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AIM to hold SF Community Forum on Current Status of Peru, and Indigenous Peoples PDF Print E-mail
Written by Tony Gonzales   
Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:42

 

AIM-WEST

P.O. Box 410534

San Francisco, CA 94141

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www.aimwest.info

www.aimovement.org


 

location: Veteran’s War Memorial Building

The American Legion Post #875

401 Van Ness Street (and McAlister)

San Francisco, CA 94102-4587

July 1, 2009

For Information: Antonio Gonzales

415-577-1492


For Immediate Public Release


AIM to hold SF Community Forum on Current Status of Peru, and Indigenous Peoples


DATE: Tuesday, July 7, 2009

TIME: 5 to 9 pm (Forum begins at 6 pm)

PLACE: Veteran’s War Memorial Building, 401 Van Ness Street (corner of McAlister) room 207


(snacks, refreshments and drummers are invited, songs and entertainment before program starts: a potluck!)


The American Indian Movement West (AIM-WEST), a San Francisco community based Indigenous human rights organization, invites the BAY AREA general public to a Public Forum. This forum will address and unify the diverse interests and concerns of Indigenous Peoples, and in solidarity give assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGO) regarding the critical situation in Peru.


Come and participate in a critical discussion to help identify and coordinate actions that address the concerns of sovereignty and self-determination of the Indigenous Peoples of Peru in relation to international law and standards. Special attention will be given to understanding the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the General Assembly on September 13, 2007. A brief report about current conditions in Central and South America will also be addressed.


This is to also raise funds toward humanitarian assistance for NGO’s of Peru, donations are requested and deeply appreciated.


The Public Forum will be moderated by Professor Dr. Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, special guests and invited support group representatives of Mexico EZLN, Nicaragua FSLN, El Salvador FMLN, and with American Indian Movement and a statement on the status of Honduras.


At this moment in history when governments in the Americas, sacred Turtle Island, are in change and trying to stimulate depressed economies with “development” we are witness to a surge of national economic and military interests. Coupled with U.S. and failed international trade agreements that stand in stark disagreement with the interests of traditional Indigenous communities, conditions are such that the rule of law is ignored and Indigenous Peoples rights trampled.


We must help to assert an Indigenous face to these interests that reflect traditional and collective principles and protect all treaties, agreements and constructive arrangements made between Indigenous Peoples with colonial governments. ALL MY RELATIONS.



Wheel Chair Accessible

Spanish Translation available

No Alcohol or Drugs Allowed

Video recorded for Access Television and Internet

FREEDOM FOR LEONARD PELTIER, AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!


 

Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:49 )
 
Letter from Leonard Peltier PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 27 June 2009 04:07

Greetings my friends and relatives, 

I want to start off this statement or speech or whatever you want to call it by saying again as I’ve said before thank you thank you  thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and for standing up for right wherever you are.  I can’t express to you in words how extremely grateful I am not just to the people of America but to the people all over the world who have supported the cause of Indian people and myself.

I know a lot of you have given up a lot to help so many in my predicament.  Daily I am made aware of political prisoners around the world.  Many who have been killed or tortured or who knows what for trying to right the wrongs in their area, country or nation.   I have been asked to make statements in support of other movement people around the world from time to time, South America, Europe and other places.  People who love freedom, people who love the earth, people who love their family, people who love the freedom to make their own choice with their own resources, and all indigenous people- we share a common bond.  The bond of brother and sister hood, the bond of believing there is a greater power than ourselves.   And I don’t mean some government power;   I mean the greatest power in all the universe the Creator Himself. 


We also as human beings upon this earth have to recognize that there have always been those who suffer from an illness called greed.  They have an appetite for gaining material wealth that is never satisfied. They have an appetite for land that is never satisfied.  And the most common symptom of their illness is indifference to the suffering they cause with their quest.  These people are the ones that have identified themselves as our common enemy.  It is so terrible that under the guise of religion and shouting freedom they pit one people against another.  This isn’t something new.  All down through history it has taken place.  All down through history there have been men, spiritual men, holy men, great thinkers and philosophers who have tried to unite us against this common enemy.

