Dear Supporters:
It’s been thirteen years since meeting Jack Coler’s
youngest son (April 3, 2000), launching the No Parole Peltier Association and
its website on April 30th, because, as one obsequious and servile
Peltier panderer pointed out, “someone had to do it.”
Year twelve revisited many folklore topics, like
the perennial ‘dirty-little-secret’
of Peltier’s finances, which was answered with a public NPPA financial
disclosure along with a complaint to the I.R.S. for what certainly hinted at
(another) money laundering scheme. (NPPA Blog 3/28/13 and 3/25/13)
Last year’s NPPA anniversary was concurrent with
the formal ceremony of the FBI Minneapolis’s headquarters’ building dedication which
was named in the honor, memory and sacrifice of FBI Agents, Jack R. Coler and
Ronald A. Williams, along with some speeches about Peltier and what really
happened at Jumping Bull, and subsequently, to fairly large (and admittedly understanding)
audiences. (NPPA Blog 5/6/12, 6/26/12)
There was still haggling over the Wichita AR-15,
the family (not) caught in a crossfire, and Peltier’s ongoing attempts to play
at once the poor-victim and brave-warrior scam. It’s apparent that whenever new
personalities (and it happens often) rise to the LPDOC’s surface, they try to
refloat tired fabrications that have been disproved countless times, believing
that a new audience will ignore the past. They can’t grasp that recirculating
old myths just doesn’t work, at least not for very long. The LPDOC also asked
supporters “for something special,” they want them “to hand-write a letter or
postcard” because “The electric petition medium has not proven very successful,
for Leonard, and in ways easier to ignore.” Really “special?”
Peltier lamely tried to equate the tragedy at
Newtown, Connecticut to Manifest Destiny
and the horrible treatment of Native Americans and the First Nations in the 19th
century. Although, correctly, a homicidal coward was present at both Newtown
and Jumping Bull.
And then there was the growth of other Blogs (Rezinate
for one) that further lay waste to the social disaster called the ‘American Indian Movement’ while holding
Peltier’s feet to the campfire.
We spent some time digging into a significant event
that Peltier kept secret for many years, his first escape attempt. The cat’s
out of the bag (no pun intended) and the final chapter will be concluding soon.
A major development, but coming as no surprise to
either Peltier detractors nor supporters, was Peltier attorney Michael Kuzma,
who proverbially really stepped in it big time, and admitted, publically, on
the record, and forever emblazoned in the lexicon of Peltier mythology that...and
here it is again...Mr. X, was a lie. Shocking, an alibi that never existed.
Thanks Michael for clearing that up for everyone. (NPPA Blogs 12/5/12,
12/15/12)
And on April 11th the LPDOC started
hawking a sideshow art sale to raise money (that they never account for) of “White
Tiger,” Peltier’s latest creation. The Giclee reproductions will “help to
contribute to many exciting projects we have going on currently as well as
future events, but only those who purchase this will be eligible for the next
offer we will have on another of Leonard’s amazing paintings.” The costs range
from $75 for a tiny 8x10 to $175 for a large 16x20.
Of course these are unframed, shipped in a tube,
and guess what, they’re not numbered or autographed by the artist. Would it be
great though if Coleman authorities allowed him to actually sign these prints,
who knows how much they could garner from avid collectors? Does anyone hear the
calliope from the merry-go-round or the carnival barker yelling, “Hey folks,
get ‘em while they’re hot, you don’t want to lose out on this great opportunity
to line the pockets of…Well, I don’t’ know who’s pockets are getting lined
because Peltier ain’t talkin’ about that stuff.”
This brings to mind one of Peltier’s statements.
“Dreamer that I was, I wrote to an art school I’d heard of in Santa Fe and
tried to get a scholarship. They said no but try again. I tried again a while
later. Same reply: no. I often wonder what my life would have been like if I’d
have just gotten that scholarship.” (Prison Writings p. 85)
Perhaps so, maybe Peltier could have become an
accomplished Native American artist, which would likely have removed him from a
life of incarceration and Jack and Ron would be enjoying retirement about now.
“White
Tiger.” The black and white blend goes well enough although the background is
not balanced. Its face is distorted, out of proportion, head too small, a snout
shaped more like a canine than a feline, with unrealistically drooping whiskers.
Cat’s eyes (big cats down to domestics) are probably their most intriguing
feature, but White Tiger’s are too small and lifeless. (Yes, everyone’s a
critic.) Although, with plenty of practice behind him, perhaps Peltier would
have done better with some formal art education. Which brings to mind a take on the old saw: One man’s art is
another man’s garage sale item.
Of the many thousands of statements made by Peltier
a few stand out and will haunt him forever, perhaps the most significant at
this point being “And Really, if necessary, I’d do it all over again, because
it was the right thing to do.” (2/6/10)
A public statement that the parole board,
prosecuting attorney, Pardon Attorney, Attorney General, and most of all, the
President, are aware of. This is the final nail in the clemency-coffin if
Peltier thinks for a moment that he should be shown any more mercy than he
showed Jack Coler and Ron Williams.
“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
P.S.
The NPPA is fortunate have many loyal supporters
who not only support the cause to honor the memory and sacrifice of Agents’ Coler
and Williams but go further. On the walk at the legendary motorcycle museum,
Sturgis, South Dakota is a brick inscribed
“In Memory of FBI Agents Coler and Williams
6-26-75.” Thanks, Dan.
