Leonard to receive the Red Nations Humanitarium Award

The Red Nation Film Festival has chosen Leonard Peltier to receive its first annual Red Nations Humanitarian Award for his lifelong commitment to indigenous and human rights, as well as his leadership in efforts to alleviate poverty and domestic abuse among Native peoples. As a political prisoner for nearly 34 years, Peltier has helped focus world attention on government repression of Native resistance throughout the Americas, while the United States continues to make an example out of him of the consequences of seeking freedom.

www.rednation.com

A message from Lakoda Robideau

Thank you all for your support. I’m going to do every thing in my power to help free my uncle and inform others. But also I’m here to help everyone work together and unite, as this will have a bigger impact. This is important, we need to stay in touch, we need to have meetings, at least once every week and talk about the next action that we need to take and strategize. That is where I will be able to help inform you.
We need everyone working together and there is not much we cant do with help from everyone. I understand some of you are public speakers or letter writers, some of you can organize, many of you are leaders. Please do whatever you can do to help raise public awareness, and help funds for the LPDOC! Example; set up a table at next powwow or go speak to educate the youth at the community center or colleges. For example, the Portland support group and I are going to have tables at a powwow there. The Fargo Moorhead support group is organizing a showing of the film Incident at Oglala to raise local awareness and activism.
I will also be going to Washington D.C., where I hope the support group in Washington plans to go before the 5th and talk to the tribal officials. We can all go talk to our tribal official and just ask them to say three words: “Free Leonard Peltier”!! Second, go ahead send letters to the Bureau of Prisons and Attorney General Eric Holder and ask for transfer to medium security. Leonard has more then he needs in points to qualify for a transfer to a medium security prison based on BOP system. He has 16-points and has been a model prisoner, grandpa, father, elder and chief; he needs all of us to unite and work together. E-mail me; I look forward to meeting my uncle’s warriors.
Thank you all for what you are doing. Take the time to learn more about my uncle’s case. Don’t stop learning and searching for the truth, I too have been seeing more and more lies.
Aho take care, Lakoda Robideau

Circle For Clemency For Leonard Peltier - My Take On The Day

People from all four directions gathered as the sun rose. Before The Tribal Conference began, we greeted the day with prayers for the health and well being of all the people that we may live, that we may all be free from bondage of any kind. We had seen the morning star and humbly asked that we be allowed to carry the knowledge and truth that it represented with us in all our dealings throughout the day. The sun rose bathing us in the warmth and illumination of its sacredness - reminding us of All Who Had Gone Before and the sacrifices they had made and continue to make.

We had come to Washington DC to ask that the Tribal chairs, chiefs, supporters and representatives from all across the land consider carrying with them a request for clemency for our brother, Leonard Peltier. As these representatives arrived, we mingled among them and greeted them as warmly as the sun had greeted us. We handed out literature and explained our purpose. We unfurled our banners and carried our signs. We escorted many of them to the places they needed to be and were able to talk to them one on one about why we were there and what they could do to help us.

As the day went on, our friends Mark Silent Bear, Jacqline Wolf Tice and Drummer Joe Hough led us in song and prayer that we might send our voices in a sacred way that would be heard by all things and for all things. Many of the Tribal leaders made their way across the road and told us of their intent to carry our message with them. At one point, a Redtailed Hawk circled three times over the Department of the Interior building. We took this as a sign that Leonard's spirit was with us and watching out over us.

This was especially true when, shortly afterward, we were confronted by James Trimbach - a struggling "author" of unwarranted, unpublishable lies. He attempted to create a publicity event for himself by engaging members of our group in a confrontational way. I asked him several times to desist as this was not a forum for debate. He continued and I even found myself being drawn into argument with him until a bystander approached and innocently asked me "what was going on" inside the DOI building. At this point, Mr. Trimbach, in his pomposity and rudeness, answered that it was a "some kind of hearing to request clemency for Leonard Peltier." I nearly fell on the ground laughing when I realized he didn't have a clue what was going on. He was even ignorant of the historical significance of the Tribal Summit. It struck me that it might be ironically amusing to have Mr. Trimbach escorted from the scene by the police. While I was making arrangements for that, Lakoda Robideau continu ed to speak with him. Trimbach stated that he wanted to see Leonard free as much as we did.( in his own Caligulan way) Lakoda handed him a sign with a picture of Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover and Leonard that said "Which One Is Innocent?" and said to him "Then you won't mind holding THIS for us." The police officer even had to grin when he looked over our paperwork and then proceeded to escort Mr. Trimbach from the area. We all had a bit of a laugh and smudged with sage to cleanse the negativity that had been brought by this unwanted visitor.

