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[Nonviolenza] La biblioteca di Zorobabele. 651
- Subject: [Nonviolenza] La biblioteca di Zorobabele. 651
- From: Centro di ricerca per la pace Centro di ricerca per la pace <centropacevt at gmail.com>
- Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2022 06:05:46 +0100
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LA BIBLIOTECA DI ZOROBABELE
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Segnalazioni librarie e letture nonviolente
a cura del "Centro di ricerca per la pace, i diritti umani e la difesa della biosfera" di Viterbo
Supplemento a "La nonviolenza e' in cammino" (anno XXIII)
Direttore responsabile: Peppe Sini. Redazione: strada S. Barbara 9/E, 01100 Viterbo, tel. 0761353532, e-mail: centropacevt at gmail.com
Numero 651 del 7 dicembre 2022
In questo numero:
1. Vandana Shiva: Principi costitutivi di una democrazia della comunita' terrena
2. Una voce russa contro la guerra: una lettera di Ljudmila Petrusevskaja
3. Associazione "Respirare" di Viterbo: Scriviamo al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America per chiedere la grazia per Leonard Peltier
4. Jennifer Bendery: 7 Senators Urge Biden To Grant Clemency To Leonard Peltier
5. Lettera di sette senatori statunitensi al Presidente Biden per la grazia a Leonard Peltier
6. Jennifer Bendery: Hundreds Of Indigenous Artists, Hollywood Stars Urge Biden To Release Leonard Peltier
7. Letter to President Joe Biden In Support of Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Led by Indigenous Members of the Entertainment & Fashion Industries: Dallas Goldtooth, Jana Schmieding, Bird Runningwater, Sierra Teller Ornelas, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Bethany Yellowtail
8. Amnesty International Group 30: Free Leonard Peltier Social Media Action
1. REPETITA IUVANT. VANDANA SHIVA: PRINCIPI COSTITUTIVI DI UNA DEMOCRAZIA DELLA COMUNITA' TERRENA
[Riproponiamo ancora una volta il seguente testo estratto dall'introduzione del libro di Vandana Shiva, Il bene comune della Terra, Feltrinelli, Milano 2006, alle pp. 16-19]
1. Tutte le specie, tutti gli esseri umani e tutte le culture possiedono un valore intrinseco.
Tutti gli esseri viventi sono soggetti dotati di intelligenza, integrita' e di un'identita' individuale. Non possono essere ridotti al ruolo di proprieta' privata, di oggetti manipolabili, di materie prime da sfruttare o di rifiuti eliminabili. Nessun essere umano ha il diritto di possedere altre specie, altri individui, o di impadronirsi dei saperi di altre culture attraverso brevetti o altri diritti sulla proprieta' intellettuale.
2. La comunita' terrena promuove la convivenza democratica di tutte le forme di vita.
Siamo membri di un'unica famiglia terrena, uniti gli uni agli altri dalla fragile ragnatela della vita del pianeta. Pertanto e' nostro dovere assumere dei comportamenti che non compromettano l'equilibrio ecologico della Terra, nonche' i diritti fondamentali e la sopravvivenza delle altre specie e di tutta l'umanita'. Nessun essere umano ha il diritto di invadere lo spazio ecologico di altre specie o di altri individui, ne' di trattarli con crudelta' e violenza.
3. Le diversita' biologiche e culturali devono essere difese.
Le diversita' biologiche e culturali hanno un valore intrinseco che deve essere riconosciuto. Le diversita' biologiche sono fonti di ricchezza materiale e culturale che pongono le basi per la sostenibilita'. Le differenze culturali sono portatrici di pace. Tutti gli esseri umani hanno il dovere di difendere tali diversita'.
4. Tutti gli esseri viventi hanno il diritto naturale di provvedere al loro sostentamento.
Tutti i membri della comunita' terrena, inclusi gli esseri umani, hanno il diritto di provvedere al loro sostentamento: hanno diritto al cibo e all'acqua, a un ambiente sicuro e pulito, alla conservazione del loro spazio ecologico. Le risorse vitali necessarie per il sostentamento non possono essere privatizzate. Il diritto al sostentamento e' un diritto naturale perche' equivale al diritto alla vita. E' un diritto che non puo' essere accordato o negato da una nazione o da una multinazionale. Nessun paese e nessuna multinazionale ha il diritto di vanificare o compromettere questo genere di diritto, o di privatizzare le risorse comuni necessarie alla vita.
5. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su economie che apportano la vita e su modelli di sviluppo democratici.
La realizzazione di una democrazia della comunita' terrena presuppone una gestione democratica dell'economia, dei piani di sviluppo che proteggano gli ecosistemi e la loro integrita', provvedano alle esigenze di base di tutti gli esseri umani e assicurino loro un ambiente di vita sostenibile. Una concezione democratica dell'economia non prevede l'esistenza di individui, specie o culture eliminabili. L'economia della comunita' terrena e' un'economia che apporta nutrimento alla vita. I suoi modelli sono sempre sostenibili, differenziati, pluralistici, elaborati dai membri della comunita' stessa al fine di proteggere la natura e gli esseri umani e operare per il bene comune.
6. Le economie che apportano la vita si fondano sulle economie locali.
Il miglior modo di provvedere con efficienza, attenzione e creativita' alla conservazione delle risorse terrene e alla creazione di condizioni di vita soddisfacenti e sostenibili e' quello di operare all'interno delle realta' locali. Localizzare l'economia deve diventare un imperativo ecologico e sociale. Si dovrebbero importare ed esportare soltanto i beni e i servizi che non possono essere prodotti localmente, adoperando le risorse e le conoscenze del luogo. Una democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su delle economie locali estremamente vitali, che sostengono le economie nazionali e globali. Un'economia globale democratica non distrugge e non danneggia le economie locali, non trasforma le persone in rifiuti eliminabili. Le economie che sostengono la vita rispettano la creativita' di tutti gli esseri umani e producono contesti in grado di valorizzare al massimo le diverse competenze e capacita'. Le economie che apportano la vita sono differenziate e decentralizzate.
7. La democrazia della comunita' terrena e' una democrazia che tutela la vita.
Una democrazia che tutela la vita si fonda sul rispetto democratico di ogni forma vivente e su un comportamento democratico da adottare gia' a partire dalla quotidianita'. Ogni soggetto coinvolto ha il diritto di partecipare alle decisioni da prendere in merito al cibo, all'acqua, alla sanita' e all'istruzione. Una democrazia che tutela la vita cresce dal basso verso l'alto, al pari di un albero. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda sulle democrazie locali, lasciando che le singole comunita' costituite nel rispetto delle differenze e delle responsabilita' ecologiche e sociali abbiano pieni poteri decisionali riguardo all'ambiente, alle risorse naturali, al sostentamento e al benessere dei loro membri. Il potere viene delegato ai livelli esecutivi piu' alti applicando il principio della sussidiarieta'. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda sull'autoregolamentazione e sull'autogoverno.
8. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su culture che valorizzano la vita.
Le culture che valorizzano la vita promuovono la pace e creano degli spazi di liberta' per consentire il culto di religioni diverse e l'espressione di diverse fedi e identita'. Tali culture lasciano che le differenze culturali si sviluppino proprio a partire dalla nostra umanita' e dai nostri comuni diritti in quanto membri della comunita' terrena.
9. Le culture che valorizzano la vita promuovono lo sviluppo della vita stessa.
Le culture che valorizzano la vita si fondano sul riconoscimento della dignita' e sul rispetto di ogni forma di vita, degli uomini e delle donne di ogni provenienza e cultura, delle generazioni presenti e di quelle future.
Sono culture ecologiche che non producono stili di vita distruttivi o improntati al consumismo, basati sulla sovrapproduzione, sullo spreco o sullo sfruttamento eccessivo delle risorse naturali. Le culture che valorizzano la vita sono molteplici, ma ispirate da un comune rispetto per il vivente. Riconoscono la compresenza di identita' diverse che condividono lo spazio comune della comunita' locale e danno voce a un sentimento di appartenenza che correla i singoli individui alla terra e a tutte le forme di vita.
10. La democrazia della comunita' terrena promuove un sentimento di pace e solidarieta' universale.
La democrazia della comunita' terrena unisce tutti i popoli e i singoli individui sostenendo valori quali la cooperazione e l'impegno disinteressato, anziche' separarli attraverso la competizione, il conflitto, l'odio e il terrore. In alternativa a un mondo fondato sull'avidita', sulla diseguaglianza e sul consumismo sfrenato, questa democrazia si propone di globalizzare la solidarieta', la giustizia e la sostenibilita'.
2. TESTIMONI. UNA VOCE RUSSA CONTRO LA GUERRA: UNA LETTERA DI LJUDMILA PETRUSEVSKAJA
[Dal sito www.unistrasi.it riprendiamo e diffondiamo questa lettera del 28 novembre 2022 nella traduzione di Giulia Marcucci e Claudia Zonghetti]
Cari amici, cari voi che mi leggete e mi pubblicate all'estero,
in Russia stiamo vivendo un momento terribile, ancora piu' tremendo di quello vissuto durante la seconda guerra mondiale, quando Hitler ci attacco'. Quella volta il popolo russo, la Russia, i nostri soldati erano sacri per il mondo intero; il nostro sangue era versato a difesa di tutti, e le grandi nazioni venivano in nostro soccorso, prime fra tutte l'America e l'Inghilterra. E in Europa, chiunque aveva un po' di cervello si dava alla macchia per combattere contro Hitler.
Noi, invece, vivevamo nel profondo della Russia. La mia famiglia faceva la fame, io avevo la tubercolosi, chiedevo l'elemosina per strada, cantavo per un tozzo di pane. Avevo sette anni quando la guerra fini'. Eppure ricordo ogni cosa! E sono cresciuta orgogliosa del mio popolo.
Dei poveri, delle donne che nelle retrovie difendevano la patria con tutte le loro forze. Le loro disgrazie, infatti, sono tutte nei miei libri, nei miei testi teatrali.
Oggi la Russia delle donne e' stata offesa, e' stata umiliata. I generali di Putin la disonorano, la calpestano, le portano via i figli per una guerra meschina e rivoltante; una guerra contro quelli che sono suoi fratelli e sue sorelle, contro quell'Ucraina che tanto amiamo e che e' parte di noi. Non faccio che piangere, mentre leggo le notizie su Internet. Sono la' anch'io, insieme a loro mi nascondo dalle mie stesse bombe! Insieme a loro proteggo dal fuoco i nostri bambini, li proteggo dagli spari dei ragazzi russi; e con loro, con l'Ucraina, mi preparo a fare la fame e a chiedere l'elemosina.
