September
2015
A
Month of Remembrance
This month’s call to action is inspired by Joan Rodriguez
-- @Joanie39 on twitter. Sadly, Joanie
passed away last February, before seeing her tireless work to free political prisoner
Leonard Peltier come to fruition. She shares a September birthday with Leonard,
so it seems appropriate designate our September actions for Peltier a commemoration
of her tireless work for his freedom.
If you used social media at all to follow indigenous issues
online, you could not miss Joanie’s tremendous energy directed toward gaining freedom for Leonard. For well over 5
years, she took action daily, asking White House asking for Clemency for
Leonard and other political prisoners through twitter and Facebook. She was
relentless – like a force of nature. Her
constant dedication to indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice and human
rights issues inspired many online activists to work a little longer, a litter
harder and to speak out a little louder for a better world.
Joanie led an exemplary life devoted to
all forms of social justice activism. She
influenced hundreds of people without ever meeting them in person. Her use of every form of communication
available to her, demonstrated that ordinary citizens are capable of taking meaningful
action to increase awareness and bring the issues that they are passionate about
to the forefront of public discussion. Joanie always showed remarkable clarity
and determination in everything she did online. She truly personified the spirit
of indigenous resistance to cruel, arbitrary colonial authority. In her work
for Peltier, she was a formidable force. If every person of conscience would do
a small fraction of what Joanie did every day of her life, Leonard Peltier
might very well be a free man today.
Please consider honoring Joanie’s memory
by continuing the work that was so important to her. The best gift that Leonard
can receive on his birthday is the hope and encouragement that he will one day
be free. Please send cards and letters
letting Leonard know he is not forgotten. Write to him and tell him what you
are doing on his behalf to help him win his freedom. Make a commitment to keep him in your daily
thoughts.
Send birthday wishes, cards and letters
to:
Leonard Peltier
#89637-132
USP Coleman I
P.O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521
#89637-132
USP Coleman I
P.O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521
Presently,
the only person who can grant Leonard Peltier his freedom is President Barack
Obama. It is imperative to help him remember what he stood for before becoming
President and to reach him on a human level.
We are
calling on all Leonard’s supporters throughout the world to join efforts to
make a stand for Leonard Peltier this month.
His life is in Barack Obama’s hands. Seven past administrations have
failed to gather the courage to address the fabricated evidence and
constitutional violations in his case. President Obama’s is Leonard’s last hope
for freedom, so we must use all of our intelligence and creativity to find a
way to reach him.
We
encourage everyone to :
·
Raise
awareness of Leonard’s case on social media, face-to-face and one-to-one by
telling his story to friends, family, neighbors co-workers and everyone you
meet
Information can be
found at:
For the sake of your integrity,
please make sure that the information you pass on is accurate and current.
·
Start or strengthen
local campaigns for executive clemency
·
Make it a daily habit
and include action for Peltier as part of your routine. After your morning
coffee call.
·
CALL the White House
comments line:
1-202-456-1111
(Comment Line) or
1-202-456-1414
(White House switchboard)
·
EMAIL:
Send an email to President
Obama using this form:
·
USE SOCIAL MEDIA:
On your work break, post to
Facebook or send tweets to
@POTUS @BarackObama
@WhiteHouse @TheJusticeDept @LorettaLynch @MichelleObama
·
WRITE:
Compose and then post open
letters to Obama on your Tumblr, blogs, and Facebook pages. Tell the President
that you want him to review Leonard’s case and get back to you with his reason
for taking or not action. Personalize your letters by including the reason why
you are personally invested in seeing Leonard free.
·
SIGN and CIRCULATE
Petitions:
Ask President Obama to use his
presidential powers to release the documents that the FBI is withholding, to
investigate the 69 murdered AIM activists from the COINTELPRO Era and to give
Leonard’s request for clemency serious consideration.
·
Create new means of communication.
Create art, poetry music and share it with your community.
With Joanie’s passing, we lost
a great ally and a brave activist. If you remember her efforts online to free
political prisoners, please honor her compassionate heart and determined spirit
by making September 2015 a month of memory and witness to the injustice done to
Leonard Peltier by the United States government. Please help to extend her legacy beyond what
her years allowed. Keep fiery passion
for justice alive and alit on the earth. This month, remember why she cared so
deeply. Please, remember why you care and act accordingly.
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