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Had forgotten this story Kay. Thank you. Candy
----- Original Message -----
From: Kay
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2001 6:21 AM
Subject: [Native_American] OT--FOR YOU......PELTIER
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"I wasn't back in my cell fifteen minutes when I was whisked back out to the
Rapid City airport, flown across the state to Sioux Falls, and dumped into
something called the "holding center" cellblock at the Sioux Falls State
Prison--one of those "finishing schools" where AIM had had its beginnings a
decade earlier. So here I was being held in the Hole, without knowing if I
had an attorney or if my family or supporters even knew where I was, without
a penny to buy stamps or cigarettes or pencil and paper to write on. I had no
way of knowing what was going on in the outside world or if anyone really
gave a damn. All the other prisoners I saw were white, I couldn't have been
more alone, more isolated. I decided to keep my mouth shut and go to sleep. I
had six or seven Canadian cigarettes left and decided to light one up first,
lying on the bunk and blowing smoke at the ceiling, wishing to myself that
each puff of smoke could somehow carry a prayer up to the Sky World. I could
sure have used some help from up there, at least a small sign that the Great
Spirit still remembered I existed. Then I heard a husky voice from the cell
next to mine: "Hey, man, is that a cigarette you smokin' there?" He was a
white guy about my age, mighty tough looking.
I said, "Yeah.....So?" I figured he was going to give me a hard time about it.
"Well. stop smokin' it right now," he said, "and let me finish it for you! If
you do, I'll give you five postage stamps!"
Turns out, mine were the only cigarettes in the Hole. They were worth their
weight in gold--or at least in postage stamps. They were worth even more than
that in friendship. I wasn't about to become a capitalist and make a big
profit on it at this point in my life. I offered him one full cig for one
postage stamp--a fair trade, I thought--"so I can write my family and let
them know where the hell I am," I told him. He was very appreciative and must
have thanked me ten times as he lit up and sucked in deep on that forbidden
tobacco, focusing on it almost prayerfully. I figured the Great Spirit must
be answering both his prayer and mine. Strange how a cigarette and a postage
stamp can become real treasures, almost miracles, under certain
circumstances. I got my stamp, along with some paper, pencil, and an envelop
from my new friend.
He asked me my name, and when I told him he got really excited.
"You're LEONARD PELTIER? Oh...man...wow!!"
He shouted down the range, "Hey, we got Leonard Peltier here! You hear me?
LEONARD PELTEEEEER!!"
I was beginning to realize that I wasn't forgotten! But, it was almost
embarrassing, too.
A chorus of voices yelled out encouragement to me and suddenly my isolation
had dissolved. I even heard a few guys call out,"Hang in there, BRO!" and I
knew there were at least a few Indians in there with me. Damn, compared to a
few minutes before, I felt right at home! So I passed the rest of the
cigarettes on through the bars and they got passed down from one cell to the
other, each guy taking a couple if deep drags and passing it on. We all had a
collective smoke, and in a way a collective prayer, and somehow those six
half-crumpled, half-smashed Canadian cigs seemed to last a dozen or so men
for hours, long into the night, until we all went to sleep. Sort of reminds
me of the loaves and fishes I used to hear about as a kid in the white church
Gamma took me to. I never believed it back then. But now I'm opened to the
idea, having experienced it firsthand with those half dozen Canadian cigs.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE LITTLE ORDINARY MIRACLES THAT GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO
CARRY ON."
From "My Life Is My Sun Dance"
(Pg's. 151-152)
Leonard Peltier
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PELTIER!!!
Kay
"Never cease in the fight for peace, justice, and equality for all people. Be
persistent in all that you do and don't allow anyone to sway you from your
conscience.".....Leonard Peltier
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Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition.
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Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate
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Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition.
http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html
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