Voi che siete altrove, vi scongiuro: aiutate la santa Ucraina!
Di questa guerra accuso il criminale numero uno, Putin.
Che il sangue dei morti ricada sulla sua vecchia testa, che gli imbratti la faccia e le mani.
Accuso lui di questa carneficina. E' un assassino.
Mi arrestino pure, sono pronta, come sono pronta alle botte e allo sciopero della fame e della sete. Sono pronta a subire tutto cio' che accade a chi protesta e viene arrestato per strada.
Di queste parole, pero', rispondo io e io soltanto. I miei figli, i miei nipoti e pronipoti non sanno niente.
Ljudmila Petrusevskaja
3. REPETITA IUVANT. ASSOCIAZIONE "RESPIRARE" DI VITERBO: SCRIVIAMO AL PRESIDENTE DEGLI STATI UNITI D'AMERICA PER CHIEDERE LA GRAZIA PER LEONARD PELTIER
Alle persone di volonta' buona, ai movimenti ed alle associazioni democratiche, alle esperienze della societa' civile, alle istituzioni impegnate per i diritti umani di tutti gli esseri umani
con viva preghiera di adesione e di ulteriore diffusione
*
Vi proponiamo di scrivere al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America per chiedere la grazia per Leonard Peltier, l'illustre attivista nativo americano difensore dei diritti umani di tutti gli esseri umani e dell'intero mondo vivente, da 47 anni detenuto innocente dopo aver subito un processo in cui fu condannato sulla base di "prove" false e di "testimonianze" altrettanto false (gli stessi magistrati accusatori e giudicanti hanno in prosieguo di tempo riconosciuto la falsita' delle cosiddette "prove" e delle cosiddette "testimonianze"; e il pubblico ministero che ottenne allora la condanna si e' successivamente ripetutamente pubblicamente espresso per la liberazione di Leonard Peltier scrivendo accorati appelli a vari Presidenti succedutisi alla Casa Bianca).
La liberazione di Leonard Peltier, innocente, anziano e malato, e' stata richiesta da milioni di persone, tra cui personalita' come Nelson Mandela, madre Teresa di Calcutta, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu', Shirin Ebadi, papa Francesco, il Dalai Lama.
E' stata richiesta ripetutamente anche dal Parlamento Europeo e da innumerevoli altre istituzioni e personalita' istituzionali, tra cui il compianto Presidente del Parlamento Europeo David Sassoli ed i Sindaci di vari Comuni d'Italia.
Alcuni mesi fa un'autorevole commissione giuridica ad hoc dell'Onu ha per l'ennesima volta esaminato la documentazione, constatato l'iniquita' della condanna e della detenzione di Leonard Peltier e rinnovato la richiesta della sua liberazione.
Nel settembre 2022 con un voto unanime anche il Comitato Nazionale del Partito Democratico degli Stati Uniti d'America (il partito di cui fa parte lo stesso Presidente Biden) ha chiesto che il Presidente conceda la grazia presidenziale che restituisca la liberta' a Leonard Peltier.
*
Di seguito una proposta di testo della lettera da inviare al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America recante la richiesta della grazia presidenziale per Leonard Peltier, e le istruzioni per inviarla attraverso il sito della Casa Bianca.
Nel web aprire la pagina della Casa Bianca attraverso cui inviare lettere: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Compilare quindi gli item successivi:
- alla voce MESSAGE TYPE: scegliere Contact the President
- alla voce PREFIX: scegliere il titolo corrispondente alla propria identita'
- alla voce FIRST NAME: scrivere il proprio nome
- alla voce SECOND NAME: si puo' omettere la compilazione
- alla voce LAST NAME: scrivere il proprio cognome
- alla voce SUFFIX, PRONOUNS: si puo' omettere la compilazione
- alla voce E-MAIL: scrivere il proprio indirizzo e-mail
- alla voce PHONE: scrivere il proprio numero di telefono seguendo lo schema 39xxxxxxxxxx
- alla voce COUNTRY/STATE/REGION: scegliere Italy
- alla voce STREET: scrivere il proprio indirizzo nella sequenza numero civico, via/piazza
- alla voce CITY: scrivere il nome della propria citta' e il relativo codice di avviamento postale
- alla voce WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? [Cosa vorresti dire?]: copiare e incollare il messaggio seguente:
Mr. President,
Although I reside far from your country, I am aware of the injustice that has persisted for 47 years against Leonard Peltier, who was denied a review of his trial even after exculpatory evidence emerged for the events of June 26, 1975 on the Pine Ridge (SD) reservation where two federal agents and a Native American lost their lives.
I therefore appeal to your supreme authority to pardon this man, now elderly and ill, after nearly half a century of imprisonment.
I thank you in advance for your positive decision, with best regards.
*
Traduzione italiana del testo che precede:
Signor Presidente,
sebbene io risieda lontano dal Suo Paese, sono consapevole dell'ingiustizia che persiste da 47 anni nei confronti di Leonard Peltier, al quale e' stata negata la revisione del processo anche dopo che sono emerse prove a discarico per gli eventi del 26 giugno 1975 nella riserva di Pine Ridge (South Dakota) in cui persero la vita due agenti federali e un nativo americano.
Mi appello quindi alla Sua suprema autorita' affinche' conceda la grazia a questo uomo, ormai anziano e malato, dopo quasi mezzo secolo di detenzione.
La ringrazio fin d'ora per la Sua decisione positiva, con i migliori saluti.
*
l'associazione "Respirare" di Viterbo
Viterbo, 29 novembre 2022
L'associazione e' stata promossa nel 2009 a Viterbo da associazioni e movimenti ecopacifisti e nonviolenti, per il diritto alla salute e la difesa dell'ambiente.
4. REPETITA IUVANT. JENNIFER BENDERY: 7 SENATORS URGE BIDEN TO GRANT CLEMENCY TO LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo il seguente articolo del 30 novembre 2022 dal titolo "7 Senators Urge Biden To Grant Clemency To Leonard Peltier" e il sommario "'The power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," the Democratic senators said of the long-imprisoned Indigenous rights activist"]
Seven senators on Tuesday urgently appealed to President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the ailing 78-year-old Native American rights activist whom the U.S. government put in prison 46 years ago after a trial riddled with misconduct and racism.
"Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," reads a letter to Biden from Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Tina Smith (Minn.).
"Mr. Peltier has spent more than half of his life behind bars," the senators said. "We commend the steps that your administration has taken to right past wrongs of our government's treatment of Native Americans, particularly through [Interior] Secretary [Deb] Haaland's leadership and her Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Furthermore, your administration has demonstrated a laudable commitment to upholding the core American values of liberty and justice, and rectifying inequities in the criminal justice system."
"Consistent with these actions, we urge you to grant clemency to Mr. Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence," they conclude.
A copy of the letter was also sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Elizabeth Oyer, the pardon attorney at the Justice Department.
Peltier is considered by many to be America's longest-serving political prisoner. He's been in prison since 1975, when the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office convicted him of murdering two FBI agents during a shootout on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
But they never had evidence that he committed a crime, and the level of misconduct that took place in his trial is baffling: Prosecutors hid exculpatory evidence. The FBI threatened and coerced witnesses into lying. All of his co-defendants were acquitted on grounds of self-defense. A juror admitted she was biased against Peltier's race on the second day of the trial but was allowed to remain on the panel.
Beyond that, his decades-long parole process has been so problematic that United Nations legal experts reviewed his case and over the summer called on Biden to release him immediately. The working group concluded in a damning 17-page legal opinion: "Mr. Peltier continues to be detained because he is Native American."
The more time that's gone by, the more people have demanded Peltier's release. Advocates for his freedom have included Native American elected officials, celebrities like Steven Van Zandt, international human rights leaders like Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela, Amnesty International, and even some of the same people who helped put him in prison in the first place.
In an extraordinary letter to Biden last year, James Reynolds, the U.S. attorney who oversaw Peltier's prosecution on appeal, wrote, "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars." And the late Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Peltier's 1986 appeal, later called for commuting his sentence, saying his trial was unjust and "a healing process must begin."
Tuesday's letter marks the first time that some senators have publicly pressured Biden to release Peltier. Over the last year, Hirono, Leahy, Sanders and Schatz have individually urged the president to grant clemency to him. But Warren, Markey and Smith just added their names to the cause.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the appeal from Democratic senators or, more broadly, on whether Biden is considering clemency for Peltier.
5. REPETITA IUVANT. LETTERA DI SETTE SENATORI STATUNITENSI AL PRESIDENTE BIDEN PER LA GRAZIA A LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
November 29, 2022
*
President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
*
Dear President Biden:
We write to request that you grant clemency to Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence. Mr. Peltier has spent more than half of his life behind bars. Now, at seventy-seven years old, he suffers from numerous health conditions, including a potentially fatal abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Over the past several decades, clemency for Mr. Peltier has received sweeping support from many faith and human rights leaders, including Pope Francis, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Saint Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Coretta Scott King. Each have articulated the moral imperative of granting Mr. Peltier clemency.
Moreover, mounting evidence of clear misconduct has warranted outcry from the very officials who put Mr. Peltier behind bars. James H. Reynolds, the U.S. Attorney who oversaw Mr. Peltier's prosecution on appeal, stated that "the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust." (1)
The late Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Mr. Peltier's 1986 appeal in the Eighth Circuit, also called for the commutation of Mr. Peltier's sentence in a powerful letter that detailed the injustice of Mr. Peltier's trial and proclaimed that "a healing process must begin." (2)
We commend the steps that your administration has taken to right past wrongs of our government's treatment of Native Americans, particularly through Secretary Haaland's leadership and her Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.
Furthermore, your administration has demonstrated a laudable commitment to upholding the core American values of liberty and justice, and rectifying inequities in the criminal justice system.
Consistent with these actions, we urge you to grant clemency to Mr. Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence. Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Brian Schatz, United States Senator
Patrick Leahy, United States Senator
Elizabeth Warren, United States Senator
Edward J. Markey, United States Senator
Bernard Sanders, United States Senator
Mazie K. Hirono, United States Senator
Tina Smith, United States Senator
*
cc: The Honorable Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
cc: Elizabeth G. Oyer, Pardon Attorney, Office of the Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
*
Note
1. Jennifer Bendery, "Leonard Peltier Is America's Longest-Serving Political Prisoner. Biden May Be His Last Hope," HuffPost, 12 Nov. 2021, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leonard-peltier-prison-clemency-biden_n_618049f3e4b059d0bfc19e5c.
