still talking about it in the news when September 11, 2001 rolled around:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/winnipeg911.html
From the list of 100 Greatest Canadians:
11. LOUIS RIEL 1844-1885
18. SHANIA TWAIN 1965-
37. TECUMSEH 1768-1813
80. CHIEF DAN GEORGE 1899-1981
83. ELIJAH HARPER 1949-
- Hey, you had celebrities on your list of 100 Greatest Americans as well.
RE - or most recent body buried …
May the world be better for all of us in the New Year and our youth have more to look forward to.
There are an untold number of men and women illegally imprisoned here in the so called land of the free. this only lends more support to my assertion that the ENTIRE US government is illegal and can be arrested by any US citizen in defense of our Constitution. Any Congressperson who voted for either Patriot Act, the Bankruptcy Bill, Media Ownership Bill, and the War on Iraq has committed treason and can be arrested. The entire Executive branch can be arrested on sight as they have occupied the White house illegally fro 7 years now. They should all be tried for treason and war crimes. Once convicted they can be released into the custody of the Hague and the World Court for their war crimes and crimes against humanity trials.
Most of the people that immigrated to the U.S. in the early days were either religious zealots (puritans) lock the doors and throw the key away or criminals. I think that is why the country cannot get past this dualism.
I think my grandmother’s advice would be lost in translation. It has to do with how you look at things.
Treefrog said:
_I think my grandmother’s advice would be lost in translation. It has to do with how you look at things._
I bet it wasn’t que sera sera.
My grandmother said ‘Close the goddamned door!’. That’s a good one.
And, pray your rosary every day so Russia will be defeated.
Where the hell did THAT come from? Taking my grandma from me like that. Shame, whoever it was.
I loved my grandmother in peculiar ways, but I did.
My grandmother use to say: “Big talkers, little doers.”
What could be more contemporary to Hillary Clinton, Obama, and Edwards…
There are over two million people in prison the U.S., more than any other place in the world. Do you think any candidate running for president will have anything to say about it except maybe by our current legislation that we should be willing to add a few more? You are free to prove me wrong. This is just my opinion. Leonard Peltier is there to remind us. Once upon a time, many Chiefs of the American government went to prison and many native americans went free, but not Leonard Peltier.
I guess you could also ask yourself this: Are you willing to live on a reservation in the U.S. as a native american?
Treefrog,
If your comments are directed at me, ive been living on the Rez most of my life. And if you go back and look at what ive said, you may note that i have repudiated Clinton’s act of not pardoning Leonard.
Tree Frog….
I won’t go back and forth with you on the LP case history, I can tell it would be pointless by your later comment.
“Once Upon a time, many Chiefs of the American government went to prison and native americans went free,…” this is for sure a fairy tale You Believe. I’m not into such revisionist folk myths that pass for history these days.
My experience living in a border town (Winslow, AZ) and working every day with school children who lived on the ‘res’ was close enough for me. Though I did enjoy many visits to Hopi Land and Canyon de Chelly, it was clear to me I would only be a visitor even if I choose to live there.
Mr. Charlie
Well goodness, my statement is actually quite true, a historical fact. It took place at Wounded Knee in the 70’s. All the native americans had the charges against them dropped (yes, there were two deaths) but in Washington D.C. during the same time the president was impeached and his Chief of Staff was sent to prison, along with several other chiefs.
It is odd that history has been so distored that people find truth hard to believe. This information was from a book I read by a native american present at wounded knee. I have no doubt that what he wrote came from his heart and was the truth as he saw it.
Huck
I think one of the measures of any agreement being fair is that you are willing to be on either side of the debate, that was my reason for asking the question. The question wasn’t specifically directed to you, but thank you for your answer. I have trouble seeing this as a political issue or even a clarification of a political issue.
Revisionist history represents the narratives of the oppressed. I can see how that now becomes an object of angst for some.
Huck
I think certainly living without truth is not a good thing, this is probably why people go to such links to determine what it is or what the most likely explaination might be. The truth beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal definition. This definition is a cultural value. Another one might be, lets tell the truth in the beginning then we won’t have to search for it latter. The truth is what you know, when you tell it to someone else they can accept it as thier truth (the truth for themselves) or not. I think there are few people that know the truth in this situation and that two different culture values are being applied. I know one thing L.P. knows the truth. The difficult part is finding a common truth here as it exists.
More lies will not make this go away, and that is my truth.
It is like rain. If you are standing outside you may not know exactly which waterdrop fell first but you know it is raining long before someone inside thier house does.
Let me clarify for you…
1) those natives that went free (charges dropped) turned evidence against LP or took other roles in the charade the Feds called Justice. And not all went free. I just met last year with LP’s cousin and wife in Prescott, AZ while they celebrated the opening of Leonard’s show…. they talked, I listened.
2) no president was impeached… though Nixon did resign after it was clear he would be impeached if he continued on in office.
Truth…
seems you mix ‘viewpoint’ with truth in some of what you write. I would submit two thoughts here. First off, LP certainly has great knowledge of the whole affair… though not as much as the Feds were claiming back at trial. Second, someones ‘truth’ is the refection of where they stand in the ‘reality’…. hence; we have my truth, your truth, And The Truth is What Surrounds Us ( is that New Agey enough?).
so basically… since I don’t pretend to know much
Mr. Charlie
I guess you know we are talking about two seperate incidents. (It is alleged he was at both, wounded knee and the scene of the crime that now has him in prison)
Whether or not anyone went to prison for wounded knee is probably incidental, those that appeared in South Dakota did not stand trial and charges were dropped and it had nothing to do with L.P. (Context plays a large role at wounded knee, I think they all expected to die like thier ancestors)
Did L.P.’s cousin mention anything about someone else confessing to the crime?
Sorry, about the resignation verses impeachment (senior moment) but the president was later pardoned by his successor President Ford.
Yep, I agree context does shape opinions or viewpoints, that is why a new trial is needed because context is part of the problem here.
I’m not going to address the “new age thing”, ok. Glad we are having this discussion.
Oh, I got a lot of my information from an old indian so I probably relate in the old traditional way if at all.