Today my brothers and sisters I want you to know that if nothing else if we don’t unite against the destruction against the Mother Earth we will have a common future that is void of clean air, clean water, and basic freedoms.  We must reach our hands out to embrace others to the cause of life.  We must do our best from where ever we are with whatever tools available to enhance and further our quality of life.  We must find a way to break down the barriers that divide one people from another. We must find the things we have in common and find ways to solve our differences as basic humanity.  We must evolve to a higher level of thinking or to as you might say a traditional level of thinking which obviously is superior to what they call progress today.  Our traditional values taught us to live in harmony with Earth the greatest manifestation of the Creator that we have to relate to. Our
traditions taught us to respect our bodies the greatest gift we have or possess as an individual.  Our traditions taught us to preserve the environment for our children and all our future generations.  As a member of the American Indian Movement these values are what we were about.  Poverty isn’t solved by money poverty is solved by attitude.  The problems we have today among all our people are caused by attitude.  They are caused by an attitude that was given to us in boarding schools and on reservations that were nothing more than concentration camps in the past.  They are attitudes by people who came to us talking to us about God and wanting us to embrace their version of religion and as one brother said once, “They told us to bow our heads, and when we looked up our land was gone, our culture was gone, our children was gone, our way of life was gone.”  And now the air itself is
dwindling. 

I have been in this cage for some 34 years and though I have been caged I have sought the spirit in prayer of our brother the eagle, I have sought to have an overview of things for as anyone can see I don’t have the freedom to examine life from a close perspective.  And from this distant view, abstract view, this detached view, at times I get to see the destruction and divisiveness that these political powers that have scattered us for so long have involved themselves in promoting among our people.  I don’t know if it is because I am older now or because my future is so uncertain or if through some spiritual inspiration I deeply want to say so much.  I deeply want to move you to do something to save our earth and our children and our children’s future.  I didn’t get to raise my children; I haven’t got to really know them or my children’s children.  I may never get to, but I
love them all just the same.  And I love life as much as anyone on the outside.  And I don’t know how long I will walk this cage.  Some days I feel quite healthy and energized and some days I feel like the 64 year old man that I am.  I’m always hopeful that I will be free at some point, perhaps in the latter part of July after my parole hearing, and perhaps I won’t.  The people that hold me, the FBI and the conglomerate corporations that have for so long controlled the resources of this country and others and for so long have done their best to stifle, to denigrate, and to vilify the voice of the oppressed are some of the most formidable well funded political people on Earth.  I was told that the FBI themselves are some 10,000 strong.   

I am but a common man, I am not a speaker but I have spoken.  I am not all that tall but I have stood up.  I am not a philosopher or poet or a singer or any of those things that particularly inspire people but the one thing that I am is the evidence that this country lied when they said there was justice for all. I am the evidence that they lied when they extradited me from Canada.  I am the evidence that they can lie at your trial, they can manufacture evidence at your trial, they can intimidate witnesses at your trial, they can have back room conversations and agreements with the judge at your trial.  I am the evidence that the attitude, the powers that be still hold us in a grip.  They hold us in an emotional grip. They hold us in a poverty grip. They hold us in a cultural deprivation grip.  I could go on and on about the things that go on that weigh so heavily against our people but
the bottom line is my case is well documented by court after court after court, by hearing after hearing after hearing, by statement after statement after statement.  And we as a people are the evidence that this country fails to keep its treaties, this country fails to keep its word. This country has failed to follow its own Constitution - the treaty between the people and the government.  We are that evidence.  I am nothing more than evidence.  That is why people all over the world and here at home have supported the cause of justice in my case.  In my particular situation I can’t say that there will ever be any level of justice.  

