I was asked by a small group to write a short piece on why I actively support Leonard Peltier. In all my years as a social activist I have believed in supporting our political prisoners and have done so since the 1960s. I believe in solidarity as a way of life. I also believe in the diversity of the struggles of humanity and that the struggles, like everything else, are all connected.
First, I support Leonard as a person. He has stood strong for so many years for his people and all struggling people while at the same time has stayed very down to earth.
I support Leonard as a resister, an activist, he has always done what the struggle needed at any given time. Leonard's case clearly shows how far the government is willing to go to suppress and frame-up an activist who stands in their way. Leonard's case should be supported by every social activist because what the government has done to Leonard is a direct threat to all who speak out or take actions against the abuse of power.
The foundation of the system of the ruling elite of the U.S.A. is built upon policies of genocide of the original people of this land. After that it was built upon slavery, oppression of people of color, women and the exploitation of working folks. The exploitation for great wealth of a few has also included great abuse to our Mother Earth. One of the main reasons for the policies of genocide was to get Native land to exploit to create that great wealth for the few. That has continued from the time of Columbus to this day.
Those polices have been resisted from the beginning and that resistance continues and AIM and Leonard has been an important part of that resistance. I believe that if we are to change the way things are, all struggling people must stand in solidarity with the Native resistance. We cannot really change anything without changing the foundation that the system has been built upon and also we must leave no one behind, for as long as oppression and exploitation continues for some, the system based upon oppression and exploitation continues for us all. No Separate Peace in the struggle for the Well-Being of All!
Behind Leonard's case is the government's policy of stealing any Native land that has something that they and the corporations want. In this case it was Uranium found in the northwest part of the Pine Ridge Reservation. The government was willing to do anything to get what they wanted including the oppression and out right murder of the Traditional Oglala Lakota People and their supporters, including AIM.
AIM and other Native activist organizations were viewed as a major threat to the Native policies of the government because they were putting a spotlight upon the continuing theft of Native land. There was and still is much wealth to be gained by those policies. Most people in America and around the world thought that what had been done to the Native People of this land had ended long ago and thus the continuing theft of land and genocidal policies had become almost invisible to most people. AIM and other Native activists changed that and as a reaction to that the government sought to suppress them and they did not let their own laws and constitution stand in their way.
Corporate interests of gaining more and more wealth at the expense of the many and Mother Earth connects the struggles of all oppressed and exploited people. And thus I believe that we all should be actively supporting Leonard Peltier.
These are the reasons why I support Leonard Peltier. I started as a Leonard Peltier solidarity activist and organizer in 1979 and I am committed to continue until either Leonard is freed or life leaves my body. I am just one of many who have made the committed to work for Leonard's freedom and I am honored to be among them. Please join us.
In Solidarity
Arthur J. Miller
just an old shipyard worker
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1 comment:
This sounds like a "frame-up" of the truth, with the usual diversionary comments. Melding the historic, continuing Indian struggle with the make-believe story of inmate Peltier's innocence is an old con that dates back to 1978. Peltier has changed his alibi so many times, (the Mr. X scam, where he was when the shooting started, his interrogation of murder victim Anna Mae Aquash, it is amazing that anyone still believes the old myth about his "struggle" behind bars.
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