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Leonard Peltier Defense Committee <br><br>
Dear Brothers and Sisters,<br><br>
This year will mark more than three decades of my unjust
imprisonment.<br>
Behind bars I have aged from a youth myself, into an elder. As an elder
I<br>
have become increasingly encouraged by the potential and promise of<br>
indigenous youth from all First Nations. Today indigenous youth have
greater<br>
opportunities than possibly ever before in our peoples history.
However,<br>
these opportunities were not attained without sacrifice. They arose
from<br>
great struggle. They came from ordinary men and women; your relatives
who<br>
made extraordinary sacrifices. These warriors' struggle to ensure a
better<br>
future for generations to come can never be taken for granted.<br><br>
I am especially pleased to hear of the rising numbers of indigenous
youth<br>
who are graduating from high school and entering institutions of
higher<br>
learning; universities, colleges, and technical schools. Other youth
are<br>
taking advantage of social programs that will assist them in each of
their<br>
respective futures. These are all opportunities that as a youth I could
have<br>
only dreamed of. Yet, even though we have made much progress and
advances<br>
for our people we still have a long path ahead to attain justice for
First<br>
Nations.<br><br>
I strongly believe that the first step on that path is to always be<br>
conscious of our people's history. Irregardless of what nation we belong
to<br>
we have shared a combined history of struggle against a more than
500-year<br>
long genocide. It has been a genocide focused not only on the death of
our<br>
relatives, but of our spirituality, culture, and language. All will be
lost<br>
if we do not honor our ancestors by learning about their sacrifice so
that<br>
the people may live. We must never forget our ways, our traditions, and
our<br>
wisdom. <br><br>
Each one of you must acknowledge your capacity and ability to bring
about<br>
positive changes for our people. This is done not only by bettering<br>
yourself, but by helping your brothers and sisters who have wondered off
the<br>
Red Road. I am deeply pained by the numbers of youth who have
prematurely<br>
lost their life to gang violence and suicide. It is just as troubling
to<br>
hear of those who continue to suffer from drug and alcohol abuse. I ask
you<br>
to bring your brothers and sisters who need guidance and medicine to
our<br>
ceremonies. It is our spirituality that has always sustained us as a
people.<br><br>
<br>
Throughout history there have been countless attempts to rob us as a
people;<br>
our lands, our history, our language, and our culture. However, they
have<br>
never been able to take our future from us. The future belongs to
the<br>
Creator only and it is the Creator who gives it to the youth. As a youth
it<br>
is your responsibility to honor all your relations, our Mother Earth,
and<br>
the Creator by committing yourself to the struggle for a future of
justice<br>
and a better tomorrow for all peoples.<br><br>
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,<br>
Leonard Peltier<br><br>
<br><br>
Please click on the following to go directly to the Native Village
website: <br><br>
Messages<br>
<<a href="http://www.nativevillage.org/Lenoard%20Peltier%20Area/Leonard%20Home%20Page" eudora="autourl">
http://www.nativevillage.org/Lenoard%20Peltier%20Area/Leonard%20Home%20Page</a>
<br>
.htm> to Youth from Leonard Peltier <br><br>
<br><br>
For further information please see:
<a href="http://www.nativevillage.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.nativevillage.org<br>
</a><<a href="http://www.nativevillage.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.nativevillage.org/</a>> <br>
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<font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
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