Saturday, September 12, 2009

Updates -Ben Carnes' Fast Ends 9/12/2009 - Leonard's sister chains herself to White House Gates

Update:  Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:00PM CST:

Just got off the phone with WANBLI , he confirmed Leonard's sisters did chain themselves to the white house iron gates. more details to come.......

Update:  Saturday, September 12, 2009

from:Censored News -Posted by brendanorrell@gmail.com

Ben Carnes ends fast today for Leonard Peltier at White House

Ben Carnes ends fast today for Leonard Peltier at White House
Click photo to listen to the 9/7/09 interview on Censored Blogtalk Radio. Ben Carnes, Choctaw, and Rob Fife are fasting outside the White House for the release of Leonard Peltier. Photo Kitty Carnes.

Update: 9/12/2009

 Ben Carnes and Rob Fife fasting at White House

"The guys are weary but strong and ready for this mornings events." -- Kitty Carnes

Update: Friday morning: 9/11/2009

 
"The guys (Ben & Rob) were asked to leave the park - they were told it was being cleaned - but now the bomb squad is there and it is taped off - I wonder what is going on." -- Kitty Carnes



Censored Radio: Ben Carnes live from the White House
By Brenda Norrell
Photo by Kitty Carnes



Ben Carnes is fasting in Lafayette Park across from the White House in solidarity with freedom for Leonard Peltier. Peltier is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians who has been held as a political prisoner of the Government of the United States of America for over 33 years. Carnes, Choctaw from Oklahoma, speaks on Censored Blog Radio, while fasting for justice for Leonard Peltier outside the White House. Wanbli also joins the show live by phone with more details on Peltier's case and the appeal to Obama for freedom for Peltier. Carnes and Wanbli speak of FBI misconduct, assassination attempts on Peltier, the beating of Peltier in a Pennsylvania prison in 2008 and more than 500 years of genocide for Indian people.
Calling for clemency, Wanbli said Obama promised Peltier's release during his campaign. On today's show, the music is by Keith Secola, with poet Cleo Apache, recorded live at the Havasupai Gathering to Halt Uranium Mining in the Grand Canyon by Earthcycles. Wanbli said, "Carnes is standing there in fast and in prayer for 7 days in the hopes of gaining attention of the President of the United States of America to the plight of Leonard.
During his fast he will not take food or water and he will remain in a prayerful attitude for the next 7 days. Those who make stands to fight injustice such as Ben is doing should have all of our respect and prayers. There are many who make smoke and kick up dust but few who actually have the will to make a stand such as this." Wanbli said Obama could see Carnes if he would look out the window. Carnes began his fast Saturday and will continue to fast through Sept. 12.

Amnesty International has already called for the immediate release of Peltier. CW Gayle, Choctaw, thanked Carnes. "Halito! Ben. Many years ago my friend Rocque Duenas was standing vigil for Leonard in the very place you are. Rocque was a tribal fisherman in Washington, this was 1978. You carry the torch," Gayle said in a message.


Dehydration: Ben Carnes fasting at the White House
From Ben Carnes



I wanted to announce that on Wednesday afternoon, I ceased the liquid portion of my fast due to dehydration. I had taken that as far as I could without endangering my health. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, when I relieved my self, I experienced a burning sensation and around Noon Wednesday, I began to feel as if my kidneys were tightening up.

I made an attempt to contact a physician, but after a period of time with receiving a response. At 2:40 PM (Eastern), I consumed some liquids to hydrate myself. It was a promise I made to Chief Tayac when he visited me at Lafayette Park. He told me that day that I needed to hydrate myself. He said, “You are a Chief! Don’t you dare hit the ground!

There are a lot of people depending upon you to be here for them, and if you die what good would that serve them?” I assured him that when my body told me that I was beginning to have problems, I would take care of myself.Still, I will continue to fast without food until 8:45 AM Saturday. I can assure you that Leonard would appreciate and respect this decision. He has suffered so much pain and loss of allies and relatives, that it would only grieve him had I continued and possibly caused irreparable harm to my health.

