[Ppnews] Leonard Peltier Feb 6, 2009 Statement

[Political Prisoner News]

Sender: contact at whoisleonardpeltier.info

02/06/09

Greetings my relatives,

First of all, before anything else I want to 
thank all for the work that you've been 
doing  because what you do for me, you do it for 
my people and all those that come after us.

The enemy that we face has many faces; the FBI is 
only one of them.  The greatest enemy that we 
face is the lack of knowledge that people have 
about us as Indian people and themselves and the 
true history of this nation.  Some people say we 
have too many rights, but they don't understand 
the difference between obtained and retained 
rights.  In educating our opposition we must also 
educate ourselves as to the laws and policies 
that are considered to be the laws of the land at 
this time.  We must be able to remind them of the 
law or policies that they themselves have been 
guilty of violating and if need be we need to 
challenge the validity of those laws and policies 
where they are detrimental to the natural 
environment and overall well being of the people.

We have the right to defend ourselves, defend our 
people and defend our nation, our way of life and 
the way we worship.  These are not rights that 
were given to us by anyone other than the creator himself.

We will not give those rights up by anyone ­ We 
retain those rights from the beginning of time 
and we will cherish and protect them until the 
end of time.  We are a fair, loving, kind and 
respectful people.  We have a right to be on this 
portion of mother earth.  We were told by our 
elders that it is our duty to defend ourselves, 
our families from wild beasts, by whatever 
measures necessary, even if that wild beast be in 
the form of a man or men.  We have done this in 
the past and it is our responsibility to do it in 
the future.  Sometimes the tools of defense are 
harsh and sometimes it is merely the educating of an enemy.

In the circles of spirituality being a warrior 
means defending things that are right, by taking 
a proactive approach to opposition.

As I have said sometimes in the past, we aren't 
bothered very often when we do everything that is 
right, but when we start righting what is wrong, 
and then we become targets of those who would wrong others.

Chief Leonard Crow Dog, who has served as a 
spiritual advisor for the American Indian 
Movement and myself, has consented to serve as 
spiritual advisor for this effort to bring about my freedom.

The FBI has recently put out another letter 
trying to stop your efforts and undermine the 
accomplishments that have taken place in the last 
few months. We must be ever vigilant and 
responsive, to whatever action they take. And we 
must never forget that what we do is not for 
ourselves but for our people and those that come after us.

Again, I want to thank you from the very bottom 
of my heart for remembering me in your prayers 
and on this observance of my thirty-third year of imprisonment.

Doksha,
In the spirit of Crazy Horse and all those who 
gave their lives trying to right what was wrong.

Leonard Peltier



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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