They cannot give back the 34 years of life that have been taken from me.  They can not give back the life of Joe Stuntz that they took June 26th 1975. They cannot give back the lives of the 60 something people that they directly or indirectly caused the death of.  They cannot give back the thousand upon thousands of Indian people that were killed and abused since the inception of this government.  But the one thing we can do, we must do, is find a way to change their attitude.  My brother Leonard Crow Dog once said, “If you want to change the white man you have to change his religion.”  And religion is a word that means how you do something on a regular basis; most generally it is associated with your spirituality. Perhaps with global warming as it is and the changes in the weather patterns and the questionable future that faces the earth, they will start to listen.  Maybe they will
reach back and embrace the words of our people foretold again and again.  We must live the way that the Earth will renew itself every spring.  We must help them reach back. We must speak to them at every opportunity. We must make an effort to reach back ourselves to our own cultural values. And in doing so we can start to solve the many destructive challenges we face.  We must more than ever before find a way to heal the wounds of our children and prevent the social illnesses that are so prevalent across our reservations and communities.  We have the tools, we have the teachings, we have the philosophies, we have the culture, we have the artists, we have the singers, we have the philosophers, I could go on and on but in essence what I am trying to say is it is imperative that we bring together all our resources to enhance the future for our children in a way that they themselves can
further the healthy teachings of our culture and way of life; and in doing so I have no doubt that we can change the world.  

If I am freed next month or if I die in prison remember my words and remember we are evidence that the Creator made a beautiful people a people that respected the Earth and nature and each other.  We are evidence on every level of goodness that when the Creator made us He meant for us to be free.  All our traditions have taught us this way.  And even this very form of government that exists today was copied from our people.  Our people with our foods, our medicines, belief in freedom and right to choose have influenced the world.  Its too bad they didn’t adopt a healthy attitude that we had toward the Earth or an attitude of respect for us the first keepers of this portion of the Earth.  If there is something about me that this government can point at and say is wrong or any person say is wrong I will by my own choice, if it proves to be fact, seek to fix it myself.  But I also want to
remind them the policies that have been in place for so long have made us what we are today.  The policies that have been in place for so long, have created another reservation called Iraq and another reservation called Afghanistan, and the list goes on and on, you see what’s happening over there is what happened here and all down through North and South America.  

I am just a common man and I am evidence that the powers that put me here would like to sweep under the carpet. The same way they did all of our past leaders, warriors and people they massacred.  Just as at Wounded Knee the Fifth Cavalry sought its revenge for Custer’s loss and massacred some 300 Indian men women and children then gave out 23 Medals of Honor and swept the evidence of their wrongdoing aside.    Perhaps this statement is somewhat more lengthy than the others I’ve made; perhaps it is some things I should have said before and perhaps more, if so I hope you will forgive me.  I recently was thought to be having a heart attack because of pain in my chest. After having been beaten and kicked and stomped in the last year, I am not quite sure what was causing the pain.  I had never been beaten, kicked and stomped like that before.  And also I have never been 64 years old
before.  The one thing all this did for me is it really brought home my sense of mortality.  I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this prison.  And I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life in some prison of the mind, heart or attitude.  I want you to enjoy your life.    

If nothing else give somebody a hug for me and say, “This is from Leonard.” 
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse

Leonard Peltier

Last Updated ( Monday, 29 June 2009 14:49 )
 
PAROLE HEARING SET FOR LEONARD PELTIER PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 25 June 2009 14:05

For more information: Tony Gonzales-415-577-1492

                                        Sampson Wolfe-408-5901347

                                                                                                                                         PAROLE HEARING SET FOR LEONARD PELTIER

FREE NOW!!!!

 
AIM-WEST, a SF community based organization in support of rights for all Indigenous Peoples announces an urgent press conference in San Francisco on Friday, June 26, 2009 on behalf of Sundance Brother, and friend Leonard Peltier who appeals for help from you, now at this hour. 
 
Brother Leonard Peltier has been given a PAROLE DATE HEARING NOW SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009!  This is a call for a final effort for a major letter writing campaign within the next thirty days. The press and media is specially invited.
 
We wish to  encourage the public, friends and supporters to write letters to the U.S. Parole Commission at the address listed below.  This is the best opportunity Leonard has for a fair parole hearing in all of his 34 years in prison!  Join with us and together tell the public that now is the time for Leonard’s release to freedom. 
 
All drummers and singers are welcome.  Organizations, social movements and representatives are encouraged to come and speak on behalf of their communities and networks.  Come and stand with us to help push the iron doors wide open and seek the release of America’s number one American Indian being held hostage for a crime he did not commit. 
 