2. Letter from Gerald H. Heaney, U.S. Senior Cir. Judge, 8th Cir., to Daniel K. Inouye, Chairman, U.S. Senate Select Comm. on Indian Affairs (Apr. 18, 1991), http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/Heaney.pdf.
6. REPETITA IUVANT. JENNIFER BENDERY: HUNDREDS OF INDIGENOUS ARTISTS, HOLLYWOOD STARS URGE BIDEN TO RELEASE LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo il seguente articolo del primo dicembre 2022 dal titolo "Hundreds Of Indigenous Artists, Hollywood Stars Urge Biden To Release Leonard Peltier" e il sommario "'Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system' than Peltier's imprisonment, they said"]
More than 200 Indigenous artists and Hollywood celebrities pleaded with President Joe Biden on Thursday to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the ailing 78-year-old Native American rights activist whom the U.S. government put in prison 47 years ago after a trial rife with misconduct, lies and racism.
"We write to you today in support of Leonard Peltier's petition for executive clemency and urge you to expeditiously commute the remainder of his sentence," reads the letter to the president led by six Indigenous actors, writers and fashion professionals. "Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system than the handling of his case by the federal government."
The letter, first obtained by HuffPost, warns that Peltier "is elderly and in failing health, and we fear he will not ever make it back to his homelands" at Turtle Mountain in North Dakota.
"Leonard is not only a symbol of Indigenous pride, he is also our relative. And his homecoming is imperative to our collective healing," they added.
The letter was spearheaded by Indigenous artists Dallas Goldtooth, Bird Runningwater, Jana Schmieding, Sierra Teller Ornelas, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Bethany Yellowtail. Some of the non-Indigenous allies who signed the letter include actors and artists Mark Ruffalo, Ani DiFranco, Ed Helms, America Ferrera, Jackson Browne, Michael Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr, Tanya Tucker and Steven Van Zandt.
Many consider Peltier to be America's longest-serving political prisoner. He's been in prison since 1975, when the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office convicted him of murdering two FBI agents during a shootout on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
But the U.S. government never had evidence that Peltier committed a crime, and the level of misconduct that went on in his trial is baffling: Prosecutors hid exculpatory evidence. The FBI threatened and coerced witnesses into lying. A juror admitted she was biased against Peltier's race on the second day of the trial but was allowed to stay on anyway. His co-defendants were acquitted on self-defense grounds, but Peltier was singled out for different treatment.
It didn't get any fairer once he was in prison. His decadeslong parole process has been so problematic that United Nations legal experts recently reviewed his case and, over the summer, called on Biden to release him immediately. The working group concluded in a damning 17-page legal opinion: "Mr. Peltier continues to be detained because he is Native American."
The more time that's gone by, the more details have emerged underscoring how problematic Peltier's conviction and imprisonment have been. In an extraordinary letter to Biden last year, James Reynolds, the U.S. attorney who oversaw Peltier's prosecution on appeal, wrote, "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars."
And the late U.S. Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Peltier's 1986 appeal, later called for commuting his sentence, saying his trial was unjust and that "a healing process must begin."
Advocates for Peltier's freedom over the years have included Native American elected officials, celebrities like Steven Van Zandt, international human rights leaders like Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela, and Amnesty International, a group that typically fights human rights abuses against people outside of the United States.
"President Biden should free Leonard Peltier! 47 years of injustice - @POTUS the world calls on you to #FreeLeonardPeltier," Amnesty International tweeted Thursday.
The letter from Indigenous artists comes a day after seven U.S. senators appealed to the president to show mercy and grant clemency to Peltier.
"Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," reads the letter from Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Tina Smith (Minn.).
The plea from Indigenous artists also follows Biden addressing tribal leaders at his much-heralded White House Tribal Nations Summit. During the event, the president ticked off all that he’s done for Indian Country, but noticeably said nothing about Peltier's ongoing imprisonment.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Indigenous artists' letter or on whether Biden is considering clemency for Peltier.
7. REPETITA IUVANT. LETTER TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IN SUPPORT OF CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER. LED BY INDIGENOUS MEMBERS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT & FASHION INDUSTRIES: DALLAS GOLDTOOTH, JANA SCHMIEDING, BIRD RUNNINGWATER, SIERRA TELLER ORNELAS, D'PHARAON WOON-A-TAI, BETHANY WELLOWTAIL
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
Dear President Biden:
We write to you today in support of Leonard Peltier's petition for executive clemency and urge you to expeditiously commute the remainder of his sentence. We are Indigenous and Indigenous-allied members of the entertainment and fashion industries using our platform to bring your attention to the urgency of Mr. Peltier's petition.
Leonard Peltier is a 78-year-old enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (ND). He has been imprisoned for 47 years, making him the longest-serving political prisoner in the United States. Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of
American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system than the handling of his case by the federal government. Leonard Peltier has galvanized generations of Indigenous activists and grassroots movements, yet he remains in confinement. But Leonard is not only a symbol of Indigenous pride, he is also our relative. And his homecoming is imperative to our collective healing. Represented in this letter is a legion of Indigenous artists, forming one collective voice, asking yet another President to grant Leonard Peltier his freedom.
Mr. Peltier is elderly and in failing health and we fear he will not ever make it back to his homelands at Turtle Mountain. We also fear you will miss the opportunity to free a man whose continued incarceration represents to Native America the worst of a federal law enforcement system who for decades carried out acts of racism and injustice throughout Indian Country.
Leonard Peltier is serving a sentence for aiding and abetting in a case where his co-defendants were found not guilty on self-defense grounds. For this, he is serving a longer sentence than most principals in murder convictions.
Further, Mr. Peltier's conviction has been widely recognized as the result of a flawed prosecution that included blatant constitutional violations, prosecutorial misconduct, and a juror's early-trial admission of racism against Native Americans. Underscoring this, James Reynolds, the United States Attorney whose office handled the prosecution and appeal of the case, wrote to you on July 9, 2021, in support of clemency for Mr. Peltier, critically admitting his own office's prosecutorial errors and conceding they were unable to prove that Mr. Peltier personally committed any offense on the Pine Ridge Reservation that day.
Mr. Reynolds' letter, referring to all of these factors, included the following statement: "Leonard Peltier's conviction and continued incarceration is a testament to a time and a system of justice that no longer has a place in our society."
Our letter joins those from national and international human rights organizations, leading voices on criminal justice issues, religious leaders, dignitaries from around the world, and numerous current and former members of Congress. Notably, in 1993, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), then the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, endorsed clemency for Mr. Peltier and stated, "As long as the FBI misconduct issues in this case are left unresolved, it will be difficult for Native Americans to trust that the U.S. judicial system will accord them with the same justice it accords to other citizens."
Remarkably, twenty-nine years later, in January of 2022, the current Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) also wrote to you urging the commutation of Mr. Peltier's sentence saying, "I strongly support your administration's work to pursue a fair and constitutionally sound justice system. In keeping with those principles, I urge you to commute Mr. Peltier's sentence."
This is now about justice and an opportunity, with your grant of clemency, to recognize the injustices that have taken place in our tribal communities. We urge you to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence.
Thank you for your consideration of our urgent request.
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Signatories:
1. Dallas Goldtooth - Letter Lead
2. Bird Runningwater - Letter Lead
3. Jana Schmieding - Letter Lead
4. Sierra Teller Ornelas - Letter Lead
5. D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai - Letter Lead
6. Bethany Yellowtail - Letter Lead
7. Jodi Archambault
8. Doane Avery
9. Brian Bahe
10. Shauna Baker
11. Twyla Baker
12. Tanaya Beatty
13. Nanobah Becker
14. Daryl Begay
15. Tiffany Benally
16. Shaz Bennett
17. Lucas Brown Eyes
18. Jeremy Charles
19. Chad Charlie
20. Tazbah Chavez
21. Joey Clift
22. Azie Dungey
23. Kelsey Duvauchelle
24. Siena East
25. Sarah Eagle Heart
26. Crystal Echo Hawk
27. Chris Eyre
28. Anthony Florez
29. Norma Flying Horse
30. Charley Flyte
31. Sydney Freeland
32. Nicholas Galanin
33. Julia Gavin
34. Cara Gee
35. Lily Gladstone
36. Kiowa Gordon
37. Jason Grasl
38. Michael Greyeyes
39. Aurora Guerrero
40. Nicole Harjo
41. Joy Haskell
42. Allison Hicks
43. Kaniehtiio Horn
44. Taietsaron:sere Leclaire
45. Zahn McClarnon
46. Tatanka Means
47. Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo
48. Blake Pickens
49. Tommy Pico
50. Kenny Ramos
51. Darrell Redleaf-Fielder
52. Angela Riley
53. Emma Robbins
54. Sebastian Robertson
55. Althea Sam
56. Moi Santos
57. Shania Skyy
58. Vera Starbard
59. Kholan Studi
60. Brooke Swaney
61. Marilyn Thomas
62. Ruth-Ann Thorn
63. Stacey Thunder
64. Dana Tiger
65. Mark Tilsen
66. Raoul Max Trujillo
67. Dash Turner
68. Edgar Villanueva
69. Loren Waters
70. Daniel Warrior
71. Bobby Wilson
72. Jared Yazzie
73. Allie Redhorse Young
74. Roman Zaragoza
75. Gregory Zaragoza
76. Karim Ahmad
77. Amy Aniobi
78. Rosanna Arquette
79. Katie Arthurs
80. Deidre Backs
81. Stephanie Beatriz
82. Elizabeth Bell
83. Leah Benavides
84. Tawnya Benavides-Bhattacharya
85. Tsipi Ben-Haim
86. Jonathan Berry
87. Donnie Betts
88. Brigid Boyle
89. Guy Branum
90. Patrick Brice
91. Jackson Browne
92. Kristin Burke
93. Corrie Caster
94. Jeff Chang
95. Linda Yvette Chavez
96. Bruce Cockburn
97. Adam Conover
98. Peter Coyote
99. Lauren Craniotes
100. Grace Critchfield
101. L.C. Crowley
102. Lisa E Davis
103. John Densmore
104. Chelsea Devantez
105. Ani DiFranco
106. Kate DiRienzo
107. Steve Earle
108. Katherina Nahid Ebrahimi
109. Camille Eden
110. Daniel Erliz
111. Gabriel Estrada
112. Michael Falbo
113. Diane Farr
114. America Ferrera
115. Nick Forster
116. Melissa Fumero
117. John Fusco
118. Peter Gabriel
119. Joel Garcia
120. Daisey Gardner
121. Wayne Garner
122. Amelie Gillette
123. Rupinder Gill
124. Danis Goulet
125. Jonathan Groff
126. Lisa Hanawalt
127. Emily Heller
128. Marielle Heller
129. Ed Helms
130. Kahara Hodges
131. Karen Horne
132. Eric Ibarra
133. Jessica Jazayeri
134. Barry Jenkins
135. Christina Jimenez
136. Samuel Johns
137. Burrell Jones
138. Gloria Kellett
139. Riley Keough
140. Elena Klaver
141. Kenneth Klonsky
142. Kris Kristofferson
143. Larry Laboe
144. Lorna Lefoux
145. Jesse Leigh
146. Gabe Leidman
147. Christopher Locklear
148. Justin Louiz
149. Marcos Luevanos
150. Alexandria Martin
151. Kelley Mcgregor
152. Rose McIver
153. M’Daya Meliani
154. Elizabeth Méndez Berry
155. Kyle Michael Mendiola
156. Charles Micheaux
157. Ryan Miguel
158. Dustin Milligan
159. Aaron Mirmalek
160. Michael Moore
161. Solange Morales
162. Tom Morello
163. Matthew Murray
164. Nalita Murray
165. Graham Nash
166. Zoe Neugebohr
167. Evangeline Ordaz
168. Anshantia Oso
169. Gil Ozeri
170. Carolina Paiz
171. Adam Parker
172. Eric Parmater
173. Illana Pena
174. Carmen Perez-Jordan
175. Jarrid Poitras
176. Penny Prentice
177. Heather Rae
178. Bonnie Raitt
179. Vanessa Ramos
180. Preston Randolph
181. Dailyn Rodriguez
182. Gladys Rodriguez
183. Shannon Rivers
184. Calixto Robles
185. Oliverio Rodriguez
186. Robby Romero
187. Pacita Rudder
188. Mark Ruffalo
189. Amber Ruffin
190. Morgan Sackett
191. Chitra Sampath
192. Tekenya Sanchez
193. Nico Santos
194. Tanya Saracho
195. Debra Scacco
196. Claire Scanlon
197. Michael Schur
198. Heath Seifert
199. Haley Seppa
200. Nina Shaw
201. Chloe Simpson
202. Mary Sinclair
203. Lauren Smith
204. Andy Spahn
205. Ringo Starr
206. Shelby Stone
207. Lynette Taylor
208. Paul F. Tompkins
209. Andrew Troy
210. Tanya Tucker
211. Steven Van Zandt
212. Lindsey Villareal
213. Andrew Williamson
214. Casey Wilson
215. Hilary Winston
216. Deborah Wolfe
*
"It poorly serves the cause of justice to allow such a thoroughly discredited conviction to stand and to cause further pain and suffering for Mr. Peltier." - Coretta Scott King (2000).
