Leonard Peltier Medical Alert
From the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (LPDOC), Northwest Organizer's Office
LEONARD PELTIER MEDICAL ALERT
Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who was wrongfully convicted in connection with the shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1977, and has been imprisoned for 35 years, is in dire need of medical attention and needs your help.
Sister Betty Solano reports that Peltier began exhibiting symptoms commonly attributed to prostate cancer over a year ago.
His age (he is 66 years old) and family history are risk factors for the disease.
Pressured by Peltier’s attorneys, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) ran standard blood tests in June 2010.
Peltier received the results just last week, more than four months after the tests were ordered.
A physician only now says a biopsy is needed to make a diagnosis.
Medical experts agree that the cure rate for prostate cancer is high, but only if detected early.
A man dies from prostate cancer every 16 minutes in this country; why does my brother have to wait over a year to receive even a diagnosis?
Even if Peltier doesn’t have cancer, the symptoms indicate a serious medical condition and one that could lead to serious complications if left untreated.
Currently held at the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International.
Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, 55 members of the US congress and others, including a judge who sat as a member of the court in two of Peltier’s appeals, have all called for his immediate release.
Widely recognized for his humanitarian works and a six-time Nobel Prize nominee, Peltier also is an accomplished author and painter.
Please write letters to:
Harley G. Lappin, Director
US Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street NW
Washington, DC 20534
Sample letter:
Dear Mr. Lappin:
It has come to my attention that Leonard Peltier #89637-132, an inmate at the U.S. penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, is in dire need of medical attention.
I believe that Mr. Peltier's medical needs are urgent. He needs to be seen by proper medical staff. Therefore, I respectfully request that Leonard Peltier be transferred to FCI-Oxford in Wisconsin or FMC-Rochester in Minnesota. Either of these facilities can adequately accommodate Mr. Peltier's medical needs.
Thank you in advance for transferring Leonard Peltier and immediately addressing his medical needs!
In addition to your letters, we greatly need donations of money or stamps for a mass mailing.
The mailing includes information on the upcoming march, a background article on Leonard's case, information on the clemency campaign and a medical alert for Leonard.
Any amount will help.
Please make checks payable to: Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (marked for NW March) and send them to: Tacoma Chapter, LPDOC; P.O. Box 5464; Tacoma, WA 98415-0464.
Thank you.
“As individual fingers we can easily be broken, but all together we make a mighty fist.”
Sitting Bull
REGIONAL MARCH AND RALLY FOR CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011; TACOMA, WA.
12:00 NOON: MARCH FOR JUSTICE at Portland Ave. Park (on Portland Avenue between E. 35th & E. Fairbanks. Take Portland Ave. exit off I-5 and head east)
1:00 PM: RALLY FOR JUSTICE at U.S. Federal Court House, 1717 Pacific Avenue
SPEAKERS:
Co-MCs Matilaja: YuPik/Yakama, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Steve Hapy, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC Drum
Albert Combs: Coastal Salish drum song
Keynote Speaker: Ramona Bennett, Puyallup Tribal Member; Long-time Native activist
Dorothy Ackerman, Lakota Elder
Chauncey Peltier, son of Leonard Peltier
Deeahop Conway, Tacoma Chapter LPDOC
Peter Bohmer, long-time activist, member of Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, and faculty at Evergreen State College
Juan Jose Bocanegra, Coordinator/Organizer, Committee for Immigration Reform and Social Justice (El Comite Pro Reforma Migratoria y Justicia Social)
David Duenas, Puyallup
Arthur J. Miller, Northwest Regional Organizer LPDOC
Michael One Road, Portland Chapter LPDOC
CAR POOLS: There will be a carpool leaving from the parking lot at Harrison and Division at 10:15 a.m. in OLYMPIA on May 21. A carpool will also be leaving from SEATTLE; meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Red Apple parking lot at 23rd and Jackson.
POST-RALLY MEAL AND GET TOGETHER: At past Tacoma Peltier Marches we have had an after rally meal and get together, and we are organizing again for events to follow this year’s march.
This year’s march and post-rally event are particularly important because we want to organize groups in different aspects of the clemency campaign.
If you are able to help with this campaign, please let us know by sending an e-mail to: bayou@blarg.net. Please also donate to the campaign, check payable to the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (earmarked “Tacoma March”) and mail to: Tacoma Chapter, LPDOC; P.O. Box 5464; Tacoma, WA 98415-0464.
Both a flier (http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2011/04/07/peltier_flier.pdf) and poster (http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2011/04/07/leonard_peltier_rally.pdf) for the May 21st events are available for download.
This is a good example of grassroots support–thank you to the Olympia supporter who made this possible!
This march will kick off our New Northwest Campaign for Clemency for Leonard Peltier. It will take time to build this campaign, and we ask for your help.
Leonard has been in prison since 1976 for a crime he did not commit.
His health has gotten bad and he needs all of us now. We need you to pass this statement to your friends, groups, organizations, publications, web sites and Facebook.
We need you to post and pass out fliers. We need donations. We need to make this march as large as possible to show others that there is support for Leonard Peltier.
Please help us, and please contact us if you can help.
For donations, please make checks out to: Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (mark them for NW March) and send them to: Tacoma LPODC, P.O. Box 5464, Tacoma, WA 98415. Thank you
Join Tacoma LPDOC on facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002154914197
