Leonard Peltier Remembers Dennis Banks

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Dennis Banks with Bill Means and Terrence Nelson
Boarding School Tribunal, Oneida Nation, Wisconsin
Photo by Brenda Norell

Leonard Peltier Remembers Dennis Banks

Photos by Brenda Norrell

Censored News

Painting by Leonard Peltier

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By Leonard Peltier Today, let my voice join in harmony, with the brothers and sisters of the American Indian Movement, to address our great loss of your father, grandfather, brother and friend, Dennis J Banks. When I heard he was going to have heart surgery, I was praying for a speedy recovery. Three weeks prior to Dennis having surgery, I had a triple bypass open heart surgery with good results, so I was shocked to hear he was having problems. Let me share a few memories with you. I first started hearing about Dennis in the late 60's while being involved in the fishing and hunting struggle at Franks Landing in Washington State. After returning to my home at the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Nation in North Dakota, I was aware of the occupation at Alcatraz in California. I also started hearing Dennis speaking out on TV and radio. I became involved in a struggle involving Native issues in Arizona and while there, I was invited to an annual AIM convention at Leech Lake, MN. I met with Dennis and was impressed with the public commitment he made on the Chunupa, to never use alcohol or drugs and to never refuse a call for help from Native people. I became a member the American Indian Movement and worked out the of AIM Chapter in Milwaukee Wi. In my eyes, Dennis was a charismatic and powerful speaker and one of the most committed leaders in resisting the longest war in US history against Native people of our Nations, not only for AIM but for all Native activist groups. He spoke of the genocidal practices of other countries being used against Indigenous peoples. He was most known for being the last person to leave the 71 day shoot out called the Wounded Knee Occupation in 1972, where over 250 thousand’s rounds of ammunition were fired into Wounded Knee by the US Gov't and the GOON squad. There is proof that none of the ammunition checked out of the federal armory were ever turned back. I believe the plan was to kill all women, children and men Warriors. Dennis continued to answer the call from Native people seeking help and he traveled wherever he was needed even while being under multiple indictments because of Wounded Knee. If convicted of the charges, he was facing 150 years in a federal prison, along with another AIM leader, Russell Means. We, as Native people, owe a huge debt to Dennis and other AIM leaders, for taking a strong stand to protect and preserve our Spiritual and cultural way of life. The direction of the American Indian Movement has always been from our Native Elders and Spiritual leaders. We were there to protect them as they passed on the knowledge and protocol of our Sacred Ways. We will forever be grateful to those Elders and to the many members of the American Indian Movement who were willing to live and die for a way of life that has been our way of survival for Centuries. Now my brother Dennis has joined our loved ones who have crossed over into the Spirit world and I know they gave him one hell of a welcome reception! They know his heart, and they know he was a true Warrior to the end. In my most humble way, I ask that we never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice to try to make a better world for the coming generations. Please, sing their songs with honor, in their memory, tell their stories with pride with every opportunity you have, and always, please remind our young people and each other, that every battle that was ever fought, every life that was ever taken, every ceremony being performed, is with our future generations in mind. Please remember Dennis James Banks like I do, as being one of the greatest Warriors of our time. I am proud and humbled to call Dennis my brother. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse Leonard Peltier

Navajo Council Kills Escalade Monster, Tourism on Colorado Rivers Confluence

Photo copyright Earl Tulley, Censored News

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Photo copyright Earl Tulley
Censored News

Navajo Council kills Escalade, Tourism Monster on Dineh Sacred Land, at Colorado Rivers Confluence, in Grand Canyon

By Save the Confluence

Censored News
Oct. 31, 2017

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- The Navajo Nation Council, tonight, put an end to a years-long battle to kill a controversial proposal to build a tourist development at the confluence of the Little Colorado and Colorado rivers.

At a special session, the council skewered the Confluence Partners, who wanted to bring more than 10,000 tourists per day to an area containing sacred sites, grazing land, and traditional homelands to hundreds of Navajo families in order to build a tram leading down into the Grand Canyon National Park.
Ultimately, the council voted 16-2 and killed the measure.
Don Yellowman, president of the Bodaway/Gap Chapter, said this is a step toward unity. For years, the proposed Escalade had divided the community, as it had attempted to reclaim land they had been exiled from for more than half a century under the federal Bennet Freeze Act.
Numerous neighbor tribes joined the battle to oppose the Escalade, including the Hopi Tribe, which has shared sacred sites and ancestral claims to the region that the outside developers had sought to once again strip away from the people,
More than 65,000 people worldwide had opposed the effort. The National Parks Service opposed it. All neighboring tribes opposed it. Navajo medicine men opposed it. Families that have lived on the land since at least the late 1700s, and have even buried their relatives on the proposed site, opposed it.
In spite of that — in a last-ditch effort — Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Confluence Partners, LLC,  on a Halloween “trick-or-trick night” — tried to sweeten the deal by offering to build a Boys and Girls Club for the local residents. Their final offer underscored how out of touch they were with the community and the Navajo Nation, of which many chapters also joined hands to fight the effort.
The prospective developers had been supported by Navajo Councilman Ben Bennett, the bill’s sponsor. Bennett said he wanted to give a five-member committee a chance to negotiate problems lawmakers found and raised about the bill. His colleagues made fiery statements in opposition, ranging from delegate Dwight Witherspoon’s comment that, “This (proposal) is exploitation!!”, to delegate Jonathan Perry who said, “We’re setting ourselves up for something bad.”
Norman. M. Begaye, the council delegate representing Alamo area, said, “It’s the People. .. We realize it’s the people. If we approve this, we would open the flood gates on what is sacred.”
The on-and-off again bill struggled to reach the full council starting in August, 2016. None of the council’s four standing committees, charged with scrutinizing the bill, endorsed the legislation.
But, three committees shot down the proposal, and Bennett tried numerous times to re-introduce the measure. He often withdrew it on a moment’s notice if the political winds indicated supporters would not be present to vote. Then, in a last-ditch effort, Bennett called a special session on Halloween Day, when it appeared a majority of opponents of his bill would be out of town at a conference. Opposition remained overwhelming, regardless.
Former Navajo Nation President Albert Hale, who left office years ago in the middle of his term amid financial and sexual scandals, and yet later became an elected member of the Arizona State Legislature, was among the Confluence Partners advancing the effort to undermine the Navajo People.