8. REPETITA IUVANT. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 30: FREE LEONARD PELTIER SOCIAL MEDIA ACTION
[Dal sito www.aigroup30.org riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE
What's happening: Leonard Peltier is an Anishinabe—Lakota Native American serving two consecutive life sentences.
When arrested, he was a leading member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), an advocacy group and movement concerned with Native American rights. In 1975, during a confrontation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota involving AIM members, two FBI agents were shot dead. Leonard was convicted of their murders, but has always maintained his innocence.
There are serious concerns about the fairness of proceedings leading to his trial and conviction, including coerced and later recanted testimony as well as the prosecution's withholding of evidence that might have assisted Leonard Peltier's defense. In light of these and other concerns, the former US Attorney who supervised the prosecution team post-trial, James Reynolds, has since called for clemency. In a letter he wrote to President Biden on July 9th 2021, he states: "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars... I have realized that the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust."
In 2016 Amnesty International highlighted Leonard's case in its Write for Rights Campaign. Unfortunately, President Obama did not grant Leonard clemency and he will not be eligible for parole until 2024. Leonard's serious and increasing health concerns do not afford him a luxury of time.
He is now 77 years in ailing health with multiple chronic illnesses including diabetes, an abdominal aortic aneurysm and other serious life-threatening illnesses. Prison alone is hazardous for one's health, as an elder surviving in prison for 44+ years, particularly with comorbidities during COVID, his release is an extremely urgent matter.
Imprisoned in Florida, approximately 2,000 miles from his community, it is not only a physical hardship for his loved ones to visit him, it is almost impossible financially. As a result, he remains isolated and in poor and rapidly declining health.
Amnesty International urges the Biden / Harris administration to act in the interest of justice and grant Leonard Peltier clemency—AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION: HERE!
*
CALL TO ACTION: VIDEO / PHOTO
We ask all Amnesty International activists to make videos and take photos for this urgent global social media action.
*
PHOTO ACTIONS
Take photos with Free Leonard Peltier signs. If no time to make them yourself, print one of these!
Get creative! Write Free Leonard Peltier in the sand on your favorite beach, write it with stones, leaves, twigs, flowers, or people! Ask your local theater to put Free Leonard Peltier on their theater's sign, take photos!
Take photos in front of iconic landmarks, murals, natural sites in your community like national parks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Capitol building in your city, iconic places around the world like Big Ben, Taj Mahal, or natural landscapes, the beach, your yard or wherever you are in the world!
Ask your local bookstore to put a sign in the window! Paint a painting or a mural. Get in the picture and post on social media! Lean into your creativity and make signs with drawings, or take selfies with Free Leonard signs. Always be very professional and polite in your ask!
*
TAKE A VIDEO ACTION
Post your videos and photos on social media! Please upload your short video HERE!
(By submitting you give AIUSA Group 30 permission to use in our advocacy for freeing Leonard).
Solo Video:
1. Write a 30-60 second script on why you think Leonard Peltier must be released.
Introduce yourself and your city/state or country. See messaging guide if you need help with your script and stay on message!
2. Film horizontally with good natural lighting (no filters).
3. Make sure your audio is clear and good quality (no wind, no other noises).
4. Post on your social media platforms, tagging President Joe Biden (@POTUS), Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP), and Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) so that we can amplify your activism!
5. Please also send completed video / photos here as we might use for Amnesty advocacy for Leonard.
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MESSAGING GUIDANCE
Personalized messages in your unique voice are best! Be sure to focus your video on Leonard's release and say why it is important to YOU. See some talking points below to help you get started: It's time to release Leonard Peltier!
*
ADAPT ANY OF THE BELOW FOR A SHORT VIDEO:
"Hello President Biden, my name is [FIRST NAME] and I am a human rights defender in [CITY/STATE OR COUNTRY]." I am calling on you to please release native elder, Leonard Peltier. (Please state this at the beginning of your video.)
Leonard Peltier has spent 45 years in Federal prison, often in solitary confinement, for a crime he maintains he did not do.
Leonard Peltier is 77 years old and in rapidly declining health. There are serious concerns that he is not receiving adequate medical treatment—he needs access to medical treatment as soon as possible. As his condition could be fatal.
Amnesty International is calling on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency before it is too late. He should live his final days on native land.
We must face and change the painful and enduring legacy of racism in the carceral system in the United States. Leonard Peltier's case is a prime example of unfair trials and other injustices that first peoples, and BIPOC people face in a historically racist and biased legal and carceral system.
Peace Prize Laureates, including the late Nelson Mandela and dozens of religious and human rights leaders like Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Coretta Scott King have all called for Leonard Peltier's release.President Biden you have an opportunity to rectify a case that has troubled many people for decades. It is time to release Leonard Peltier! You President Biden are the one who can do it! Please hear the human rights defenders around the world and grant Leonard Peltier clemency.
The time to act is now!
*
AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Elevate these calls to action on your social media channel to keep our ask on their radar. Please be sure to include @POTUS and @VP (Vice President Kamala Harris)
Please use the hashtags #FreeLeonardPeltier #Clemency #IndigenousRights so folks can follow, retweet and amplify our activism!
*
Sample Tweets / Posts
@amnesty calls on @POTUS to grant #NativeAmerican elder Leonard Peltier #CLEMENCY before it is too late. He is in very poor health and should live with his community @JoeBiden @VP @amnestyusa #FreeLeonardPeltier
@POTUS please grant #clemency to #NativeAmerican elder Leonard Peltier. He is 77 in declining health and needs access to medical treatment. He has already served 2 sentences. @VP @amnestyusa @SpeakerPelosi #FreeLeonardPeltier #IndigenousRights
Peace Prize Laureates like @NelsonMandela & religious & #humanrights leaders around the world like the @DalaiLama & @TheDesmondTutu have called for Leonard Peltier's release for 45 + years now @POTUS please grant #CLEMENCY to #FREELEONARDPELTIER while there is still time
*
Lobby your Member of Congress
Representative Grijalva and ten other Members of Congress wrote a letter to President Biden, Attorney General Garland, Director Carvajal, and Director Keller to grant Leonard clemency.
Representative Ruth Buffalo (ND) and 23 Native American legislators drafted a similar letter on behalf of Leonard.
