============================================================ Get 250 FREE business cards - an $85.00 value! Are your business cards full-color or simply one or two color? Are they printed on thick, 100 lb. paper stock? If not, upgrade for FREE right now! http://click.topica.com/caaac1Hb1ddNBb2HgmNa/Vistaprint ============================================================ Hi! This is to request your support for Native American prisoners and their religious rights in the state of Indiana by writing letters to the addresses listed below. As you probably know, the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC)/the Indiana prisons limit the Native American prisoners in Indiana very much in how they can live their spirituality, there is no real support by IDOC despite its assertions. I was asked by one of my penpals who is a prisoner in Indiana to put a request on the net and ask supporters to write letters to several officials/groups on a list he gave me (see below). I have enclosed a sample letter to make it easier to write and which gives some details on the situation there. Please feel free to use the sample letter or write your own letter and send it FIRST to the following addresses and TWO DAYS LATER also to Rev. Doris Woodruff-Filbey, Director/Religious Services & Community Involvement of IDOC. Her address is: Rev. Doris Woodruff-Filbey, Director Religious Services & Community Involvement IN Government Center South 302 W. Washington St. Rm E329 Indianapolis, IN 46204 USA ----------------------------------------------------------- Frank O'Bannan Governor of Indiana 204 West Washington St. Statehouse Governor's Office Indianapolis, IN 46204 USA Ben Nighthorse Campbell, US Senator 380 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA John McCain, US Senator 241 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA Ted Kennedy, US Senator 315 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA Richard Lugar, US Senator 306 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA Orrin Hatch, US Senator 104 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA Evan Bayh, US Senator 463 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 USA Please also contact (not necessarily using the sample letter) the following and whoever you know who might be of help: Kari Hawk Spirit Woman, at American Indian Action 831 Portesvell Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 USA News from Indian Country Route 2 Box 2900-A Hayward, Wisconsin USA Valerie Scott NAPS PO Box 52, Waglisla, BC CANADA V0T 1Z0 AIRR Administration P.O. Box 302 Billerica, MA 01821-0302 USA Dick Ferrer P.O. Box 828 Nashville, IN 47448 Phone 001-812-259-0473 who is a spiritual advisor for the Native American prisoners in one Indiana prison ----------------------------------------------------------------- I would like to ask you to send copies of your letter/s (not necessarily of all your letters, just saying to whom you sent one, so we can have an overview) to either: Thomas Eckhardt PF 1552 91005 Erlangen Germany (for those not living in the US) or to: Danny Walters P.O. Box 187 Burr Oak MI 49030-0187 USA (for those in the US) ------------------------------------------------------------------- And now the sample letter: sender's address Address of official/organization Dear -----, I am writing to you to express my protest against the religious discrimination against Native Americans in prisons in the state of Indiana, especially at Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, Indiana. Although policies regarding Native American spiritual ceremonies exist, they are not adhered to by the prisons. Contrary to the assertions of Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) staff after being contacted by Native American prisoners and supporters, the Native American spirituality is not treated with the same respect as other religions. Native American prisoners are denied to smudge at their own discretion; it is not enough to allow them to smudge only once a week when smudging is an essential part of praying. Their access to the Inipi (Sweat Lodge) ceremony is made dependent on the assistance of an outside spiritual leader; despite the availability of such assistance, they are still denied access to this sacred and important ceremony. The sacredness of ceremonies is disrespected by not providing appropriate meals in acceptable condition to the Native American prisoners for an honoring ceremony - three-day-old coffee cake and cool aid drink certainly cannot be considered appropriate for it. It was denied by the Indiana Department of Correction that Native Americans from the outside bring in traditional foods at little to no cost. It is not acceptable that the content of medicine bags or bundles of traditional nature, which are considered sacred, are regulated by the prisons, as these sacred items are highly individual by nature and not the same for all Native Americans. The prisons should not hinder, but facilitate the making of traditional crafts (for instance drum making or leather crafts) by Native American prisoners, which is proven to be highly beneficial to their rehabilitation as is their participation in Native American spiritual ceremonies in general. The prisons should also allow headbands of traditional colors (for instance black, red, yellow, white etc.), not mixed colors on one headband as is the case now. Tobacco of Native type for the pipe offering and tobacco ties (prayer ties), kinnikinnick, cornpollen, bear root as well as educational video tapes and crafting materials should be made available without problems. Contrary to IDOC's assertions and recommendations, the "offender grievance procedure" proves to be no avenue by which Native American prisoners can pursue their concerns when grievances regarding the above-mentioned problems are not answered or returned at all, as was experienced by at least one Native American prisoner over a period of 5 years - he got no answer whatsoever to the grievances he sent repeatedly regarding this issue. The efforts that were made by Native American prisoners in the past to work responsibly and cooperatively with the facility chaplain(s) to resolve these problems as advised by IDOC have been to no avail. Therefore, I am appealing to you to do all you can to support the Native American prisoners in Indiana prisons and nation-wide in their struggle to have their religious rights respected while in prison. I am requesting an investigation into these religious rights violations and ask for your support to get this accomplished. Thank you for your time and attention; I am looking forward to hear from you shortly. Sincerely, signature --------------------------------------------------------------- I would really appreciate your help and you're very welcome to ask others you know to write, too. Thomas Eckhardt ============================================================ Save up to 80% on inkjet cartridges at 77Colors.com FREE shipping to the USA & Canada by fast US Priority Mail. Satisfaction Guaranteed! Easy online shopping & ordering: http://click.topica.com/caaacUvb1ddNBb2HgmNf/MyInks ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition. http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
