AIM for Freedom Campaign
Bring Leonard home before his next birthday!
Official LP-DOC Release 4/12/09
The Leonard Peltier Defense and Offense Committee is presenting their campaign plans to our supporters, friends and allies in the 33 year movement to bring Leonard Peltier home. With Leonard in our minds, hearts and spirit, we will bring him home before his birthday on September 12th that is our goal and commitment, and how we will do this is with your support. The outline means nothing without each of you rising to this call and putting your energy into it.
As members of the LP-DOC, we have made a promise to Leonard that we will meet with Obama to discuss his case before the 26th of June. If this doesn't happen, then it will necessitate moving to a more assertive level.
As a contingency, a LP-DOC planning meeting will take place July 4-5, at Eagle Mountain in Gardner, CO. A tentative outline of the meeting will be presented at a later date, but keep your calendars free for that date.
These and other events are being planned. Additional mid-range plans will be released on or before June 26th. The following outline:
Stage 1
- Presidential Meeting – Present Leonard’s case for executive consideration/intervention or action in his transfer, medical needs, parole, withheld FBI records, and clemency.
- To be revealed during “Free Peltier program”
- Visit your Congressperson while they are home on recess
- World Prayer Day for Peltier (April 18th)
- Oglala Commemoration & International Day of Solidarity - If we have not received a response from the White House for a meeting, then we initiate Stage 2 at the Oglala Commemoration event on June 26, we will send out a very special call to action.
Stage 2
- LP-DOC planning meeting (Eagle Mountain)(7/4&5)
- Special event – date & location TBA
- Further actions TBA
Stage 3
- Dec. 10th Rally – Human Rights Day – NYC, NY
- Christmas Clemency
Communications to D.C.
We want everyone to redirect their energies and focus with this shift towards the revised sample letters with a sense of urgency. In the urgent spirit of this campaign, we will begin directing our concerns to those with the ability to influence change, namely, President Obama and U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder. (see form letters)
President Obama
Write a letter to Obama about your feelings and outrage at Leonard’s continued imprisonment. The LP-DOC will be addressing the legal details of his case with the White House.
The Honorable Barack H Obama
President of The United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
White House Fax: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
Attorney General
Encourage your church leaders and member to write Holder, including any humanitarian groups on their stationary. Using the attached form letter. If you write your own, address why Leonard is deserving of a transfer, and why we bypassed normal procedures. Leonard is medium security, and no response has taken place by the BOP or their officials.
The BOP is well aware of the campaign to transfer Leonard, but have not complied with its own policy. We have been dealing with a bureaucracy for several years; it is fair to say that we have been patient and tolerant.
The most important thing for Leonard is getting transferred, so lets make that happen before June 26th. So only write the AG about Leonard’s transfer in a non-combative or antagonistic manner.
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Office of the Attorney General: 202-353-1555
Fax: 202-307-6777
AG’s Email: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov
Important Note about US Mail
Mike Kuzma has explained that postal letters will takes weeks to arrive at it destination in DC, but faxes and FedEx’s would get there sooner.
Congressional Delegates
Begin contacting certain congressional delegate’s while they are in spring recess in their home states until April 19th. Schedule a meeting to talk with them about Leonard’s case. This is your opportunity to urge them to take a position on Leonard’s release.
Seize the opportunity to educate members of Congress who may not know the specifics of the case or even about Leonard Peltier. Meet with those who are sitting on the fence. Others who are long time supporters need to be asked to become Leonard's champions in this important year. You might want to frame your request for a meeting with a phrase similar to "How may we work together to seek justice for Native Americans? How may I help you in your role as a leader?"
Then ASK – your representative, along with his colleagues, to write a personal letter to President Obama urging the immediate release of Leonard Peltier.
Talking points:
- Leonard's served over 33 years in prison.
- The government has conceded that it does not who shot the two agents.
- The government is still fighting vigorously to prevent the release of thousands and thousands of pages of documents under FOIA--documents that should have been turned over to defense attorneys’ years ago.
- Leonard will turn 65 on September 12th and he is not in the best of health.
- Leonard was brutally attacked on January 13, 2009 by two other inmates and prison officials did nothing to prevent the attack from happening.
Tribal Council Resolutions (If tribal member)
Contact us to assist you in getting a resolution passed by your tribal council.
Phone Actions
Every Friday, call the White House for Leonard 202-456-1112
The average hold time has been 5-6 minutes. If we are waiting 10-15, then we are building our presence in the White House for Leonard. This is necessary and must be maintained.
Call the Attorney General to support a transfer for Leonard. 202-353-1555
Follow the outline in the AG letter.
