[News] Leonard Peltier - Paypal closes LPDC account

Mon Jul 5 08:45:21 EDT 2004

Dear Peltier Supporters,

Last week both the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee and the Boston Area
Leonard Peltier Support Group received notification from PayPal (our web
site credit card verification and payment processing service) that our
accounts had been closed. Neither the defense committee nor the Boston
support group, are currently able to receive donations via the internet.
This disruption is having a direct impact on our ability to fund the
work of the committee. In addition to the horse rides, which we are
still raising funds for and which we must realistically consider scaling
back due to the disruption, we need to cover the overhead expenses of
the office. As well, the DNC and voter initiatives will wrap up at
election time and the committee and support network need some stability
to be able to strategize for what comes next. Be assured that the work
at the committee office goes forward, always in the face of multiple
distractions and crises. Your patience and assistance are greatly
appreciated.

We are currently considering the best course of action to take to
rectify the situation with PayPal and will be releasing more information
in the coming days. However, we are in urgent need of funding at this
time. We ask all who are able to send donations immediately by snail
mail. No amount is too small.

LPDC

PO Box 583

Lawrence, KS 66044-0583

USA

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,

The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Subject: URGENT MESSAGE! Boston group calls for boycott of PayPal and 
parent company eBAY
Date:   Sun, 4 Jul 2004 23:41:31 -0400
From:  info at leonardpeltier.org  Add to Address Book

On this day of celebration of "freedom" and "democracy," the Boston
Area Leonard Peltier Support Group is calling for a boycott of PayPal and
parent company eBAY.

The modest funds raised through the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
(LPDC) and selected support group Web sites are used for public education
programs, political and lobbying actions, and legal
strategies undertaken on behalf of Leonard Peltier.  We do these things to keep
Peltier's hope for freedom alive.  While such activities are likely
inconvenient for the U.S. government, they are not illegal.  On the
contrary, these activities represent free exercise of our constitutional 
rights.

We've come to expect interference with our Web-based services over the
years, i.e., interruption of service at critical times, for example.
However, last week, both the LPDC and the Boston support group received
notification from PayPal (our Web site credit card verification and
payment processing service) that we are in violation of its relatively
new Acceptable Use Policy.  Designating Leonard Peltier as being
"notorious for committing murderous acts," PayPal has now deprived us
of our online fundraising capability.  Our accounts have been closed
preventing us from receiving donations electronically and we have been
told that our funds collected through the online service may be frozen
for up to 180 days.

What is PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy?  Read it for yourself: (the 
following 3 lines constitute one web address. It will have to be copy / 
pasted. The 4th line is separate.)

<<http://65.54.246.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=fdb392ff2baa8d25736da8>http://65.54.246.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=fdb392ff2baa8d25736da8 
<http://65.54.246.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=fdb392ff2baa8d25736da8> 
b4c886b408&lat=1088820178&hm___action=cgi%2dbin%2fwebscr%3fcmd%3dp%2fgen%2fua%2fuse%2findex_frame%2doutside%26ed%3doffensive>

<http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/use/index_frame-outsid>http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/use/index_frame-outside&ed=offensive 

Please note that PayPal doesn't monitor Web sites but depends on
"members of the community" to bring alleged violations to its attention.
  We can only speculate as to who those "members of the community" were
in this case.

PayPal also claims to have done an exhaustive evaluation of the LPDC
and Boston sites for "offensive" material.  What did they find?

*    The announcement of Leonard Peltier's nomination for the 2004
Nobel Peace Prize.

*    The legal updates concerning Leonard's case, including
information on Peltier's recent victory over editor Paul DeMain in a
defamation lawsuit filed in 2003.

*    The position paper submitted by the Peltier legal team to the
Committees on the Judiciary of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of
Representatives on official misconduct in Indian Country, in particular
that against the American Indian Movement and Leonard Peltier.

*    Material to mobilize support for the release of hundreds of
thousands of documents still withheld after 30 years by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, despite repeated Freedom of Information Act
actions brought by Peltier's attorneys.

*    Announcement of Leonard's presidential nomination for the Peace
and Freedom Party in California.

*    Political action materials as regards the upcoming presidential
election, in general, and encouraging Indigenous and other U.S. voters
to use their votes to help win Leonard's freedom, in particular.

We consider this policy and PayPal's actions to be an attack on our
political beliefs, interference with our right to participate in the
"democratic" political process, and an intentional effort on the part
of PayPal and its parent company eBAY to interfere with our (and your)
constitutional rights.   Such corporate actions -- as taken at the
behest of the U.S. government, or not -- are an affront to activists
everywhere and threaten our basic freedoms.

We will NOT go away!  Join the LPDC/BA-LPSG boycott of PayPal and its
parent company eBAY.  Spread the word to friends, family, colleagues
and co-workers:

*    Don't use the PayPal service on Web sites you own or manage.
(Note:  Alternative resources are listed below.)

*    Don't donate to or purchase from sites that use the PayPal
service.

*    Don't buy or sell / auction items using eBAY.
Send them the message that we find THEIR policy and actions
"offensive".

An online petition also will be available for your signature in a day
or two.

THE LPDC IS IN URGENT NEED OF FUNDS.  WE THEREFORE URGE YOU TO
IMMEDIATELY SEND DONATIONS BY SNAIL MAIL.  NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL.

LPDC
PO Box 583
Lawrence, Kansas  66044-0583
USA

FREE LEONARD PELTIER!

Thank you.

In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse

The LPDC

The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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