Ask your Representative to draft a letter like Rep Grijalva's or Rep Buffalo's. If your Representative signed onto the letter already please thank them! Find your Representative
*
Write to Your Local Papers
Write an Op-Ed or a Letter to the Editor
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LA BIBLIOTECA DI ZOROBABELE
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Segnalazioni librarie e letture nonviolente
a cura del "Centro di ricerca per la pace, i diritti umani e la difesa della biosfera" di Viterbo
Supplemento a "La nonviolenza e' in cammino" (anno XXIII)
Direttore responsabile: Peppe Sini. Redazione: strada S. Barbara 9/E, 01100 Viterbo, tel. 0761353532, e-mail: centropacevt at gmail.com
Numero 651 del 7 dicembre 2022
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Informativa sulla privacy
E' possibile consultare l'informativa sulla privacy a questo indirizzo: https://www.peacelink.it/peacelink/informativa-privacy-nonviolenza
Per non ricevere piu' il notiziario e' sufficiente recarsi in questa pagina: https://lists.peacelink.it/sympa/signoff/nonviolenza
Per iscriversi al notiziario l'indirizzo e' https://lists.peacelink.it/sympa/subscribe/nonviolenza
*
L'unico indirizzo di posta elettronica utilizzabile per contattare la redazione e' centropacevt at gmail.com
LA BIBLIOTECA DI ZOROBABELE
***************************
Segnalazioni librarie e letture nonviolente
a cura del "Centro di ricerca per la pace, i diritti umani e la difesa della biosfera" di Viterbo
Supplemento a "La nonviolenza e' in cammino" (anno XXIII)
Direttore responsabile: Peppe Sini. Redazione: strada S. Barbara 9/E, 01100 Viterbo, tel. 0761353532, e-mail: centropacevt at gmail.com
Numero 651 del 7 dicembre 2022
In questo numero:
1. Vandana Shiva: Principi costitutivi di una democrazia della comunita' terrena
2. Una voce russa contro la guerra: una lettera di Ljudmila Petrusevskaja
3. Associazione "Respirare" di Viterbo: Scriviamo al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America per chiedere la grazia per Leonard Peltier
4. Jennifer Bendery: 7 Senators Urge Biden To Grant Clemency To Leonard Peltier
5. Lettera di sette senatori statunitensi al Presidente Biden per la grazia a Leonard Peltier
6. Jennifer Bendery: Hundreds Of Indigenous Artists, Hollywood Stars Urge Biden To Release Leonard Peltier
7. Letter to President Joe Biden In Support of Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Led by Indigenous Members of the Entertainment & Fashion Industries: Dallas Goldtooth, Jana Schmieding, Bird Runningwater, Sierra Teller Ornelas, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Bethany Yellowtail
8. Amnesty International Group 30: Free Leonard Peltier Social Media Action
1. REPETITA IUVANT. VANDANA SHIVA: PRINCIPI COSTITUTIVI DI UNA DEMOCRAZIA DELLA COMUNITA' TERRENA
[Riproponiamo ancora una volta il seguente testo estratto dall'introduzione del libro di Vandana Shiva, Il bene comune della Terra, Feltrinelli, Milano 2006, alle pp. 16-19]
1. Tutte le specie, tutti gli esseri umani e tutte le culture possiedono un valore intrinseco.
Tutti gli esseri viventi sono soggetti dotati di intelligenza, integrita' e di un'identita' individuale. Non possono essere ridotti al ruolo di proprieta' privata, di oggetti manipolabili, di materie prime da sfruttare o di rifiuti eliminabili. Nessun essere umano ha il diritto di possedere altre specie, altri individui, o di impadronirsi dei saperi di altre culture attraverso brevetti o altri diritti sulla proprieta' intellettuale.
2. La comunita' terrena promuove la convivenza democratica di tutte le forme di vita.
Siamo membri di un'unica famiglia terrena, uniti gli uni agli altri dalla fragile ragnatela della vita del pianeta. Pertanto e' nostro dovere assumere dei comportamenti che non compromettano l'equilibrio ecologico della Terra, nonche' i diritti fondamentali e la sopravvivenza delle altre specie e di tutta l'umanita'. Nessun essere umano ha il diritto di invadere lo spazio ecologico di altre specie o di altri individui, ne' di trattarli con crudelta' e violenza.
3. Le diversita' biologiche e culturali devono essere difese.
Le diversita' biologiche e culturali hanno un valore intrinseco che deve essere riconosciuto. Le diversita' biologiche sono fonti di ricchezza materiale e culturale che pongono le basi per la sostenibilita'. Le differenze culturali sono portatrici di pace. Tutti gli esseri umani hanno il dovere di difendere tali diversita'.
4. Tutti gli esseri viventi hanno il diritto naturale di provvedere al loro sostentamento.
Tutti i membri della comunita' terrena, inclusi gli esseri umani, hanno il diritto di provvedere al loro sostentamento: hanno diritto al cibo e all'acqua, a un ambiente sicuro e pulito, alla conservazione del loro spazio ecologico. Le risorse vitali necessarie per il sostentamento non possono essere privatizzate. Il diritto al sostentamento e' un diritto naturale perche' equivale al diritto alla vita. E' un diritto che non puo' essere accordato o negato da una nazione o da una multinazionale. Nessun paese e nessuna multinazionale ha il diritto di vanificare o compromettere questo genere di diritto, o di privatizzare le risorse comuni necessarie alla vita.
5. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su economie che apportano la vita e su modelli di sviluppo democratici.
La realizzazione di una democrazia della comunita' terrena presuppone una gestione democratica dell'economia, dei piani di sviluppo che proteggano gli ecosistemi e la loro integrita', provvedano alle esigenze di base di tutti gli esseri umani e assicurino loro un ambiente di vita sostenibile. Una concezione democratica dell'economia non prevede l'esistenza di individui, specie o culture eliminabili. L'economia della comunita' terrena e' un'economia che apporta nutrimento alla vita. I suoi modelli sono sempre sostenibili, differenziati, pluralistici, elaborati dai membri della comunita' stessa al fine di proteggere la natura e gli esseri umani e operare per il bene comune.
6. Le economie che apportano la vita si fondano sulle economie locali.
Il miglior modo di provvedere con efficienza, attenzione e creativita' alla conservazione delle risorse terrene e alla creazione di condizioni di vita soddisfacenti e sostenibili e' quello di operare all'interno delle realta' locali. Localizzare l'economia deve diventare un imperativo ecologico e sociale. Si dovrebbero importare ed esportare soltanto i beni e i servizi che non possono essere prodotti localmente, adoperando le risorse e le conoscenze del luogo. Una democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su delle economie locali estremamente vitali, che sostengono le economie nazionali e globali. Un'economia globale democratica non distrugge e non danneggia le economie locali, non trasforma le persone in rifiuti eliminabili. Le economie che sostengono la vita rispettano la creativita' di tutti gli esseri umani e producono contesti in grado di valorizzare al massimo le diverse competenze e capacita'. Le economie che apportano la vita sono differenziate e decentralizzate.
7. La democrazia della comunita' terrena e' una democrazia che tutela la vita.
Una democrazia che tutela la vita si fonda sul rispetto democratico di ogni forma vivente e su un comportamento democratico da adottare gia' a partire dalla quotidianita'. Ogni soggetto coinvolto ha il diritto di partecipare alle decisioni da prendere in merito al cibo, all'acqua, alla sanita' e all'istruzione. Una democrazia che tutela la vita cresce dal basso verso l'alto, al pari di un albero. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda sulle democrazie locali, lasciando che le singole comunita' costituite nel rispetto delle differenze e delle responsabilita' ecologiche e sociali abbiano pieni poteri decisionali riguardo all'ambiente, alle risorse naturali, al sostentamento e al benessere dei loro membri. Il potere viene delegato ai livelli esecutivi piu' alti applicando il principio della sussidiarieta'. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda sull'autoregolamentazione e sull'autogoverno.
8. La democrazia della comunita' terrena si fonda su culture che valorizzano la vita.
Le culture che valorizzano la vita promuovono la pace e creano degli spazi di liberta' per consentire il culto di religioni diverse e l'espressione di diverse fedi e identita'. Tali culture lasciano che le differenze culturali si sviluppino proprio a partire dalla nostra umanita' e dai nostri comuni diritti in quanto membri della comunita' terrena.
9. Le culture che valorizzano la vita promuovono lo sviluppo della vita stessa.
Le culture che valorizzano la vita si fondano sul riconoscimento della dignita' e sul rispetto di ogni forma di vita, degli uomini e delle donne di ogni provenienza e cultura, delle generazioni presenti e di quelle future.
Sono culture ecologiche che non producono stili di vita distruttivi o improntati al consumismo, basati sulla sovrapproduzione, sullo spreco o sullo sfruttamento eccessivo delle risorse naturali. Le culture che valorizzano la vita sono molteplici, ma ispirate da un comune rispetto per il vivente. Riconoscono la compresenza di identita' diverse che condividono lo spazio comune della comunita' locale e danno voce a un sentimento di appartenenza che correla i singoli individui alla terra e a tutte le forme di vita.
10. La democrazia della comunita' terrena promuove un sentimento di pace e solidarieta' universale.
La democrazia della comunita' terrena unisce tutti i popoli e i singoli individui sostenendo valori quali la cooperazione e l'impegno disinteressato, anziche' separarli attraverso la competizione, il conflitto, l'odio e il terrore. In alternativa a un mondo fondato sull'avidita', sulla diseguaglianza e sul consumismo sfrenato, questa democrazia si propone di globalizzare la solidarieta', la giustizia e la sostenibilita'.
2. TESTIMONI. UNA VOCE RUSSA CONTRO LA GUERRA: UNA LETTERA DI LJUDMILA PETRUSEVSKAJA
[Dal sito www.unistrasi.it riprendiamo e diffondiamo questa lettera del 28 novembre 2022 nella traduzione di Giulia Marcucci e Claudia Zonghetti]
Cari amici, cari voi che mi leggete e mi pubblicate all'estero,
in Russia stiamo vivendo un momento terribile, ancora piu' tremendo di quello vissuto durante la seconda guerra mondiale, quando Hitler ci attacco'. Quella volta il popolo russo, la Russia, i nostri soldati erano sacri per il mondo intero; il nostro sangue era versato a difesa di tutti, e le grandi nazioni venivano in nostro soccorso, prime fra tutte l'America e l'Inghilterra. E in Europa, chiunque aveva un po' di cervello si dava alla macchia per combattere contro Hitler.
Noi, invece, vivevamo nel profondo della Russia. La mia famiglia faceva la fame, io avevo la tubercolosi, chiedevo l'elemosina per strada, cantavo per un tozzo di pane. Avevo sette anni quando la guerra fini'. Eppure ricordo ogni cosa! E sono cresciuta orgogliosa del mio popolo.
Dei poveri, delle donne che nelle retrovie difendevano la patria con tutte le loro forze. Le loro disgrazie, infatti, sono tutte nei miei libri, nei miei testi teatrali.
Oggi la Russia delle donne e' stata offesa, e' stata umiliata. I generali di Putin la disonorano, la calpestano, le portano via i figli per una guerra meschina e rivoltante; una guerra contro quelli che sono suoi fratelli e sue sorelle, contro quell'Ucraina che tanto amiamo e che e' parte di noi. Non faccio che piangere, mentre leggo le notizie su Internet. Sono la' anch'io, insieme a loro mi nascondo dalle mie stesse bombe! Insieme a loro proteggo dal fuoco i nostri bambini, li proteggo dagli spari dei ragazzi russi; e con loro, con l'Ucraina, mi preparo a fare la fame e a chiedere l'elemosina.
Voi che siete altrove, vi scongiuro: aiutate la santa Ucraina!
Di questa guerra accuso il criminale numero uno, Putin.
