Leonard Peltier would like to experience that same "Peace", "Love",
"comfort" that you glibly refer to but he is an Indian and in parts of
Indian Country these gifts are not afforded to Indians, and especially those
who fight for Indian rights.
You say dont take sides, --you vote for a President in this Country, we all
have an opinion and position on that, so every American and American Indian
has a free choice to take a "side." We can all take a side for or against
Leonard Peltier.
Having folks in Government or law enforcement doesn't make life better than
someone else nor does it demean them if they don't. If they are in law
enforcement or government, they should do what is right, just, and equal
under the law, and leonard Peltier is not getting equal, just, fair
treatment under the law.
There is no "innocent until proven guilty" anymore, expecially if you are
Indian. We can't get his innocence heard or accepted in the courts in
Indian Country. If he was a white man he would have been out of jail long
time ago but because he is an Indian he is still behind bars.
The sad thing is people sitting in their comfort saying things when they are
so far removed from the facts, so far removed from the environment, so far
removed from caring about a human being who is so unjustly treated according
to the U. S. Laws. The laws work for whites but not for Indians.
So you had 30 minutes to 1 hour of TV time to hear about Leonard Peltier, so
now you feel you can pass judgment on how people should feel and whose side
they should be on. When I became a Government employee, I did not give up
my individual right to think, or my right to be American Indian and to
believe in our causes and issues.
And, yes, be thankful for the comfortable life you have been afforded while
other suffer.
-----Original Message-----
From: Wright, Raymond T Mr ODCSINT/GD
[mailto:Raymond.Wright@hqda.army.mil]
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 12:10 PM
To: Baumgardner, Leslie; Bryan, Donna (H); Cisneros, Michelle (H);
Fowler, Elizabeth (H); Gonzo, Jimmy; Harrison, Marc; Hubbard, Art;
Ingersoll, Carmel; Ingersoll, Christine (H); Ingersoll, Janet (H);
Marcus, Ralph; Neconie, Dawnita (W); Neconie, Juanita J.(W);
nn-powwow@bioc02.v19.uthscsa.edu; Tansey, Bob & Stepahnie; Whiteman
Family (H); Wright, Tab (H)
Subject: FW: Fwd: URGENT PELTIER ACTION (fwd)
-----Original Message-----
From: Lawrence E. Wheeler [mailto:lawheele@mailbox.syr.edu]
Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2000 11:54 AM
To: nn-dialogue@bioc02.v19.uthscsa.edu
Subject: Re: Fwd: URGENT PELTIER ACTION (fwd)
I recently saw a special on Mr. Peltier and the case circumstances. I did
not realise the abuse that some still active Federal agents are committing
through media. I found it disheartening to see the active campaign
against the rights and voice of Leonard Peltier carried out by employees
of the government, who I think should be neutral in their stance on guilt.
Does innocent until proven guilty mean anything anymore?
I have members of my family in law enforcement as well as in
government agencies, and I would be ashamed of each and everyone of them
for "taking sides" in this way.
I am not calling for action of any kind. I think that we should
all be thankful for the comfortable lives that some of us have been
afforded.
Love, Peace, and God's Blessings,
Larry
_____________________________
Lawrence E. Wheeler
Graduate Teaching Associate
Department of Mathematics
215 Carnegie
Syracuse University
(315) 443-3353 (work)
http://web.syr.edu/~lawheele