|
As I sit here in my cement and iron box - warehoused as a guest of the state of Pennsylvania, I think of the great Native American Chippewa/Sioux hero and one time member of the American Indian Movement, Leonard Peltier. Back in 1975 at Wounded Knee and at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, he made a stand to protect his people from harm. This is one of the most honorable actions any proud Native American could ever do. Unselfishly this Redman placed his life and his freedom on the line for what he knew and felt was the rightful thing to do for his people. It hurts my heart to know after almost 34 years Leonard Peltier, a true hero, is still rotting in a stinking federal prison for murdering two FBI agents, which there is absolutely no proof he committed. Every single decent person in our society should be demanding justice be served by freeing this innocent Redman. Everyone should read the book by Peter Matthiessen, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse - the true story of Leonard Peltier. Leonard also has written a book entitled, Prison Writings - My Life is a Sun Dance United States Prisoner. Edited by Harvy Arden. I would also recommend that you see the Robert Redford and Michael Apted's film documentary, Incident at Oglala. There are many books and articles written about this miscarrage of injustice by the United States government against our true American peoples. Here follows some insight into Leonard's mind from his book, Prison Writings.... You must understand .... I am ordinary. Painfully ordinary. This isn't modesty. This is fact. Maybe you're ordinary too. If so, I honor your humanness, your spirituality. I hope you will honor mine. That ordinariness is our bond, you and I. We are ordinary. We are human. The Creator made us this way. Imperfect. Inadequate. Ordinary. Be thankful you weren't cursed with perfection. If you were perfect, there'd be nothing for you to achieve with your life. Imperfection is the source of every action. This is both our curse and our blessing as human beings. Our very imperfection makes a holy life possible. We're not supposed to be perfect. We're supposed to be useful. These words come from a Chippewa/Sioux hero who has been a warehoused human since 1975 for crimes he did not commit and this Redman isn't due for release until 2041. He will be ninety-seven years old. He must do two lifetimes plus seven years. This is a blackeye for the American justice system. How long must our true Americans, our native peoples suffer at the hands of the oppressive United States Government? Every able-bodied American in this country should write a letter to Presjdent Obama and demand that Leonard Peltier's sentence be commuted, setting him free, all in the name of TRUE JUSTICE. I leave you with Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu - Noble Peace Laureate - statement concerning the plight of Mr. Peltier: A deeply moving and very disturbing story of a gross miscarriage of justice, and an eloquent cri de coeur of Native Americans for redress and to be reguarded as human beings with inalienable rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution, like any other citizens. We pray that it does not fall on deaf ears. America owes it to herself. Quotations from Leonard Peltier's Prison Writings were used by permission from the publisher; St. Martins Press - wwwstmartins.com By: Ace A. Ivy THE CHOSEN ONE (Leonard Peltier) 
How long must he rot in jailIn '75 his life became hell He stood up and took them on Accused of murder, he had not done Some will rise, some will fall HE'S THE CHOSEN ONE LEONARD PELTIER STILL STANDS STRONG HE'S THE CHOSEN ONE TO LEAD HIS PEOPLE ON The Jumping Bulls opened their home The government, and their Army LEAD BREAK Off to Canada, he went to hide Over the decades, they've stole his life Written on June 19, 2009 while I was incarcerated at Sci-Forest State Prison in Marienville, Pennsylvania. |
|
"Tell Rebecca I love her
M., circa 1970"
You are welcome to use or re-publish any of our material.
Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source