Che il sangue dei morti ricada sulla sua vecchia testa, che gli imbratti la faccia e le mani.
Accuso lui di questa carneficina. E' un assassino.
Mi arrestino pure, sono pronta, come sono pronta alle botte e allo sciopero della fame e della sete. Sono pronta a subire tutto cio' che accade a chi protesta e viene arrestato per strada.
Di queste parole, pero', rispondo io e io soltanto. I miei figli, i miei nipoti e pronipoti non sanno niente.
Ljudmila Petrusevskaja
3. REPETITA IUVANT. ASSOCIAZIONE "RESPIRARE" DI VITERBO: SCRIVIAMO AL PRESIDENTE DEGLI STATI UNITI D'AMERICA PER CHIEDERE LA GRAZIA PER LEONARD PELTIER
Alle persone di volonta' buona, ai movimenti ed alle associazioni democratiche, alle esperienze della societa' civile, alle istituzioni impegnate per i diritti umani di tutti gli esseri umani
con viva preghiera di adesione e di ulteriore diffusione
*
Vi proponiamo di scrivere al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America per chiedere la grazia per Leonard Peltier, l'illustre attivista nativo americano difensore dei diritti umani di tutti gli esseri umani e dell'intero mondo vivente, da 47 anni detenuto innocente dopo aver subito un processo in cui fu condannato sulla base di "prove" false e di "testimonianze" altrettanto false (gli stessi magistrati accusatori e giudicanti hanno in prosieguo di tempo riconosciuto la falsita' delle cosiddette "prove" e delle cosiddette "testimonianze"; e il pubblico ministero che ottenne allora la condanna si e' successivamente ripetutamente pubblicamente espresso per la liberazione di Leonard Peltier scrivendo accorati appelli a vari Presidenti succedutisi alla Casa Bianca).
La liberazione di Leonard Peltier, innocente, anziano e malato, e' stata richiesta da milioni di persone, tra cui personalita' come Nelson Mandela, madre Teresa di Calcutta, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu', Shirin Ebadi, papa Francesco, il Dalai Lama.
E' stata richiesta ripetutamente anche dal Parlamento Europeo e da innumerevoli altre istituzioni e personalita' istituzionali, tra cui il compianto Presidente del Parlamento Europeo David Sassoli ed i Sindaci di vari Comuni d'Italia.
Alcuni mesi fa un'autorevole commissione giuridica ad hoc dell'Onu ha per l'ennesima volta esaminato la documentazione, constatato l'iniquita' della condanna e della detenzione di Leonard Peltier e rinnovato la richiesta della sua liberazione.
Nel settembre 2022 con un voto unanime anche il Comitato Nazionale del Partito Democratico degli Stati Uniti d'America (il partito di cui fa parte lo stesso Presidente Biden) ha chiesto che il Presidente conceda la grazia presidenziale che restituisca la liberta' a Leonard Peltier.
*
Di seguito una proposta di testo della lettera da inviare al Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America recante la richiesta della grazia presidenziale per Leonard Peltier, e le istruzioni per inviarla attraverso il sito della Casa Bianca.
Nel web aprire la pagina della Casa Bianca attraverso cui inviare lettere: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Compilare quindi gli item successivi:
- alla voce MESSAGE TYPE: scegliere Contact the President
- alla voce PREFIX: scegliere il titolo corrispondente alla propria identita'
- alla voce FIRST NAME: scrivere il proprio nome
- alla voce SECOND NAME: si puo' omettere la compilazione
- alla voce LAST NAME: scrivere il proprio cognome
- alla voce SUFFIX, PRONOUNS: si puo' omettere la compilazione
- alla voce E-MAIL: scrivere il proprio indirizzo e-mail
- alla voce PHONE: scrivere il proprio numero di telefono seguendo lo schema 39xxxxxxxxxx
- alla voce COUNTRY/STATE/REGION: scegliere Italy
- alla voce STREET: scrivere il proprio indirizzo nella sequenza numero civico, via/piazza
- alla voce CITY: scrivere il nome della propria citta' e il relativo codice di avviamento postale
- alla voce WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY? [Cosa vorresti dire?]: copiare e incollare il messaggio seguente:
Mr. President,
Although I reside far from your country, I am aware of the injustice that has persisted for 47 years against Leonard Peltier, who was denied a review of his trial even after exculpatory evidence emerged for the events of June 26, 1975 on the Pine Ridge (SD) reservation where two federal agents and a Native American lost their lives.
I therefore appeal to your supreme authority to pardon this man, now elderly and ill, after nearly half a century of imprisonment.
I thank you in advance for your positive decision, with best regards.
*
Traduzione italiana del testo che precede:
Signor Presidente,
sebbene io risieda lontano dal Suo Paese, sono consapevole dell'ingiustizia che persiste da 47 anni nei confronti di Leonard Peltier, al quale e' stata negata la revisione del processo anche dopo che sono emerse prove a discarico per gli eventi del 26 giugno 1975 nella riserva di Pine Ridge (South Dakota) in cui persero la vita due agenti federali e un nativo americano.
Mi appello quindi alla Sua suprema autorita' affinche' conceda la grazia a questo uomo, ormai anziano e malato, dopo quasi mezzo secolo di detenzione.
La ringrazio fin d'ora per la Sua decisione positiva, con i migliori saluti.
*
l'associazione "Respirare" di Viterbo
Viterbo, 29 novembre 2022
L'associazione e' stata promossa nel 2009 a Viterbo da associazioni e movimenti ecopacifisti e nonviolenti, per il diritto alla salute e la difesa dell'ambiente.
4. REPETITA IUVANT. JENNIFER BENDERY: 7 SENATORS URGE BIDEN TO GRANT CLEMENCY TO LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo il seguente articolo del 30 novembre 2022 dal titolo "7 Senators Urge Biden To Grant Clemency To Leonard Peltier" e il sommario "'The power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," the Democratic senators said of the long-imprisoned Indigenous rights activist"]
Seven senators on Tuesday urgently appealed to President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the ailing 78-year-old Native American rights activist whom the U.S. government put in prison 46 years ago after a trial riddled with misconduct and racism.
"Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," reads a letter to Biden from Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Tina Smith (Minn.).
"Mr. Peltier has spent more than half of his life behind bars," the senators said. "We commend the steps that your administration has taken to right past wrongs of our government's treatment of Native Americans, particularly through [Interior] Secretary [Deb] Haaland's leadership and her Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. Furthermore, your administration has demonstrated a laudable commitment to upholding the core American values of liberty and justice, and rectifying inequities in the criminal justice system."
"Consistent with these actions, we urge you to grant clemency to Mr. Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence," they conclude.
A copy of the letter was also sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Elizabeth Oyer, the pardon attorney at the Justice Department.
Peltier is considered by many to be America's longest-serving political prisoner. He's been in prison since 1975, when the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office convicted him of murdering two FBI agents during a shootout on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
But they never had evidence that he committed a crime, and the level of misconduct that took place in his trial is baffling: Prosecutors hid exculpatory evidence. The FBI threatened and coerced witnesses into lying. All of his co-defendants were acquitted on grounds of self-defense. A juror admitted she was biased against Peltier's race on the second day of the trial but was allowed to remain on the panel.
Beyond that, his decades-long parole process has been so problematic that United Nations legal experts reviewed his case and over the summer called on Biden to release him immediately. The working group concluded in a damning 17-page legal opinion: "Mr. Peltier continues to be detained because he is Native American."
The more time that's gone by, the more people have demanded Peltier's release. Advocates for his freedom have included Native American elected officials, celebrities like Steven Van Zandt, international human rights leaders like Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela, Amnesty International, and even some of the same people who helped put him in prison in the first place.
In an extraordinary letter to Biden last year, James Reynolds, the U.S. attorney who oversaw Peltier's prosecution on appeal, wrote, "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars." And the late Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Peltier's 1986 appeal, later called for commuting his sentence, saying his trial was unjust and "a healing process must begin."
Tuesday's letter marks the first time that some senators have publicly pressured Biden to release Peltier. Over the last year, Hirono, Leahy, Sanders and Schatz have individually urged the president to grant clemency to him. But Warren, Markey and Smith just added their names to the cause.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the appeal from Democratic senators or, more broadly, on whether Biden is considering clemency for Peltier.
5. REPETITA IUVANT. LETTERA DI SETTE SENATORI STATUNITENSI AL PRESIDENTE BIDEN PER LA GRAZIA A LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
November 29, 2022
*
President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
*
Dear President Biden:
We write to request that you grant clemency to Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence. Mr. Peltier has spent more than half of his life behind bars. Now, at seventy-seven years old, he suffers from numerous health conditions, including a potentially fatal abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Over the past several decades, clemency for Mr. Peltier has received sweeping support from many faith and human rights leaders, including Pope Francis, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Saint Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Coretta Scott King. Each have articulated the moral imperative of granting Mr. Peltier clemency.
Moreover, mounting evidence of clear misconduct has warranted outcry from the very officials who put Mr. Peltier behind bars. James H. Reynolds, the U.S. Attorney who oversaw Mr. Peltier's prosecution on appeal, stated that "the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust." (1)
The late Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Mr. Peltier's 1986 appeal in the Eighth Circuit, also called for the commutation of Mr. Peltier's sentence in a powerful letter that detailed the injustice of Mr. Peltier's trial and proclaimed that "a healing process must begin." (2)
We commend the steps that your administration has taken to right past wrongs of our government's treatment of Native Americans, particularly through Secretary Haaland's leadership and her Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.
Furthermore, your administration has demonstrated a laudable commitment to upholding the core American values of liberty and justice, and rectifying inequities in the criminal justice system.
Consistent with these actions, we urge you to grant clemency to Mr. Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence. Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Brian Schatz, United States Senator
Patrick Leahy, United States Senator
Elizabeth Warren, United States Senator
Edward J. Markey, United States Senator
Bernard Sanders, United States Senator
Mazie K. Hirono, United States Senator
Tina Smith, United States Senator
*
cc: The Honorable Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
cc: Elizabeth G. Oyer, Pardon Attorney, Office of the Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
*
Note
1. Jennifer Bendery, "Leonard Peltier Is America's Longest-Serving Political Prisoner. Biden May Be His Last Hope," HuffPost, 12 Nov. 2021, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leonard-peltier-prison-clemency-biden_n_618049f3e4b059d0bfc19e5c.
2. Letter from Gerald H. Heaney, U.S. Senior Cir. Judge, 8th Cir., to Daniel K. Inouye, Chairman, U.S. Senate Select Comm. on Indian Affairs (Apr. 18, 1991), http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/Heaney.pdf.