AIM-WEST and supporters will meet for a noon rally Friday, June 26 at the Federal Building 450 Golden Gate Avenue(Polk and Larkin! beginning with a press conference at 11 am until 1 pm.  June 26th also marks the anniversary of the shoot-out that occurred in 1975 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
 
 
 
--- On Fri, 5/22/09, Arthur J. Miller < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it > wrote:

From: Arthur J. Miller < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: Parole Hearing for Peltier on July 27

Subject: Parole Hearing for Peltier on July 27


> Leonard Peltier's first full parole hearing was held in 1993, at
> which time his case was continued for a 15-year reconsideration. On
> Wednesday, it was announced (in Portland, OR) that Mr. Peltier has
> recently applied for and been granted a parole hearing. The hearing
> is scheduled for July 27, 2009. All supporters are encouraged to
> step up their efforts in support of parole for Leonard Peltier.

> Letters in Support of Parole

> It is really important that everyone write letters in support of
> Leonard's petition for parole. These letters can be quite simple
> and should cover the basic points important for parole decisions. A
> sample letter follows. Feel free to use it, but know that it's even
> better if you write one in your own words. Be courteous and concise.

> Get as many people to sign similar letters, as well. Carry a sheaf of
> spare letters with you. Get one signature per letter, that is, rather
> than using a petition format. Mail them to the Parole Commission,
> but also send copies to the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
> (contact information below).

> Guidelines for General Supporters

> First, we ask that you sign the online at
http://www.msplinks.com/http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/parole2008/.

> Next, draft correspondence to the U.S. Parole Commission. A sample
> letter follows.

> Sample Letter

> United States Parole Commission
> 5550 Friendship Boulevard
> Suite 420
> Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7286
> (Insert Date)

> Re: LEONARD PELTIER #89637-132

> Dear Commissioners,

> Convicted in connection with the deaths on June 26, 1975, of
> Ronald Williams and Jack Coler, agents of the Federal Bureau of
> Investigation, Mr. Leonard Peltier remains imprisoned at the United
> States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

> The court record in this case clearly shows that government
> prosecutors have long held that they do not know who killed Mr. Coler
> and Mr. Williams nor what role Leonard Peltier "may have" played
> in the tragic shoot-out.

> Further, in a decision filed by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
> on December 18, 2002, Mr. Peltier's sentences "were imposed in
> violation of [Peltier's] due process rights because they were based
> on information that was false due to government misconduct," and,
> according to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, in 2003: ".Much
> of the government's behavior at the Pine Ridge Reservation and its
> prosecution of Leonard Peltier is to be condemned. The government
> withheld evidence. It intimidated witnesses. These facts are not
> disputed."

> Despite these admissions, Leonard Peltier has served over 33 years
> in prison.

> After careful consideration of the facts in Leonard Peltier's case,
> I have concluded that Leonard Peltier does not represent a risk to
> the public. First, Leonard Peltier has no prior convictions and has
> advocated for non-violence throughout his prison term. Furthermore,
> Leonard Peltier has been a model prisoner. He has received excellent
> evaluations from his work supervisors on a regular basis. He
> continues to mentor young Native prisoners, encouraging them to
> lead clean and sober lives. He has used his time productively,
> disciplining himself to be a talented painter and an expressive
> writer. Although Leonard Peltier maintains that he did not kill
> the agents, he has openly expressed remorse and sadness over
> their deaths.

> Most admirably, Mr. Peltier contributes regular support to those
> in need. He donates his paintings to charities including battered
> women's shelters, half way houses, alcohol and drug treatment
> programs, and Native American scholarship funds. He also coordinates
> an annual holiday gift drive for the children of the Pine Ridge
> Indian Reservation.

> Leonard Peltier is widely recognized for his good deeds and in
> turn has won several awards including the North Star Frederick
> Douglas Award; Federation of Labour (Ontario, Canada) Humanist of
> the Year Award; Human Rights Commission of Spain International
> Human Rights Prize; and 2004 Silver Arrow Award for Lifetime
> Achievement. Mr. Peltier also has been nominated for the Nobel
> Peace Prize six times.

> Leonard Peltier is now over 60 years of age-a great-grandfather-and
> suffers from partial blindness, diabetes, a heart condition, and
> high blood pressure.