The Confluence Partners wanted the Navajo Nation  to invest $65 million for off-site infrastructure, withdraw 420 acres for development, agree to ban tourist-related businesses within 25 miles, and waive portions of the tribe’s sovereignty.

The partners proposed to install a gondola that takes tourists from the rim to floor of the canyon where a river walk, an amphitheater and café would be available. The rim would consist of A discovery center, a restaurant, cafeteria and parking lot.
Under the agreement, the Nation would have received a mere 8 cents of the gross revenue per year while the outside non-Navajo partners – plus Hale — took 92 percent.
The revenue would have been dependent on the number of tourists who visited Escalade.
https://savetheconfluence.com/news/breaking-escalade-monster-killed/
Stay tuned for more updates.

Photo by Save the Confluence

Navajo Western Fair, Oct. 14, 2017 Photo copyright Earl Tulley, Dineh, Censored News

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Navajo Councilman says Escalade developer 'flipped him off' as Navajo Council voted project down

Video below:

Sharing from Save the Confluence, "Video from when the Escalade was voted down, We were not allowed to film inside the chambers, but Delegate Brown was able to record and you can catch him calling out Lamar for flipping him off near the end." Save the Confluence fought hard to halt the Escalade Monster Tourism Project on Dineh Sacred Land at Grand Canyon.

Leonard Peltier -- An appeal for compassion and freedom from Florida

Leonard Peltier -- An appeal for compassion and freedom from Florida Report from Tampa, Oct. 31, 2017 By Paulette Co-director, International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee in Florida Censored News Greetings Friends, Supporters and Family. Hard to start my report to you all without remembering our good friend and supporter Dennis J. Banks. He and Leonard traveled many miles together and he spoke often and eloquently for Leonard’s freedom (http://www.aics.org/LP/dennis.html)He will be greatly  . We will send out Leonard’s statement later today, as it takes time to get messages from the prison. On a new note the trip from Fargo was almost a 4 day drive, and thanks to friends and my social security we didn’t have to go into committee money except for a couple of tanks of gas and dinners. I was determined not to spend the small amount raised for Leonard’s legal team to make this move and we were successful. We arrived in Tampa FL. to our new committee office and home on Tuesday and have been working to put it together.

While we were waiting for the Internet to be hooked up we had a meeting with lawyer to discuss trying to hire one or two legal researchers to go through the thousands of pages of Freedom of Information pages (FOIA) for new evidence that the lawyer can use to get Leonard back in to court. We are also looking into the possibility of a compassionate release due to age and physical problems. These issues are why we desperately need funds to continue the work, given Leonard’s age and health his time is on the short side of Freedom! I did get to visit Leonard last Sunday. He was pleased that the move went well, and that he can have regular visits. One of the problems he mentioned was that he continues to have a shooting pain from hip to his foot. He was supposed to have a sonogram but it got cancelled due to fights in the prison and he said there was no telling when it will happen now but the pain drags him down and has affected his mobility to go to the Art room or Law Library. We would like for people to politely write the Warden and ask why it has taken over a year for this issue with Leonard’s hip to get resolved? They have done test and x-rays and yet no relief for his pain. Neither a steroid shot or hip replacement has been offered Leonard. You should send your letter to: WARDEN USP COLEMAN I U.S. PENITENTIARY P.O. BOX 1023 COLEMAN, FL 33521 So, we are up and working to find ways to bring Leonard home. If you are in the Tampa area please call and come by to look at Leonard’s art work or have a cup of coffee and talk about supporting an event in your area for Leonard.116 W Osborne Ave Tampa, FL.33603 218-790-7667 We have a couple of speakers including myself that would be willing to speak for Leonard. While prayers support Leonard’s soul, the legal team needs money to do the work! Thank you for your support Paulette Co-director in Florida

Ponca Nation of Oklahoma to Recognize the Rights of Nature to Stop Fracking

Casey Camp-Horinek with her granddaughter 

Ponca Nation of Oklahoma to Recognize the Rights of Nature to Stop Fracking

By Casey Camp-Horinek caseycamphorinek@yahoo.com  

Shannon Biggs shannon@movementrights.com

Pennie Opal Plant pennie@gatheringtribes.com

Movement Rights

SAN FRANCISCO -- After suffering for years with poisoned water and serious health issues due to fracking and injection wells on and near their reservation the governing body of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma voted to pass a statute recognizing the rights of nature on Friday, October 20, 2017.  When enacted, the Ponca will be the first tribal nation to recognize the rights of nature into statutory law.

