Mohawk Nation News 'Bum Steer by McGill'

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http://mohawknationnews.com/blog/2016/02/09/bum-steer-by-mcgill/

Leonard Peltier '40 Years in Prison'

'On February 6th, I will have been imprisoned for 40 years! I'm 71 years old and still in a maximum security penitentiary.' -- Leonard Peltier

By Leonard Peltier

International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Censored News

February 6, 2016
French translation by Christine Prat at:
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=3224

Greetings friends, supporters and all Native Peoples.

What can I say that I have not said before? I guess I can start by saying see you later to all of those who have passed in the last year. We Natives don't like to mention their names. We believe that if we speak their names it disrupts their journey. They may loose their way and their spirits wander forever. If too many call out to them, they will try to come back. But their spirits know we are thinking about them, so all I will say is safe journey and I hope to see you soon.

On February 6th, I will have been imprisoned for 40 years! I'm 71 years old and still in a maximum security penitentiary. At my age, I'm not sure I have much time left.

I have earned about 4-5 years good time that no one seems to want to recognize. It doesn't count, I guess? And when I was indicted the average time served on a life sentence before being given parole was 7 years. So that means I've served nearly 6 life sentences and I should have been released on parole a very long time ago. Then there’s mandatory release after serving 30 years. I’m 10 years past that. The government isn't supposed to change the laws to keep you in prison — EXCEPT if you're Leonard Peltier, it seems.

Now, I'm told I'll be kept at USP Coleman I until 2017 when they'll decide if I can go to a medium security facility — or NOT. But, check this out, I have been classified as a medium security prisoner now for at least 15 years, and BOP regulations say elders shall be kept in a less dangerous facility/environment. But NOT if you're Leonard Peltier, I guess.

As you'll remember, the history of my bid for clemency is long. My first app was with Jimmy Carter. He denied it. Ronald Reagan promised President Mikhail Gorbachev that he would release me if the Soviet Union released a prisoner, but Reagan reneged. George H.W. Bush did nothing. The next app was with Bill Clinton. He left office without taking action even though the Pardon Attorney did an 11-month investigation (it usually takes 9 months) and we were told she had recommended clemency. George W. Bush denied that petition in 2009. And in all of the applications for clemency, the FBI has interfered with an executive order. That's illegal as hell!

Today, I'm facing another dilemma — an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). It's the size of an AAA battery. The doctor told me if it bursts, I can bleed to death. It's also close to my spine and I could end up paralyzed. The good news is that it's treatable and the operation has a 96-98 percent success rate. BUT I'm in a max security prison. We don't get sent for treatment until it is terminal.

As President Obama completes the final year of his term, I hope that he will continue to fight to fulfill his promises, and further the progress his Administration has made towards working in partnership with First Peoples. It gives me hope that this President has worked hard to affirm the trust relationship with the Tribal Nations. With YOUR
encouragement, I believe Obama will have the courage and conviction to commute my sentence and send me home to my family.

Looking back on the 40 years of efforts on my behalf, I am overwhelmed and humbled. I would like to say thank you to all the supporters who have believed in me over the years. Some of you have been supporters since the beginning. You made sure I had books to read and commissary funds to buy what I may need to be as comfortable as one can be in this place. You made donations to the defense committee so we could continue fighting for my freedom, too. You all worked hard — are still working hard — to spread the word about what is now being called the most outrageous conviction in U.S. history. There are good-hearted people in this world, and you're among them. I'm sorry I cannot keep up with answering all of your letters. But thanks for the love you have shown me. Without it, I could never have made it this long. I'm sure of it.

I believe that my incarceration, the constitutional violations in my case, and the government misconduct in prosecuting my case are issues far more important than just my life or freedom. I feel that each of you who have fought for my freedom have been a part of the greater struggle of Native Peoples — for Treaty rights, sovereignty, and our very survival. If I should be called home, please don't give up on our struggle.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse…

Doksha,

Leonard Peltier
#89637-132
USP Coleman I
PO Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521

Bad Bear's Photos 'Reno AIM Rally for Leonard Peltier'

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Photos today in Reno by Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson

Western Shoshone

AIM Rally for Leonard Peltier

Thank you to our friend from the Longest Walks, Western Shoshone photojournalist Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson for today's photos from Reno, Nevada. Now, on Saturday evening in Carson Colony, Nevada, the American Indian Movement is hosting a feast in honor of Leonard Peltier. The film, 'Incident at Oglala,' is being shown now, Saturday evening, Feb. 6, 2016. Thank you to Bad Bear's father Buck Sampson for the news update!

Today Leonard Peltier, 71, has been in prison for 40 years.