> I recognize the grave nature of the events of June 26, 1975,
> and I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of those who
> died that day. However, I find aspects of this case to also be of
> concern and I believe Leonard Peltier deserves to be reunited with
> his family and allowed to live the remaining years of his life in
> peace. I also believe that, rather than presenting a threat to the
> public, Mr. Peltier's release would help to heal a wound that has
> long impeded better relations between the federal government and
> American Indians.

> Thank you for your time and consideration.

> Sincerely yours,

> Signature


> (Your Name)
> (Your Street Address)
> (Your City, State, and Zip Code)

> For Family and Friends

> As with any professional correspondence, your support letter should
> be on letterhead (if you have Microsoft Word or another similar
> program you can easily create professional-looking letterhead from
> a template). The letterhead should include all of your contact
> information including your name, address, phone number(s) and e-mail
> address if applicable.

> Describe your relationship with Leonard -- how do you know him, for
> how long, etc. Write about his character, and his accomplishments
> both before and during imprisonment. Discuss improvements made
> since being incarcerated such as education and his philanthropic
> work. Discuss Leonard's positive attitude and, despite his innocence,
> the fact that he has openly expressed remorse and sadness over the
> deaths that occurred on June 26, 1975.

> Finish your support letter by telling the Parole Board how you
> will support Leonard once he is granted parole. Your support might
> be financial, such as a place to live, use of a vehicle, or help
> finding job offers. Your support can also be emotional such as
> providing advice and encouragement.

> IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL SUPPORTERS: When you write a letter in support
> of Leonard's parole, mail the letter directly to the U.S. Parole
> Commission, but also please send a copy of your correspondence to
> the Peltier Legal Team, c/o LP-DOC, P.O. Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106. 
> Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

> Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org
>
 

Thank you all my relations!!


Last Updated ( Friday, 26 June 2009 15:27 )
 
Benjamin Bratt Speaks Out Against the Killing of Indigenous People in Peru PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 18 June 2009 00:12

Fifteen Minutes Publics Relations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE2009-06-16

Amy Pfister FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS 
323.556.9700 (w) | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Benjamin Bratt Speaks Out Against the Killing of Indigenous People in Peru

The actor and his brother, filmmaker Peter Bratt, urge people to support the struggle of Indian people to protect the Amazon in their mother's homeland

Version en Espanol

Actor Benjamin Bratt and filmmaker Peter Bratt join Amazon Watch in calling for the Garcia government of Peru to immediately cease its violent repression of Native Amazonian peoples, drop criminal charges against AIDESEP's leaders, and suspend the State of Emergency. 

Benjamin Bratt said, "In 2009, it is shocking and unacceptable that indigenous people are still being killed for their land. The Amazonian Native Americans of Peru are fighting to protect their territories and their way of life. Sadly, their struggle is historically familiar, and it is incumbent upon the Garcia government to find a peaceful way to engage their just concerns." 

Peter Bratt continued, "As we enter the Obama age of 'change', it is vital that we address our relationship with the First Peoples of the Americas by finally recognizing their human rights and fundamental freedoms." 

On today's news that decrees 1090 and 1064 may be repealed, Benjamin Bratt stated: "We commend the Peruvian government for agreeing to repeal two of the 10 laws that indigenous peoples have opposed. This is a positive first step in honoring the rights of native peoples of the Amazon. We continue to urge the Government to drop criminal charges against their leaders so that meaningful dialogue can continue on the remaining decrees." 

AIDESEP is the national Amazonian indigenous organization and their leader, Alberto Pizango along with many others are being charged with sedition and rebellion for organizing the blockades. "It is challenging for indigenous people to have meaningful dialogue with the government, while there are warrants issued for their capture and many are in hiding," said Benjamin Bratt. 

Indigenous communities throughout the Peruvian Amazon are protesting recently passed laws which permit multi-national corporations to lease and exploit 73 percent of the Amazon rainforest, without regard to the needs and well-being of the Native people who have been living in the area for centuries. President Alan Garcia's government promulgated these laws under "fast track" authority to facilitate the Peru-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. 

Over 30,000 indigenous people have taken to blockading roads, rivers, and railways to demand the repeal of these new laws that allow oil, mining and logging companies to enter indigenous territories without seeking prior consultation or consent. The protests have led to disruptions of transport as well as the interruption of oil production. 