International Supporters
Write letters to President Obama, and urge your government/parliament, etc., issue an official position on Peltier’s case and to bring Peltier up to the state department and Obama. Also, contact your U.N. representatives to consider a resolution directed to President Obama to carefully review the Peltier case, in regards to clemency.
Hillary R. Clinton,
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
The Stages
This outline and direction of this plan is to help build a grassroots network to mobilize supporters and organizations. We have 5 months from today so lets’ start moving a mountain that has been in Leonard’s path to freedom all these years. We want to ask everyone to consider assisting us with fund raising events, host our national spokesperson to come to speak about Leonard, and support our activities in Stage 2.
You can form a Branch Support Group in your area. Our coordinators will help you get started and share some thoughts and ideas about what you can do. We need about 25 more in other states to have one in each state. We will also need groups throughout the world.
Stage 1 is low intensity activities while we will give Obama time to meet with the LP-DOC, but we intend to uphold our promise to Leonard to have him home by his birthday. We will not wait! This time, the agents who have opposed Leonard bid for freedom will fail, because the lies will not be covered up or twisted.
They are afraid Obama will do the right thing, so join us in setting this prairie fire for Leonard for the last time! He doesn’t have the luxury of time, and we have none to waste.
Stage 2 will be released on June 26th, and we will bring the attention of the world on Peltiers case. Use this time to broaden your network because after the 26th, we will need everyone, and a very extensive network. Budgets and proposals are being developed for stage 2, along with numerous activities.
Stage 3 is to keep this momentum going if for some reason Leonard isn’t home by his birthday. Don’t anyone dare let their hearts hit the ground if we have to work harder to get him out after his birthday.
The most powerful means of accomplishing our goal is to know in your heart that this will happen. And if we get some good news, transfer or parole, don’t let up. Instead, increase your efforts and never stop believing you will be a part of something wonderful and honorable. AIM for FREEDOM!!!!
IN THE SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE,
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
Your name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
The Honorable Barack H Obama
President of The United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500<
re: Leonard Peltier #89637-132<
Dear President Obama,
This letter is among millions that have been written to US presidents on behalf of Leonard Peltier in the past 33 years of his incarceration. Foreign heads of state and world religious leaders, members of Congress and even a federal judge who was hamstrung by legal precedents have asked for clemency in Peltiers case.
The deaths of the agents is a horrible tragedy for their families, but a even greater tragedy is being done to Mr. Peltier, who has been nominated for the Nobel prize five times for his humanitarian works from behind prison walls.
As an American citizen, my conscience has been haunted by the inability of previous administrations to do the right thing and let Peltier go home. When I look at the trial as a whole, and more shocking information about FBI and prosecutorial misconduct in his case. What happened Mr. President that an American, an American Indian at that, can languish in a federal prison for so long without a real look at what happened to him?
I have been aware that some federal agents have been actively undermining Mr. Peltiers efforts for years. They have lied about the evidence and testimony, and ignore evidence to the contrary in their statements to keep Mr. Peltier imprisoned. Attorney General Janet Reno reprimanded FBI Director Freeh for voicing his complaint publicly.
The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee will be issuing a challenge to those interested agents to engage in a public debate, moderated by respected Journalists and Jurists. It is expected the agents will not be able to prove anything.
Mr. President, we ask that you please take a very detail review of Mr. Peltiers cases, including the withheld FBI records supposedly classified for National security reasons, inquire about his transfer to a medium security facility that meets his classification, and grant clemency. Mr. Peltier also is eligible for a parole under a 30year law, but has not been granted this according to 28 U.S.C., section 4206(d).
When you were elected to the Oval Office, millions of us felt we were granted a fresh of breath air, and through this we hope that you will grant Mr. Peltier a breath of fresh free air. I’m sure you will see the world rejoice.
Sincerely,
Your name
Your name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
The Honorable Eric Holder
Office of the Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
(Date)
Re: Leonard Peltier #89637-132
Dear Mr. Holder,
I am writing in support of a transfer for Mr. Leonard Peltier, who is currently incarcerated at USP Lewisburg.
Last August 20, Mr. Peltier submitted a request with his Case Manager, to be transferred to Oxford FCI, a medium security facility. Mr. Peltier’s has 16 points making him eligible for Oxford according to Bureau of Prisons policy. He has served 33 years on two life sentences and is 64 years old, with health problems.
We have written letters to the DSCC and the Director of the BOP, and no action more than acknowledging receipt of our letter has been taken. Therefore, we are writing to you directly to bring about Mr. Peltier’s transfer.
We would appreciate your prompt attention on his behalf. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Your Name
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