Read 'My 40 years in Prison' at Counterpunch

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/05/my-40-years-in-prison/

Joanne Shenandoah in need of liver transplant

The Grammy award winning singer is in need of immediate help to save her life

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Dutch translation by Alice Holemans at NAIS at:
http://www.denaisgazet.be/nieuws/joanne-shenandoah-moet-levertransplantatie-ondergaan

We have received sad news that Joanne Shenandoah needs a liver transplant. The Grammy award winner singer with the beautiful voice is in need of immediate help to save her life.
Joanne and her family struggled to preserve the traditional governance of the Clan Mothers at the Oneida Nation in New York. 
However the Shenandoah family was abused by the Oneida politicians. In the end, the casino industry took control. Joanne's tribal rights were removed because she fought for what is right. 
The Oneida Nation in New York, owners of Indian Country Today, still have time to do what is right. 
The Oneida Nation can make this moral restitution to Joanne, her mother Maisie, and their family, and pay for her liver transplant. 
Go Fund Me donation site for Joanne Shenandoah:
https://www.gofundme.com/d5n6kb98

Joanne and her husband
Doug George-Kanentiio

From Joanne's Go Fund Me site:
Joanne Shenandoah is a wolf clan member of the Oneida Nation, Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois) Confederacy. She is the mother of Leah Shenandoah, the wife of Doug George-Kanentiio, the sister of five siblings and the daughter of the late Maisie Shenandoah, Oneida clanmother, and Clifford Shenandoah, an Onondaga chief. She is a composer and performer,  Native American Music Award winner, the co-chair of the US Attorney General's Task Force on Preventing Child Abuse on Indian Territory, has acted in films, written music for documentaries, sang at seven Native American US Presidential inagurations, recorded 17 award winning albums, donated thousands of hours to communities and those in need and taken an active part in combating human rights abuses while becoming an advocate for universal peace. She has represented her people on many commissions and before many forums. She sang at the Vatican to honor St. Kateri of the Mohawks and for his Holiness the Dalai Lama. She was awarded an honorary Ph.D. in music from Syracuse University. She has performed at the Parliament of the World's Religions; whenever asked to use her talents she has responded.  
Joanne contacted a serious abdominal infection this past summer which spread to her liver and resulted in its gradual failure. She has endured 4 long hospital stays and was in an induced coma for two weeks. As a result of the infection her liver is failing and she has been placed on the New York State liver transplant list. She is now subject to infections and pnuemonia while waiting a transplant. The waiting time for a transplant in New York may take a year or more leaving Joanne subject to repeated cycles of illness. The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida does transplants at a much higher rate than in New York and is willing to take Joanne, meaning the operation and healing period is greatly reduced and she may return to good health. The Clinic requires the total payment to be made at the time of her acceptance into their program and the cost is comparable with other transplant centers. The key is how soon this can be done. The longer Joanne waits the greater the stress on her physical health. She needs to undergo this procedure as soon as possible. The cost for the transplant, prolonged two month stay and all associated procedures is $450,000.00 which goes directly to the Mayo Clinic. Joanne's family and friends are trying to reach this amount through insurance policies, catastrophic resources provided by the Indian Health Service and donations.
Joanne has been a beacon of light and inspiration for Native people everywhere. Her diginity and creativity has inspired and affected e she has met. She has been particulary sensitive to children and women of all backgrounds. A transplant means she can return to performing, to sharing her music and culture around the world. It means she can live. Her family is initiating this effort on behalf of one of North America's most wonderful talents. Their gratitude, and that of Native people everywhere, will be immense.  We cannot allow this light to be diminished.

Listen to her music on her website: http://www.joanneshenandoah.com/music.html

From Joanne Shenandoah's website:

Joanne Shenandoah, Ph.D, is one of America’s most celebrated and critically acclaimed musicians. She is a Grammy Award winner, with over 40 music awards (including a record 13 Native American Music awards) and 17 recordings.  She has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world, from North and South America, South Africa, Europe, Australia and Korea, with praise for her work to promote universal peace. She is a board member of the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge www.hiawatha.syr.edu.

Joanne and her daughter Leah recorded on the title track “Path to Zero” with Jim Morrison which also included artists, Sting/Bono, Sinead O’Conner, Robert Downey Jr., and others.    

Shenandoah recently performed for His Holiness the Dali Lama and at St. Peter’s at the Vatican in Italy where she performed an original composition for the celebration for the canonization of the first Native American Saint Kateri Tekakwitha both in October 2012.  Shenandoah has performed at prestigious events such as The White House, Carnegie Hall, 5 Presidential Inaugurations, The Vatican - St. Peter's Basillica, Madison Square Garden, Bethlehem Fine Arts Center, Palestine, Crystal Bridges Museum, The NMAI-Smithsonian, The Ordway Theater, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto Skydome, The Parliament of the Worlds Religions, (Africa, Spain and Australia) and Woodstock ‘94.

“Joanne Shenandoah is one of the finest tributes to Native American Music and Culture “ Neil Young."
http://www.joanneshenandoah.com/