My personal prayer will continue on, and I will continue to conduct myself in a honorable and respectful manner befitting my position. I knew that when I decided to publicly announce to that I am a Sun Dance Chief and would be taking this course of action. I would open myself up to criticisms, but that in itself is a sacrifice I willingly accepted. And there has been none, just messages of respect and support. It was never my intention to promote myself, but to show my love and support for my Sun Dance brother.

I had contacted Arvol Looking Horse about the possibility of coming to DC. He could not since he already had an earlier commitment, but he supported what I was doing and that he would support me through his prayers from over there. I am very thankful to have those prayers from the Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe in this way.

I know that there are many more people who have joined in this fast as an act of solidarity for me and for Leonard. This simple course of action has aroused so much supportive action from around the world. It has done so much more than if we had tried to have everyone come to DC.

Many of you are organizing in your communities and creating so much awareness everywhere and that is so important.The results of this prayer and sacrifice may not be immediately, I feel something is taking place on a larger spiritual level and we will need to keep that in mind in all that we do for Leonard. We know that we will prevail, and it would have been difficult without your support.

Send your cards and letters to Leonard. Let him know how your event went and let him know that we are all here for him and that we will continue to do all we can to bring him home. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,Ben Carnes

Send Cards and Letters:

Leonard Peltier
#89637-132
USP-Lewisburg
US Penitentiary
PO Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 17837


Listen at Censored News Blog Radio

More information:
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/
Contact:

Ben Carnes:
bencarnes@eaglecouncil.com

Wanbli:
wanbli@gvtc.com

E-mail:
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info

Brenda Norrell, Censored News

Censored Blog Talk Radio

Earthcycles

RADIO STATIONS MAY REBROADCAST

This radio show is available to radio stations around the world at no charge. The mp3 download may be used in whole or part. Please credit Censored News Blog Radio for interviews and Earthcycles for Keith Secola's recording.

Friday, September 11, 2009

LEONARD PELTIER'S Birthday is September 12th - Vigils Planned Worlwide





Today:
LOS ANGELES Saturday: The Los Angeles Community......A vigil also will take place from 1pm to 8 pm at Nahui Ohlin Cultural Store on 1pm to 8pm on Saturday September 12th. Call for directions to Nahui Ohlin at 213-949-5406/other questions 323-384-2429. Thank you the good people at Nahui Ohlin for hosting this, and AIM Santa Barbara for their support!



LEONARD PELTIER'S BIRTHDAY

IS SEPTEMBER 12th!

SUPPORTERS EVERYWHERE TO HOLD

BIRTHDAY VIGILS


sorce: http://whoisleonardpeltier.info





Leonard Peltier Birthday Bash Fundraiser


Friday, September 12, 2008

7 to 10 p.m.

Brecht Forum, 451 West Street ( West Side Highway) between Bank & Bethune Sts.

You are invited to help us celebrate Leonard Peltier's 64th birthday and raise funds for his commissary account. A delicious potluck dinner will be prepared by NCYLPSG. There will be a birthday cake and card signing. Attorney Michael Kuzma will give us a legal update. Other special guests to be announced.

For more information: nyclpsg@yahoo.com or 718-853-0893

Official Web Site of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

Listen to Michael Kuzma and Paulette D'Auteuil talk about Leonard,
other political prisoners and POWs and the Jericho Anniversary March:

To read Leonard's statement to the August 24th Picnic at the Park, click here!

Public Transportation to the Brecht Forum (212-242-4201): A, C, E or L to 14th Street & 8th Ave, walk down 8th Ave. to Bethune, turn right, walk west to the River, turn left; 1, 2, 3 or 9 to 14th Street & 7th Ave, get off at south end of station, walk west on 12th Street to 8th Ave. left to Bethune, turn right, walk west to the River, turn left; PATH Train to Christopher Street, north on Greenwich St to Bank Street, left to the river; #11 or #20 Bus to Abingdon Square, west on Bethune; #14A or #14D Bus to 8th Ave & 14th Street, walk down 8th Ave. and west on Bethune to the river; #8 Bus to 10th & West Street

source:
http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/our-prisoners-war-pow/32959-leonard-peltier-birthday-bash-fundraiser.html




Please click on the following link to hear Leonard speak to you on his birthday, September 12, 2006. Leonard is 62 years old today! We ask that you Save the Audio File to your computer before listening to Leonard and his message.
Around The World
Click here to see the events that are occurring around the world in support of leonard and this occasion
ONLINE BIRTHDAY CARD:
Just like the past two years, we have uploaded an online
webpage with "Birthday Greetings for Leonard".
The BD website will be printed out and sent to Leonard.
Please note that this is *not* a discussion forum. Every new BD
greeting will be "locked".