On June 5, Peruvian military police staged a violent raid on a group of Native protestors at a peaceful blockade on a road outside of Bagua, in a remote area of the northern Peruvian Amazon. Several thousand indigenous people were forcibly dispersed by tear gas and live ammunition. Initial reports of fatalities in Bagua and a hostage incident the next day at PetroPeru Station 6, some 5 hours away include at least 40 indigenous people, along with 24 police officers. Benjamin and Peter offer their condolences and prayers to the families of both the indigenous peoples and the police officers who lost their lives. 

The Bratt brothers are urging all people to immediately TAKE ACTION to help stop the violence and killing in the Peruvian Amazon. They call for an independent investigation of the Bagua incident with participation of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. They believe a non-violent and just solution is possible. People interested in supporting the indigenous struggle should send a letter today to the Garcia Administration demanding an end to the violent repression and a return to diplomatic talks over the concerns of indigenous people. As recognized by a United Nations Declaration, Indigenous people have rights, and these rights must be respected and honored. To send a letter, go to: http://www.amazonwatch.org/peru-action-alert.php 

Familial ties bind Benjamin and Peter Bratt to the region. Their mother is from Peru, and they have indigenous relatives who live in the Northern Amazon. Their family participated in the American Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969, an event that brought the world's attention to the plight of Native Americans here in the United States. Additionally, Benjamin and Peter serve on the advisory board of AMAZON WATCH, a non-profit organization that works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous people everywhere. 

 
Older Than America PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 20:55

POWERFUL MOVIE: Older Than America

http://olderthanamerica.com


Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 June 2009 22:24 )
 
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Breaking News

“We, friends, relatives, and supporters, call upon Congresswoman Ms. Nancy Pelosi, to help assure a fair and imparcial parole hearing for Leonard Peltier # 89637-132 and for her to communicate this to the U.S. Attorney General and to the U.S. Parole Commissioners”.

AIM WEST

 
Parole Date For Leonard Peltier pushed up one day, Tuesday July 28, 2009
 

Days Inn will give a discount to any one if they say they are there for the Peltier parole Hearing Vigil.They are 1 mile from the prison - phone number is 570.523.1171. 

 

 

Peru Congress votes to suspend divisive land laws

LIMA, June 10 (Reuters) - Peru's Congress voted on Wednesday to temporarily suspend two land laws that ignited violent clashes between protesters and police last week, killing 60.
The laws, decreed by Peruvian tPresident Alan Garcia under special powers Congress gave him to implement a free-trade pact with the United States, outline a broad plan for how to regulate investment in the Amazon.
Several other recent Garcia decrees on foreign investment remain in place.
Garcia has 15 days to either sign the suspension order or send it back to Congress, which can override his veto. (Reporting by Dana Ford; Editing by Doina Chiacu) 
 

Custer Rides Again in McDonald's Happy Meal

"Say it isn't so! Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer has invaded Lakota country again, this time through the Happy Meals sold to little children at McDonald's.

Bobbie DuBray, Administrative Assistant for the Lakota Peoples Law Project was not only shocked by this apparent display of racial insensitivity, but also angered by it. DuBray says,

"I went through the drive thru at McDonalds on East North Street to get a Happy Meal for my five-year-old son. I got home and my brother opened the meal and found the Custer doll." She said he then asked her to come and look at what he found. To her shock it was Custer toy. Her son wanted the toy and she told him, "No. that's a bad toy." She said that her 10 year old daughter did not understand why the toy was bad. She and her mother, Betty Handley, then gave the girl a history lesson "My daughter was not taught about this in school. What are they teaching our children?" she asked.

DuBray, visibly upset by this experience, said, "I think it's insulting. It's like handing out KKK dolls in the south where there are a lot of Blacks."

Belva Morrison, Indian Child Welfare Specialist for the Lakota Law Project, said that DuBray told her about the doll incident this morning. Morrison said, "It is insensitive for local merchants to hand out these dolls where there is a large Indian population. They should have thought twice about promoting these figurines. I don't believe we're overacting. I think we are not tolerating things like this anymore. They're targeting young kids whose minds are easily impressed.""

Get the Story:The Huffington Post


 

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In honor of Eli Matisz-Cordero this educational game has been created. This is a community effort so if you know and would like to add a word or expression, please send an Email to admin with your idea.

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