6. REPETITA IUVANT. JENNIFER BENDERY: HUNDREDS OF INDIGENOUS ARTISTS, HOLLYWOOD STARS URGE BIDEN TO RELEASE LEONARD PELTIER
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo il seguente articolo del primo dicembre 2022 dal titolo "Hundreds Of Indigenous Artists, Hollywood Stars Urge Biden To Release Leonard Peltier" e il sommario "'Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system' than Peltier's imprisonment, they said"]
More than 200 Indigenous artists and Hollywood celebrities pleaded with President Joe Biden on Thursday to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the ailing 78-year-old Native American rights activist whom the U.S. government put in prison 47 years ago after a trial rife with misconduct, lies and racism.
"We write to you today in support of Leonard Peltier's petition for executive clemency and urge you to expeditiously commute the remainder of his sentence," reads the letter to the president led by six Indigenous actors, writers and fashion professionals. "Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system than the handling of his case by the federal government."
The letter, first obtained by HuffPost, warns that Peltier "is elderly and in failing health, and we fear he will not ever make it back to his homelands" at Turtle Mountain in North Dakota.
"Leonard is not only a symbol of Indigenous pride, he is also our relative. And his homecoming is imperative to our collective healing," they added.
The letter was spearheaded by Indigenous artists Dallas Goldtooth, Bird Runningwater, Jana Schmieding, Sierra Teller Ornelas, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Bethany Yellowtail. Some of the non-Indigenous allies who signed the letter include actors and artists Mark Ruffalo, Ani DiFranco, Ed Helms, America Ferrera, Jackson Browne, Michael Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr, Tanya Tucker and Steven Van Zandt.
Many consider Peltier to be America's longest-serving political prisoner. He's been in prison since 1975, when the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office convicted him of murdering two FBI agents during a shootout on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
But the U.S. government never had evidence that Peltier committed a crime, and the level of misconduct that went on in his trial is baffling: Prosecutors hid exculpatory evidence. The FBI threatened and coerced witnesses into lying. A juror admitted she was biased against Peltier's race on the second day of the trial but was allowed to stay on anyway. His co-defendants were acquitted on self-defense grounds, but Peltier was singled out for different treatment.
It didn't get any fairer once he was in prison. His decadeslong parole process has been so problematic that United Nations legal experts recently reviewed his case and, over the summer, called on Biden to release him immediately. The working group concluded in a damning 17-page legal opinion: "Mr. Peltier continues to be detained because he is Native American."
The more time that's gone by, the more details have emerged underscoring how problematic Peltier's conviction and imprisonment have been. In an extraordinary letter to Biden last year, James Reynolds, the U.S. attorney who oversaw Peltier's prosecution on appeal, wrote, "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars."
And the late U.S. Judge Gerald Heaney, who presided over Peltier's 1986 appeal, later called for commuting his sentence, saying his trial was unjust and that "a healing process must begin."
Advocates for Peltier's freedom over the years have included Native American elected officials, celebrities like Steven Van Zandt, international human rights leaders like Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela, and Amnesty International, a group that typically fights human rights abuses against people outside of the United States.
"President Biden should free Leonard Peltier! 47 years of injustice - @POTUS the world calls on you to #FreeLeonardPeltier," Amnesty International tweeted Thursday.
The letter from Indigenous artists comes a day after seven U.S. senators appealed to the president to show mercy and grant clemency to Peltier.
"Mr. Peltier's continued imprisonment defies the promises of justice, and the power to exercise mercy in this case lies solely within your discretion," reads the letter from Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Tina Smith (Minn.).
The plea from Indigenous artists also follows Biden addressing tribal leaders at his much-heralded White House Tribal Nations Summit. During the event, the president ticked off all that he’s done for Indian Country, but noticeably said nothing about Peltier's ongoing imprisonment.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Indigenous artists' letter or on whether Biden is considering clemency for Peltier.
7. REPETITA IUVANT. LETTER TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IN SUPPORT OF CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER. LED BY INDIGENOUS MEMBERS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT & FASHION INDUSTRIES: DALLAS GOLDTOOTH, JANA SCHMIEDING, BIRD RUNNINGWATER, SIERRA TELLER ORNELAS, D'PHARAON WOON-A-TAI, BETHANY WELLOWTAIL
[Dal sito www.huffpost.com riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
Dear President Biden:
We write to you today in support of Leonard Peltier's petition for executive clemency and urge you to expeditiously commute the remainder of his sentence. We are Indigenous and Indigenous-allied members of the entertainment and fashion industries using our platform to bring your attention to the urgency of Mr. Peltier's petition.
Leonard Peltier is a 78-year-old enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (ND). He has been imprisoned for 47 years, making him the longest-serving political prisoner in the United States. Nothing is more emblematic of the mistreatment of
American Indians and the uneven hand of the criminal justice system than the handling of his case by the federal government. Leonard Peltier has galvanized generations of Indigenous activists and grassroots movements, yet he remains in confinement. But Leonard is not only a symbol of Indigenous pride, he is also our relative. And his homecoming is imperative to our collective healing. Represented in this letter is a legion of Indigenous artists, forming one collective voice, asking yet another President to grant Leonard Peltier his freedom.
Mr. Peltier is elderly and in failing health and we fear he will not ever make it back to his homelands at Turtle Mountain. We also fear you will miss the opportunity to free a man whose continued incarceration represents to Native America the worst of a federal law enforcement system who for decades carried out acts of racism and injustice throughout Indian Country.
Leonard Peltier is serving a sentence for aiding and abetting in a case where his co-defendants were found not guilty on self-defense grounds. For this, he is serving a longer sentence than most principals in murder convictions.
Further, Mr. Peltier's conviction has been widely recognized as the result of a flawed prosecution that included blatant constitutional violations, prosecutorial misconduct, and a juror's early-trial admission of racism against Native Americans. Underscoring this, James Reynolds, the United States Attorney whose office handled the prosecution and appeal of the case, wrote to you on July 9, 2021, in support of clemency for Mr. Peltier, critically admitting his own office's prosecutorial errors and conceding they were unable to prove that Mr. Peltier personally committed any offense on the Pine Ridge Reservation that day.
Mr. Reynolds' letter, referring to all of these factors, included the following statement: "Leonard Peltier's conviction and continued incarceration is a testament to a time and a system of justice that no longer has a place in our society."
Our letter joins those from national and international human rights organizations, leading voices on criminal justice issues, religious leaders, dignitaries from around the world, and numerous current and former members of Congress. Notably, in 1993, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), then the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, endorsed clemency for Mr. Peltier and stated, "As long as the FBI misconduct issues in this case are left unresolved, it will be difficult for Native Americans to trust that the U.S. judicial system will accord them with the same justice it accords to other citizens."
Remarkably, twenty-nine years later, in January of 2022, the current Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) also wrote to you urging the commutation of Mr. Peltier's sentence saying, "I strongly support your administration's work to pursue a fair and constitutionally sound justice system. In keeping with those principles, I urge you to commute Mr. Peltier's sentence."
This is now about justice and an opportunity, with your grant of clemency, to recognize the injustices that have taken place in our tribal communities. We urge you to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier by commuting the remainder of his sentence.
Thank you for your consideration of our urgent request.
*
Signatories:
1. Dallas Goldtooth - Letter Lead
2. Bird Runningwater - Letter Lead
3. Jana Schmieding - Letter Lead
4. Sierra Teller Ornelas - Letter Lead
5. D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai - Letter Lead
6. Bethany Yellowtail - Letter Lead
7. Jodi Archambault
8. Doane Avery
9. Brian Bahe
10. Shauna Baker
11. Twyla Baker
12. Tanaya Beatty
13. Nanobah Becker
14. Daryl Begay
15. Tiffany Benally
16. Shaz Bennett
17. Lucas Brown Eyes
18. Jeremy Charles
19. Chad Charlie
20. Tazbah Chavez
21. Joey Clift
22. Azie Dungey
23. Kelsey Duvauchelle
24. Siena East
25. Sarah Eagle Heart
26. Crystal Echo Hawk
27. Chris Eyre
28. Anthony Florez
29. Norma Flying Horse
30. Charley Flyte
31. Sydney Freeland
32. Nicholas Galanin
33. Julia Gavin
34. Cara Gee
35. Lily Gladstone
36. Kiowa Gordon
37. Jason Grasl
38. Michael Greyeyes
39. Aurora Guerrero
40. Nicole Harjo
41. Joy Haskell
42. Allison Hicks
43. Kaniehtiio Horn
44. Taietsaron:sere Leclaire
45. Zahn McClarnon
46. Tatanka Means
47. Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo
48. Blake Pickens
49. Tommy Pico
50. Kenny Ramos
51. Darrell Redleaf-Fielder
52. Angela Riley
53. Emma Robbins
54. Sebastian Robertson
55. Althea Sam
56. Moi Santos
57. Shania Skyy
58. Vera Starbard
59. Kholan Studi
60. Brooke Swaney
61. Marilyn Thomas
62. Ruth-Ann Thorn
63. Stacey Thunder
64. Dana Tiger
65. Mark Tilsen
66. Raoul Max Trujillo
67. Dash Turner
68. Edgar Villanueva
69. Loren Waters
70. Daniel Warrior
71. Bobby Wilson
72. Jared Yazzie
73. Allie Redhorse Young
74. Roman Zaragoza
75. Gregory Zaragoza
76. Karim Ahmad
77. Amy Aniobi
78. Rosanna Arquette
79. Katie Arthurs
80. Deidre Backs
81. Stephanie Beatriz
82. Elizabeth Bell
83. Leah Benavides
84. Tawnya Benavides-Bhattacharya
85. Tsipi Ben-Haim
86. Jonathan Berry
87. Donnie Betts
88. Brigid Boyle
89. Guy Branum
90. Patrick Brice
91. Jackson Browne
92. Kristin Burke
93. Corrie Caster
94. Jeff Chang
95. Linda Yvette Chavez
96. Bruce Cockburn
97. Adam Conover
98. Peter Coyote
99. Lauren Craniotes
100. Grace Critchfield
101. L.C. Crowley
102. Lisa E Davis
103. John Densmore
104. Chelsea Devantez
105. Ani DiFranco
106. Kate DiRienzo
107. Steve Earle
108. Katherina Nahid Ebrahimi
109. Camille Eden
110. Daniel Erliz
111. Gabriel Estrada
112. Michael Falbo
113. Diane Farr
114. America Ferrera
115. Nick Forster
116. Melissa Fumero
117. John Fusco
118. Peter Gabriel
119. Joel Garcia
120. Daisey Gardner
121. Wayne Garner
122. Amelie Gillette
123. Rupinder Gill
124. Danis Goulet
125. Jonathan Groff
126. Lisa Hanawalt
127. Emily Heller
128. Marielle Heller
129. Ed Helms
130. Kahara Hodges
131. Karen Horne
132. Eric Ibarra
133. Jessica Jazayeri
134. Barry Jenkins
135. Christina Jimenez
136. Samuel Johns
137. Burrell Jones
138. Gloria Kellett
139. Riley Keough
140. Elena Klaver
141. Kenneth Klonsky
142. Kris Kristofferson
143. Larry Laboe
144. Lorna Lefoux
145. Jesse Leigh
146. Gabe Leidman
147. Christopher Locklear
148. Justin Louiz
149. Marcos Luevanos
150. Alexandria Martin
151. Kelley Mcgregor
152. Rose McIver
153. M’Daya Meliani
154. Elizabeth Méndez Berry
155. Kyle Michael Mendiola
156. Charles Micheaux
157. Ryan Miguel
158. Dustin Milligan
159. Aaron Mirmalek
160. Michael Moore
161. Solange Morales
162. Tom Morello
163. Matthew Murray
164. Nalita Murray
165. Graham Nash
166. Zoe Neugebohr
167. Evangeline Ordaz
168. Anshantia Oso
169. Gil Ozeri
170. Carolina Paiz
171. Adam Parker
172. Eric Parmater
173. Illana Pena
174. Carmen Perez-Jordan
175. Jarrid Poitras
176. Penny Prentice
177. Heather Rae
178. Bonnie Raitt
179. Vanessa Ramos
180. Preston Randolph
181. Dailyn Rodriguez
182. Gladys Rodriguez
183. Shannon Rivers
184. Calixto Robles
185. Oliverio Rodriguez
186. Robby Romero
187. Pacita Rudder
188. Mark Ruffalo
189. Amber Ruffin
190. Morgan Sackett
191. Chitra Sampath
192. Tekenya Sanchez
193. Nico Santos
194. Tanya Saracho
195. Debra Scacco
196. Claire Scanlon
197. Michael Schur
198. Heath Seifert
199. Haley Seppa
200. Nina Shaw
201. Chloe Simpson
202. Mary Sinclair
203. Lauren Smith
204. Andy Spahn
205. Ringo Starr
206. Shelby Stone
207. Lynette Taylor
208. Paul F. Tompkins
209. Andrew Troy
210. Tanya Tucker
211. Steven Van Zandt
212. Lindsey Villareal
213. Andrew Williamson
214. Casey Wilson
215. Hilary Winston
216. Deborah Wolfe
*
"It poorly serves the cause of justice to allow such a thoroughly discredited conviction to stand and to cause further pain and suffering for Mr. Peltier." - Coretta Scott King (2000).