When President Obama was leaving the DOI building after the morning speech, we made ourselves quite visible. So visible, in fact, that he rolled down the window of his limo and positively acknowledged us as we drummed and sang when he passed by.

Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to make many new friends from all across the country. The intimacy and good spirit of our small group brought strangers, family, elders, youth, warriors, old time supporters and those who had just become supporters together in unity.

Each time the meeting would break and the representatives exited or entered the building, they were greeted by our drumming and our singing. We had several tribal leaders remark to us that they could not help but carry our spirit and the heartbeat of our drum inside with them. We were determined that Leonard would not be forgotten.

In September, Ben Carnes invited me to come to Washington, DC. We fasted for seven days and sent our humble, sometimes whispered prayers to The Creator that President Obama hear our pleas of clemency and justice for Leonard Peltier. We had faith that The Creator heard every word and on November 5, 2009. We and The Circle for Clemency took the next right step on the path that He had lain for us. In its essence, this Gathering was an opportunity to send many more humble and whispered prayers that became One Great Voice heard not only by The Creator but by All The Nations and all The People. A prayer of solidarity, hope and gratitude that our voices have been heard and that our message of freedom for Leonard Peltier would be carried in the hearts, words and deeds of our tribal representatives, President Obama and the United States government from this day forth.

In our singleness of purpose, we shared food throughout the day that nourished each other physically.

In our singleness of purpose, we carried with us our personal prayers and sacred objects that nourished each other spiritually.

In our singleness of purpose, we shared information & conversation that educated not only our people but others who had been drawn to the event and nourished each other mentally.

At the end of the day, we were blessed by the Creator with a beautiful double rainbow as if to acknowledge our singleness of purpose - FREEDOM FOR LEONARD PELTIER

I personally owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to ALL the members of The Circle For Clemency For Leonard Peltier, from its inception to the completion of this event and beyond, for all of their hard work, dedication and prayers.

~ Robert Fife

Continue Calling White House

CALL THE WHITE HOUSE ~ 202-456-1111 ~ ASK PRESIDENT OBAMA TO FREE LEONARD PELTIER.

The LPDOC is offering another raffle

The LPDOC is offering another raffle.



We are raffling a beautiful cedar wood flute hand crafted by gifted artist Leslie C. Thunder Hawk. Leslie is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe from the Rosebud Reservation.



Leslie comes from a long line of noted artists. He began making flutes and drums in 1987. The flute is made from airomatic cedar wood or red heart redwood. His own style is very original and his work has been displayed at museums because of the craftsmanship he put into it.



The Indians Arts & Crafts Act of 1990 states, a person must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe to label their arts and crafts as Indian made. His work has been in a number of galleries and has been displayed at the U.S. Dept of Interior Sioux Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, and The Elizabeth M. Watkins Community Museum in Lawrence, Kansas.



Thank you Leslie for giving the gift of tradition.



We ask everyone to please buy a ticket to support our ongoing efforts for Leonard’s freedom.



Raffle tickets are $5.00 for one and $20.00 for five tickets. Please pay through PayPal or through postal service. Include your name, address and phone number.

Also, There are many paintings available, which vary in price and size. All of his paintings are original native expressions of portraits of his visions. Leonards oil paintings are collected by various people, including well known names, such as Chelsea Clinton, Oliver Stone, Val Kilmer, Jane Fonda and so many more admirers. His work will be enjoyed for centuries to come and we encourage everyone to purchase an original painting or a lithograph of Leonards work.


 

"The Tragedy of Leonard Peltier vs. the US" by Peter Mattiessen

Peter Matthiessen's op-ed in response to the parole decision, "The Tragedy of Leonard Peltier vs. the US," appears in the current issue of the New York Review of Books (Volume 56, Number 18 · November 19, 2009). We encourage all supporters to read the article. A link is provided at our home page at www.whoisleonardpeltier.info. Please also write a letter to the editor of the Review to express thanks for publishing the op-ed, but also to comment on its content. The editor's address is Robert B. Silvers, Editor, The New York Review of Books, 435 Hudson Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10014. Mail your letter or fax it to 212-333-5374. You may also send your comments by e-mail: editor@nybooks.com