============================================================ Create an unforgettable personal or business image with 250 FREE business cards - an $85.00 value! Dazzle your business clients or impress your friends. Pay only for shipping! Claim this unique FREE gift now. http://click.topica.com/caaac1Ib1ddNBb2HgmNa/Vistaprint ============================================================ Hi again, I forgot to ask you to please forward this request to other lists you are subscribed to as you consider appropriate, thanks! Thomas Thomas wrote: > > ============================================================ > 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/caaac1Hb1ddNBb2m1kEa/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/caaacUvb1ddNBb2m1kEf/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 > ============================================================ Apply now for a special offer from Topica.com and Discover� Platinum Card Get started with $10 on us!* 0% Introductory APR* - No Annual Fee - Up to 2% Cashback� Bonus Award *See Important Information section of application. http://click.topica.com/caaacXPb1ddNBb2HgmNf/Discover ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. 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