To add your birthday wishes for Leonard Peltier, go to:
http://pub17.bravenet.com/forum/1411437405


Once you're on the BD site, simply click "post" and add your message. :-)


SEND LEONARD A BIRTHDAY CARD:
( Please send your birthday card to Leonard 7-10 days prior to Sept 12, 2006.)
Leonard’s address is:
Leonard Peltier  # 89637-132
USP Lewis burg
PO BOX 1000
Lewis burg PA 17837

sorce: http://www.leonardpeltier.net/worldevents/bday.htm



09/11/09 - Special Event at Stewart Mott House -An Evening In Solidarity With Leonard Peltier

The American Indian Support Committee Presents:

An Evening In Solidarity With Leonard Peltier
Friday, September 11, 2009
Stewart Mott House, 122 Maryland Ave, NE

Join:

Ben Carnes, National Support Group Coordinator and member of the Advisory Board of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee;

Chief Billy Redwing Tayac, Hereditary Chief of the Piscataway Indian Nation and founding member of the League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere;

Penny Gamble Williams, Host of The Talking Feather, Spiritual Leader of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Indian Nation, and co-founder of Painted Gourd-Red and Black Voices

Harvey Arden, Director of Wisdomkeepers Project and Editor of Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sundance, by Leonard Peltier


Ben has make a tremendous personal and financial sacrifice to come here to fast for Leonard. For those who can't attend but wish to show support, checks can be made out to Ben Carnes and mailed C/O Nancy Lyall, 14186 Logan Ct, Woodbridge, VA 22193

For more details  goto http://dc.indymedia.org

source:  markg on Mon, 09/07/2009 - 4:03pm

Peltier: I Am Barack Obama's Political Prisoner Now -

source: # Posted by Friends of Peltier on September 11, 2009 at 12:58pm

on USATALNETWORK.COM


http://www.counterpunch.org/
September 11-13, 2009



If Only the Government Had Respected Its Own Laws...

I Am Barack Obama's Political Prisoner Now
By LEONARD PELTIER


The United States Department of Justice has once again made a mockery of its lofty and pretentious title.

After releasing an original and continuing disciple of death cult leader Charles Manson (sic - Lynette Squeaky Fromme) who attempted to shoot President Gerald Ford, an admitted Croatian terrorist, and another attempted assassin of President Ford under the mandatory 30-year parole law, the U.S. Parole Commission deemed that my release would “promote disrespect for the law.”

If only the federal government would have respected its own laws, not to mention the treaties that are, under the U.S. Constitution, the supreme law of the land, I would never have been convicted nor forced to spend more than half my life in captivity. Not to mention the fact that every law in this country was created without the consent of Native peoples and is applied unequally at our expense. If nothing else, my experience should raise serious questions about the FBI's supposed jurisdiction in Indian Country.

The parole commission's phrase was lifted from soon-to-be former U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley, who apparently hopes to ride with the FBI cavalry into the office of North Dakota governor. In this Wrigley is following in the footsteps of William Janklow, who built his political career on his reputation as an Indian fighter, moving on up from tribal attorney (and alleged rapist of a Native minor) to state attorney general, South Dakota governor, and U.S. Congressman. Some might recall that Janklow claimed responsibility for dissuading President Clinton from pardoning me before he was convicted of manslaughter. Janklow's historical predecessor, George Armstrong Custer, similarly hoped that a glorious massacre of the Sioux would propel him to the White House, and we all know what happened to him.