"On Friday, October 20th the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma took the historic step of agreeing to add a statute to enact the Rights of Nature.  We are proud to be moving into the future by honoring our original instructions to respect all life on our Mother Earth,” said Casey Camp-Horinek, a member of the Ponca Tribal Business Council.  “We would like to thank everyone who has brought information about the Rights of Nature and those who continue to share ways to bring back respect for the natural laws that have sustained all life for millenniums.  A special thanks to Movement Rights founders, Shannon Biggs and Pennie Opal Plant for all the support provided over the last few years.”

Movement Rights, has been working with members of the Ponca Nation to assist the tribe with fracking issues utilizing the recognition of the rights of nature as a model to protect the land and health of tribal members. “Dozens of communities in the United States and several countries, including New Zealand, India, Ecuador and Bolivia, have passed laws that stop treating nature as property to be destroyed.  The rights of nature legal framework recognizes the legal rights of ecosystems to exist and regenerate their vital life cycles,” said Shannon Biggs, the Executive Director of Movement Rights.  “These communities and countries are using this new legal framework to protect people and natural communities from harmful activities including fracking. They are shifting human law to align with natural law.”

Ponca, Oklahoma is the epicenter of earthquakes caused by fracking and injection wells.  Tribal members have experienced diseases that have decimated their population since the fracking industry began in their area.  Every single water well on the reservation is too toxic to drink, bathe in or allow pets and livestock to drink.  There have been 448 earthquakes in and around the Ponca reservation this year, in a state that was essentially earthquake free before the fracking industry moved in to the area.  The Ponca Nation is expected to enact the Rights of Nature Statute into law by the end of 2017.

“We all know that water is life. The years of fish kills related to the fracking and injection wells amount to environmental genocide,” said Casey Camp-Horinek. “It is going to take all of us humans because we’re speaking for those without voices, for the deer, the cattle, those that fly.  In our tribe we have a funeral a week now. We’re being fracked to death and It’s time to take a stand for our people and defend the earth.”

The Ponca Nation and Movement Rights also conducted two events which took place on Saturday, October 22nd called “Ponca Environmental Community Action Day”.  The day included a prayer walk to the Phillips 66 refinery in the City of Ponca as well as a community meeting.   "I feel like we are gaining strength, we had more tribal nations represented this time as well as non-natives,” said Ponca Tribal member, Suzaatah Williams. “We had elders and even a newborn on this walk and every age group in between. Even if only one of these people share the information they learned we have made a difference.  Knowledge is power and we are only getting stronger!”

Speakers for the community events included Casey Camp-Horinek, Mekasi Horinek, Shannon Biggs, Bryan Parras of the Sierra Club and TEJAS in Houston, Texas, and Robby Diesu, coordinator for the National Stop the Frack Attack Network based in Washington, DC.  

“Most importantly, thanks to our Creator, Wakonda,” said Casey Camp-Horinek.  “We believe that the prayers and guidance provided are leading us to further protect our Mother Earth, who sustains us; and make a way for the generations to come."

Professor Mark Trahant resigns after Standing Rock journalists seminar repeatedly rejected

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Update: University will allow lecture series
http://diverseeducation.com/article/104251/

By Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock

Censored News

I have decided to not renew my term as an endowed chair at the University of North Dakota. It really comes down to this: I am disappointed and disgusted that the university is not an institutional leader in this state. It should be a beam of light, shining on the protected realm of rational discourse. Last year, for example, I was asked to coordinate a journalism lecture series. I proposed hearing from the journalists who covered Standing Rock. Nope. Instead the series was “put on hold.” This year I suggested a conference on technology and society, again leading with a conversation about Standing Rock and social media. Again, no, and I learned about senior administration fears that the legislature might retaliate.

I understand that it's important to keep fighting, but when your institution is absent, well, for me, this chapter ends.

I do appreciate my many colleagues who do great work and will carry on. Thank you for that. And, despite everything, I'm grateful for my experiences here.

Right now my inclination is to leave the academic world and focus on journalism (but I have some time to figure that out). My TV project with FNX is launching soon and I will work harder to raise funds for my other worthwhile projects.

Mark

Read more:

Professor resigns after university repeatedly rejects seminar on Dakota Access Pipeline

By Elanor Sheehan at Splinter -- "Mark Trahant, a journalism professor at the University of North Dakota, has tried to teach a seminar on the Dakota Access pipeline protests for two years. After his second proposal was rejected this year, Trahant has decided to quit." https://splinternews.com/professor-resigns-after-university-repeatedly-rejects-p-1819897178