Hello
Mr. President -
I
write today in hopes that you will please consider the case of Native American
activist, Leonard Peltier. As I'm sure you know, Amnesty International placed
his case under the "Unfair Trials" category of its Annual Report in
2010.
I
recently returned from an 8-day service trip to the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation in South Dakota with 14 members (including my 15 year old son,
Trevor, and 7 other teens) of our Quaker Meeting in Downingtown (Chester
County) PA, organized by the William Penn House in Washington DC. (We were
joined there by 2 of Sasha and Malia's classmates from Sidwell - 2 really
amazing kids, by the way - Emmett Stern and Liam Kirsch.) We found terrible
conditions on the reservation (80% unemployment; poorest county in the USA,
life expectancy of 48 (!)) but also a number of people trying to improve the
lives of the people there by teaching them about sustainable organic
farming. We helped them with their work
there and then helped set up and then participated in a sun dance - a very
sacred ritual that outsiders aren't usually allowed to be a part of...though
I'm sure they would welcome you and your family if you asked nicely! :-)
Anyway,
in speaking with folks there, it was clear that there is a great deal of pain
surrounding the case of Mr. Peltier, who they feel was given an unfair trial. They
very much hope you'll review his case and find that he should be set free
before you leave office.
Thank
you for your consideration, Mr. President.
With
gratitude for all you've done,
Jamie