Unlike the barbarians that bay for my blood in the corridors of power, however, Native people are true humanitarians who pray for our enemies. Yet we must be realistic enough to organize for our own freedom and equality as nations. We constitute 5% of the population of North Dakota and 10% of South Dakota and we could utilize that influence to promote our own power on the reservations, where our focus should be. If we organized as a voting bloc, we could defeat the entire premise of the competition between the Dakotas as to which is the most racist. In the 1970s we were forced to take up arms to affirm our right to survival and self-defense, but today the war is one of ideas. We must now stand up to armed oppression and colonization with our bodies and our minds. International law is on our side.

Given the complexion of the three recent federal parolees, it might seem that my greatest crime was being Indian. But the truth is that my gravest offense is my innocence. In Iran, political prisoners are occasionally released if they confess to the ridiculous charges on which they are dragged into court, in order to discredit and intimidate them and other like-minded citizens. The FBI and its mouthpieces have suggested the same, as did the parole commission in 1993, when it ruled that my refusal to confess was grounds for denial of parole.

To claim innocence is to suggest that the government is wrong, if not guilty itself. The American judicial system is set up so that the defendant is not punished for the crime itself, but for refusing to accept whatever plea arrangement is offered and for daring to compel the judicial system to grant the accused the right to right to rebut the charges leveled by the state in an actual trial. Such insolence is punished invariably with prosecution requests for the steepest possible sentence, if not an upward departure from sentencing guidelines that are being gradually discarded, along with the possibility of parole.

As much as non-Natives might hate Indians, we are all in the same boat. To attempt to emulate this system in tribal government is pitiful, to say the least.

It was only this year, in the Troy Davis, case, that the U.S. Supreme Court recognized innocence as a legitimate legal defense. Like the witnesses that were coerced into testifying against me, those that testified against Davis renounced their statements, yet Davis was very nearly put to death. I might have been executed myself by now, had not the government of Canada required a waiver of the death penalty as a condition of extradition.

The old order is aptly represented by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who stated in his dissenting opinion in the Davis case, “This Court has never held that the Constitution forbids the execution of a convicted defendant who has had a full and fair trial but is later able to convince a habeas court that he is 'actually' innocent. Quite to the contrary, we have repeatedly left that question unresolved, while expressing considerable doubt that any claim based on alleged 'actual innocence' is constitutionally cognizable.”

The esteemed Senator from North Dakota, Byron Dorgan, who is now the chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, used much the same reasoning in writing that “our legal system has found Leonard Peltier guilty of the crime for which he was charged. I have reviewed the material from the trial, and I believe the verdict was fair and just.”

It is a bizarre and incomprehensible statement to Natives, as well it should be, that innocence and guilt is a mere legal status, not necessarily rooted in material fact. It is a truism that all political prisoners were convicted of the crimes for which they were charged.

The truth is the government wants me to falsely confess in order to validate a rather sloppy frame-up operation, one whose exposure would open the door to an investigation of the United States' role in training and equipping goon squads to suppress a grassroots movement on Pine Ridge against a puppet dictatorship.

In America, there can by definition be no political prisoners, only those duly judged guilty in a court of law. It is deemed too controversial to even publicly contemplate that the federal government might fabricate and suppress evidence to defeat those deemed political enemies. But it is a demonstrable fact at every stage of my case.

I am Barack Obama's political prisoner now, and I hope and pray that he will adhere to the ideals that impelled him to run for president. But as Obama himself would acknowledge, if we are expecting him to solve our problems, we missed the point of his campaign. Only by organizing in our own communities and pressuring our supposed leaders can we bring about the changes that we all so desperately need. Please support the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee in our effort to hold the United States government to its own words.

I thank you all who have stood by me all these years, but to name anyone would be to exclude many more. We must never lose hope in our struggle for freedom.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier

Mail Cards To:
Leonard Peltier #89637-132
USP-Lewisburg
US Penitentiary
PO Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 17837

Thursday, September 3, 2009

TUNE IN ON FRIDAY 9/4/09 to the RADIO SHOW for Leonard Peltier

Leonard Peltier


Thanks for Your Support

Posted From: Official Web Site of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

TUNE IN ON FRIDAY


9/4/09



to the RADIO SHOW



WANBLI & BEN CARNES

JOIN TIOKASAN GHOSTHORSE

NOON Eastern Time

WPKN in New Haven (Yale) and Bridgeport, CT. at NOON eastern



WPKN ON THE AIR

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

"Sun Dance Chief Fasts at White House For Leonard Peltier: seeks meeting with President Obama"



As a result of Peltier’s recent parole denial, Ben Carnes, Choctaw Nation, and a Sun Dance Chief, states he will go to Washington, D.C. to stand and fast in front of the White House between September 5th – 12th, in hopes of securing a meeting with President Obama.

