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Leonard Peltier

#89637-132

USP Coleman I

P.O. Box 1033

Coleman, FL  33521

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Recent

Event in Support of the Leonard Peltier Walk for Human Rights

LPDOC Chapter - Atlanta

April 19-23, 2012

On Thursday, April 19, Atlanta Veterans for Peace and the Peace Network of the Unitarian Congregation of Atlanta presented a screening of "Warrior, The Life of Leonard Peltier" at the Unitarian Congregation. The film was well received and we had a good discussion afterwards. Many attending learned for the first time about the extent of the corporate exploitation of the land on and around the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970's and the role that Peltier played in the cover-up for the crimes that our government committed there. He provided the government with a scapegoat, which allowed them to cut funding for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' investigation into the murders and beatings on the reservation and also gave them a point to argue to stop the Church Committee's investigation into abuses by the CIA and FBI, nationally and internationally, from including events on Pine Ridge.

On Saturday, April 21, Atlanta supporters and the Walkers assembled at the Martin Luther King National Historic Site to begin a march alongside Freedom Parkway, past the Carter Center and on to Little 5 Points, a well known Atlanta area with tourists and artists and other interesting characters who needed to learn about Leonard Peltier. Many flyers were passed out and interviews were done along the way by Free Speech Radio News.

(When I first approached the King Site to get a permit to assemble there I was told that there might be a conflict of interest. The King Site is run by the National Park Service, which is under the Federal Government, and my issue seemed to be anti-government. I told their representative a little bit about Leonard and showed him a copy of a letter that Coretta Scott King signed in 2000 urging President Clinton to grant clemency and he said, "Well, maybe this is a Freedom of Speech issue." We got the permit.)

On Monday, April 23, we had a benefit for the Walk at the Arts Exchange, an old school turned into artists' lofts, performing spaces, dance schools, etc. Some Indians from the Cherokee Nation in North Carolina and others from Alabama joined us. The venue was very supportive of the cause and gave us quite a break on the price for their facilities. We started with a dinner provided by Grandmothers for Peace and Food Not Bombs (with a turkey smoked by me). We continued with drumming by the Rick Bird Group, with traditional dancers, music by Cherokee Rose and Selina, Atlanta based international blues singer Veronika Jackson and the Ex-PAND Band (long time Leonard Peltier supporters). It was a cultural exchange – a good time was had by all, much was shared.

Also, in the days that the Walk was in the Atlanta area we met with the Georgia leader of Women's Actions for New Directions (WAND <http://www.wand.org/>) and a national board member about the common issue they have with Indians on Pine Ridge –– the nuclear power industry. We met with Congressman John Lewis and had two interviews on local community radio station WRFG. We did our best to educate the people of Atlanta about why Leonard Peltier and the issues that resulted in his unlawful incarceration are still important.

All expenses for all events were paid for by local activists and a generous donor. All donations received were given to the walkers.

Reid Jenkins

LPDOC Chapter - Atlanta