[Ppnews] Leonard Peltier - August 24

[Political Prisoner News]

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AUGUST 24, 2008

Greetings my friends and relatives,

First of all, I can't express to you, near as much as I'd like to. 
The sincere appreciation I have that you would gather together 
remembering all the political prisoners, hostages and myself the way 
you have.

Gatherings like this are extremely important because it reminds 
people of the sacrifices that are made daily through out the world 
for freedom, justice, and a clean and sane environment for our future 
generations. The powers that exploit our resources and people will 
always be there, generation after generation.

And the creator will always call upon people to stand against that 
exploitation.  Even if the creator does not call. Any just man or 
woman, with any semblance of justice, be it spiritual, social or 
environmental, He will find cause to take issue with those enemies of 
humanity and nature.

One of the reasons I am so appreciative is because I want you to 
know, from where I stand the gatherings that you do mean so very very 
much to the other political prisoners, other hostages and myself.  It 
is an extreme importance that political prisoners and hostages not be 
forgotten.  Not necessarily for the sake of the prisoners and 
hostages themselves, but for the sake of future generations.  To 
appreciate and protect and jealously guard the freedoms they possess; 
that was paid for with someone's life.  I think the most difficult 
times for  a political prisoner or hostage, is when people start to 
forget what their sacrifice was about,  when people become complacent 
because of some economic level they have attained, and forget the 
sacrifices that were made and  the danger of them losing those gains 
is imminent.  And I know from personal experience, the joy I feel 
when I receive letters of appreciations or visitors and that is 
second to the joy I feel when I know that my efforts were not in 
vain.  And there are young people taking up the cause and 
responsibility of regaining our lost freedoms and resources.

I dearly miss the touch of friends, I dearly miss walking through a 
forest or across a meadow or even through the traffic of a busy 
street, or feeling the wind blowing against my skin, directly, rather 
than a window or some chain link fence.

But with all this, I can't express to you how at a great loss I would 
feel if the reason and cause of the many political prisoners and 
hostages throughout the world was forgotten.  Swept aside, because 
people become too comfortable with their status quo.

I have been here for 33 years that is more than half of my life.  I 
would give almost anything to go home.  But I won't give up,

I would give almost anything to be with my family.  But I won't be quiet.

I would give almost anything to say goodbye to this place, but I 
won't say goodbye to my beliefs and our struggle.

I would give almost anything to walk out this door and never 
return.  But I will never walk away from the love of my people.

When I think of the things that I hear and see in the media, about 
how many different special interest groups, speak of various 
subjects, like the right to live, or pro-life, I cant help but think, 
of the children around the world, who never get a chance to live 
because of the exploitation of their resources of their country and 
their people.

All of the destruction that is taking place here and abroad is a 
direct result of people, special interest groups, whose interest is 
primarily wealth and taking more than they need.

The religious people or should I say The spiritual people of America, 
and anywhere else for that matter, should seek to aggressively band 
together to stop the unjust wars that truly impact primarily the 
common man, the common man who in his village or farm, city or 
anywhere else is destroyed, by bombs, from the various governments. 
Governments; Who in the name of nationalism and patriotism seek to 
gain political power and control over someone else's resource and 
political system.  They should actively band together and identify 
the things they have in common rather than dwelling on their 
differences.  Perhaps I am rambling too much in my statement, after 
33 years in prison and 63 years upon this earth, much of this time 
spent thinking, praying, analyzing, and mediating, on the information 
that I gather from various forms of writings, books and observations, 
I somehow feel I have a little bit of a right, to say what I think and feel.

I love you all and I am so honored that I would be invited to make a 
statement to you.  And if I could hug each one of you individually, I 
guarantee you would damn well be hugged!

I have never given up in my struggle for freedom.

Freedom is a natural inclination of all living creatures up on the 
earth. Even a newborn will struggle when held too tightly.

I deeply regret being in prison I deeply regret losing family members 
while in here, I deeply regret all the wonderful things in life that 
I have missed, but I will never regret standing up for my people for 
as long as I can draw my breath.   My heart is with them always, and 
my heart is with you today.

So long for now; I will remember you in my prayers and until next time.

Keep the faith.

Your relative always

In the spirit of crazy horse,

Leonard Peltier

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