Earlier this year, the LP-DOC sent a letter to President Obama to discuss the case of Leonard Peltier, but the reply from the White House declined to invite members of the committee for a meeting.



Leonard Peltier has been an international symbol of American injustice based upon critical questions surrounding his conviction in 1977 in the deaths of two FBI agents. Amnesty International has designated Peltier as a political prisoner and a U.S. prosecutor has admitted in court during an appeal hearing that he did not know who killed the agents and cannot prove who did. A federal judge who heard this statement was unable to afford any relief wrote a letter to Sen. Inouye to ask the president to grant clemency.



Carnes is a recipient of the 1987 Oklahoma Human Rights Award for his stand against forced hair cutting of Native prisoners. He has been asked to speak before congressional committees and has served with numerous human rights, interfaith and Native organizations. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of Peltier for over 28 years, and first became a national spokesperson in 1991. He is also national support group coordinator and advisory board member for the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee.



“The basis of Peltier’s denial by the parole commission is one of hypocrisy. It is also beyond belief that the chair of the US Parole Commission, Issac Fullwood, who is lectures on ethics in law enforcement, would turn a blind eye to the FBI’s abuse of the investigative process. And Ms. Patricia Cushwa, commission member, and Chair of the Maryland parole commission recently supported a pardon for a man who had been executed, because there were questions about the case.” said Carnes. He said that there are questions about Peltier case that remains unanswered, and with this denial, the parole commission have made Peltiers life sentence a sentence of death as he won’t be eligible for parole for 15 years when he is 79 years old. Peltier will observe his next birthday on September 12 when he will turn 65. He has already served 33 years in prison.



Supporters are calling for a world wide 24 vigils on September 11th – 12th to begin at 8:45 AM.



*********

FROM THE LP-DOC:

We call upon all supporters to organize solidarity events and actions in conjunction with Ben's solitary prayer fast in DC on September 12th.

If you can begin a 24 hour vigil on September 11 beginning at 8:45 AM and set up some means of a public address for the 12th to broadcast a live statement from Ben as he concludes his fast. This could very well be an important time in the history of the struggle to bring justice to free Peltier, and in the federal government's relations' with the Native people of this land.

Everyone is asked to work locally, we know not everyone can be in DC at that time, but your work in your area is vitally important.

"The president has made some promises to the First Nations people during his campaign," Carnes said, "and since the election we have been saying it starts with Leonard Peltier. He needs to prove to us he means this!

Otherwise, it is just another in a long running series of broken promises, treaties and broken lives. We will not accept this anymore!"

Leonard Peltier has long reached International celebrity status, based upon critical questions surrounding his conviction in 1977 in the deaths of two FBI agents. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for the 6th time, and has had the support of world political/spiritual leaders from around the world, including 55 members of Congress who has joined in the call for justice.

For more information, go to www.whoisleonardpeltier.info, the official website of the LP-DOC.

Information for contribution can be made through this site to help the committee and the action taking lace in Washington, DC. You can also order litho’s of Peltier’s art or other products to help support the cause of Leonard Peltier.

This is not the time to be quiet, it is time to act – and right now.

Contact President Obama via EMAIL

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/



The website is not the only way to reach the president.



You can also call or write to the President:



The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500



Comments: 202-456-1111

Switchboard: 202-456-1414

FAX: 202-456-2461

Comments: 202-456-6213

leonard peltier still locked down
This is a sad day for Justice. He should have never been in prison at all.
If you would like to write to encourage this great man.Write to Leonard Peltier
#89637-132, USP Lewisburg, U.S.
P.O. Box? 1000, Lewisburg, Pa.17837 Posted by: DEHT76