8. REPETITA IUVANT. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP 30: FREE LEONARD PELTIER SOCIAL MEDIA ACTION
[Dal sito www.aigroup30.org riprendiamo e diffondiamo]
SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE
What's happening: Leonard Peltier is an Anishinabe—Lakota Native American serving two consecutive life sentences.
When arrested, he was a leading member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), an advocacy group and movement concerned with Native American rights. In 1975, during a confrontation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota involving AIM members, two FBI agents were shot dead. Leonard was convicted of their murders, but has always maintained his innocence.
There are serious concerns about the fairness of proceedings leading to his trial and conviction, including coerced and later recanted testimony as well as the prosecution's withholding of evidence that might have assisted Leonard Peltier's defense. In light of these and other concerns, the former US Attorney who supervised the prosecution team post-trial, James Reynolds, has since called for clemency. In a letter he wrote to President Biden on July 9th 2021, he states: "I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars... I have realized that the prosecution and continued incarceration of Mr. Peltier was and is unjust."
In 2016 Amnesty International highlighted Leonard's case in its Write for Rights Campaign. Unfortunately, President Obama did not grant Leonard clemency and he will not be eligible for parole until 2024. Leonard's serious and increasing health concerns do not afford him a luxury of time.
He is now 77 years in ailing health with multiple chronic illnesses including diabetes, an abdominal aortic aneurysm and other serious life-threatening illnesses. Prison alone is hazardous for one's health, as an elder surviving in prison for 44+ years, particularly with comorbidities during COVID, his release is an extremely urgent matter.
Imprisoned in Florida, approximately 2,000 miles from his community, it is not only a physical hardship for his loved ones to visit him, it is almost impossible financially. As a result, he remains isolated and in poor and rapidly declining health.
Amnesty International urges the Biden / Harris administration to act in the interest of justice and grant Leonard Peltier clemency—AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION: HERE!
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CALL TO ACTION: VIDEO / PHOTO
We ask all Amnesty International activists to make videos and take photos for this urgent global social media action.
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PHOTO ACTIONS
Take photos with Free Leonard Peltier signs. If no time to make them yourself, print one of these!
Get creative! Write Free Leonard Peltier in the sand on your favorite beach, write it with stones, leaves, twigs, flowers, or people! Ask your local theater to put Free Leonard Peltier on their theater's sign, take photos!
Take photos in front of iconic landmarks, murals, natural sites in your community like national parks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Capitol building in your city, iconic places around the world like Big Ben, Taj Mahal, or natural landscapes, the beach, your yard or wherever you are in the world!
Ask your local bookstore to put a sign in the window! Paint a painting or a mural. Get in the picture and post on social media! Lean into your creativity and make signs with drawings, or take selfies with Free Leonard signs. Always be very professional and polite in your ask!
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TAKE A VIDEO ACTION
Post your videos and photos on social media! Please upload your short video HERE!
(By submitting you give AIUSA Group 30 permission to use in our advocacy for freeing Leonard).
Solo Video:
1. Write a 30-60 second script on why you think Leonard Peltier must be released.
Introduce yourself and your city/state or country. See messaging guide if you need help with your script and stay on message!
2. Film horizontally with good natural lighting (no filters).
3. Make sure your audio is clear and good quality (no wind, no other noises).
4. Post on your social media platforms, tagging President Joe Biden (@POTUS), Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP), and Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) so that we can amplify your activism!
5. Please also send completed video / photos here as we might use for Amnesty advocacy for Leonard.
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MESSAGING GUIDANCE
Personalized messages in your unique voice are best! Be sure to focus your video on Leonard's release and say why it is important to YOU. See some talking points below to help you get started: It's time to release Leonard Peltier!
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ADAPT ANY OF THE BELOW FOR A SHORT VIDEO:
"Hello President Biden, my name is [FIRST NAME] and I am a human rights defender in [CITY/STATE OR COUNTRY]." I am calling on you to please release native elder, Leonard Peltier. (Please state this at the beginning of your video.)
Leonard Peltier has spent 45 years in Federal prison, often in solitary confinement, for a crime he maintains he did not do.
Leonard Peltier is 77 years old and in rapidly declining health. There are serious concerns that he is not receiving adequate medical treatment—he needs access to medical treatment as soon as possible. As his condition could be fatal.
Amnesty International is calling on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency before it is too late. He should live his final days on native land.
We must face and change the painful and enduring legacy of racism in the carceral system in the United States. Leonard Peltier's case is a prime example of unfair trials and other injustices that first peoples, and BIPOC people face in a historically racist and biased legal and carceral system.
Peace Prize Laureates, including the late Nelson Mandela and dozens of religious and human rights leaders like Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Coretta Scott King have all called for Leonard Peltier's release.President Biden you have an opportunity to rectify a case that has troubled many people for decades. It is time to release Leonard Peltier! You President Biden are the one who can do it! Please hear the human rights defenders around the world and grant Leonard Peltier clemency.
The time to act is now!
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AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Elevate these calls to action on your social media channel to keep our ask on their radar. Please be sure to include @POTUS and @VP (Vice President Kamala Harris)
Please use the hashtags #FreeLeonardPeltier #Clemency #IndigenousRights so folks can follow, retweet and amplify our activism!
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Sample Tweets / Posts
@amnesty calls on @POTUS to grant #NativeAmerican elder Leonard Peltier #CLEMENCY before it is too late. He is in very poor health and should live with his community @JoeBiden @VP @amnestyusa #FreeLeonardPeltier
@POTUS please grant #clemency to #NativeAmerican elder Leonard Peltier. He is 77 in declining health and needs access to medical treatment. He has already served 2 sentences. @VP @amnestyusa @SpeakerPelosi #FreeLeonardPeltier #IndigenousRights
Peace Prize Laureates like @NelsonMandela & religious & #humanrights leaders around the world like the @DalaiLama & @TheDesmondTutu have called for Leonard Peltier's release for 45 + years now @POTUS please grant #CLEMENCY to #FREELEONARDPELTIER while there is still time
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Lobby your Member of Congress
Representative Grijalva and ten other Members of Congress wrote a letter to President Biden, Attorney General Garland, Director Carvajal, and Director Keller to grant Leonard clemency.
Representative Ruth Buffalo (ND) and 23 Native American legislators drafted a similar letter on behalf of Leonard.
Ask your Representative to draft a letter like Rep Grijalva's or Rep Buffalo's. If your Representative signed onto the letter already please thank them! Find your Representative
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Write to Your Local Papers
Write an Op-Ed or a Letter to the Editor
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LA BIBLIOTECA DI ZOROBABELE
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Segnalazioni librarie e letture nonviolente
a cura del "Centro di ricerca per la pace, i diritti umani e la difesa della biosfera" di Viterbo
Supplemento a "La nonviolenza e' in cammino" (anno XXIII)
Direttore responsabile: Peppe Sini. Redazione: strada S. Barbara 9/E, 01100 Viterbo, tel. 0761353532, e-mail: centropacevt at gmail.com
Numero 651 del 7 dicembre 2022
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Informativa sulla privacy
E' possibile consultare l'informativa sulla privacy a questo indirizzo: https://www.peacelink.it/peacelink/informativa-privacy-nonviolenza
Per non ricevere piu' il notiziario e' sufficiente recarsi in questa pagina: https://lists.peacelink.it/sympa/signoff/nonviolenza
Per iscriversi al notiziario l'indirizzo e' https://lists.peacelink.it/sympa/subscribe/nonviolenza
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L'unico indirizzo di posta elettronica utilizzabile per contattare la redazione e' centropacevt at gmail.com
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