…for the Watertown Public Opinion in Watertown, South
Dakota.” read the email received on January 30, 2015 from, Jennifer Thomas,
Special Feature Reporter, (jenniferthomas@thepublicopinion.com)
that continued with;
“I am currently
working on a story regarding Leonard Peltier and his supporters' current calls
for amnesty. I have received statements and interview commitments from Friends
of Peltier and Amnesty International Reps, but would like to fairly report on
all sides, offering readers enough information to form their own opinion on the
case. The article is currently scheduled to run next week marking the
anniversary of his arrest and subsequent extradition from Canada. Is there any
way I could receive a statement on the case from a representative of your
organization or arrange for a brief phone interview?”
I politely declined the phone interview but provided a
couple of links for reference and an offer to answer any questions, provide
additional references, and pointed out that there was a lot of folklore
surrounding the Peltier matter, but that the facts are out there.
There was no reply but I did follow up with two more
emails and several more references on Peltier issues making the point that
without specific details readers would not be able to make an informed decision
regarding Peltier’s guilt. I pointed out the recorded fabrications (lies), on
film, in Redford’s, Incident at Oglala,
from Bob Robideau and Peltier himself, a YouTube compilation of Peltier’s
ever-changing version of the facts and his inability to provide consistent
answers to very simple questions. I sent a link to the letter from the Canadian
Government that put to rest Peltier’s claims of an unlawful extradition.
I did receive a reply on February 2nd from Ms.
Thomas thanking me for my time and information and that it would be useful in writing
her article.
At that point I believed that if she had explored the
NPPA website and reviewed the material I’d forwarded, that perhaps she would
write a balanced article that would “fairly report on all sides.”
I did though find it unusual, considering, not a
complicated case but one with a long history, that she didn’t have at least one
follow-up question.
The article “Special Report: Leonard Peltier at 70,”
appeared several days later and was far less than expected, and a
disappointment. It rehashed points that would have been easily disproven, and,
in sum, portrayed Peltier as a victim and a martyr, adding as well, insult to
injury, claiming Peltier’s alleged humanitarian efforts (a complete and
provable sham*), and also lamenting his age and poor health**.
Jack Coler and Ron Williams, given the option, would
willingly trade Peltier’s infirmities for the cold-blooded deaths they suffered
in 1975.
I contacted the editor, Roger Whittle (rogerwhitle@thepublicopinion.com)
for an opportunity of a rebuttal. He then provided the Letter-to-the-Editor
policy, one of which was that it had to be 300 words or less. Easier said than
done.
I sat down and within about fifteen minutes typed what I
considered a concise reply to Ms. Thomas’s special report, until I realized it
exceeded 600 words.
Some seventy-plus editorial essays, nearly fifteen years
of involvement honoring the sacrifice of two young FBI agents, dealing with all
manner of attacks, a law suit, threats of lawsuits and outrageous slander from Peltier
fringe elements, and to say it all in 300 words seemed impossible. Over two
hours later, after a series of what felt like endless edits, the response was
finished and forwarded to Mr. Whittle, who replied and said it would be printed
in Saturday’s, 2/14/15, edition***.
* * *
Letter to the Editor, The Public Opinion, February 11,
2015
Response to “Special Report: Leonard Peltier at 70”
Unfortunately, The Public Opinion (TPO) article was
factually inaccurate and regretfully repeated many issues that have long been
discredited. The answers to those lingering allegations are available at www.noparolepeltier.com
A truly innocent person would have no difficulty reciting
the facts, yet Peltier’s versions have changed repeatedly.
Peltier’s own public statements have proven his guilt
beyond all doubt:
“I seen Joe when he pulled it out of the trunk and he
gave me a smile.” (ITSOCH p.552) With two dead and mutilated agents at their
feet Peltier and the others steal their weapons. The “Joe,” was Joe Stuntz, who
was killed that day as he and others fired upon responding law enforcement.
There was an investigation and it was a justifiable shooting. Simple premise,
shoot at police and they’re going to shoot back.
During Peltier’s escape with other AIM members from Pine
Ridge he bragged about what happened at the agent’s vehicles. This came out in
sworn testimony at another murder trial in 2004; “He (Peltier)
said the (Obscene Expletive) was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.”
The TPO article failed to paint a fair picture of the devastation wrought by
AIM.
"I never thought my commitment would mean
sacrificing like this, but I was willing to do so nonetheless. And really, if
necessary, I'd do it all over again, because it was the right thing to
do." (2/6/10) Two wounded, then brutally slain agents. Peltier is both
unrepentant and remorseless.
“I don’t regret any of this for a minute.” (8/28/14) No
regrets?
The only thing Peltier has is to keep the myth alive, and
unfortunately the TPO article just perpetuates the folklore and failed to
provide concrete solutions upon which readers can make informed judgments.
* * *
“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
** A hard copy of the article, along with the initial
email to Ms. Thomas and Mr. Whittle, was sent to Peltier at USP Coleman, as are
all updates and blogs from the No Parole Peltier Association. This has been standard
practice for over a decade when it became apparent that Peltier’s network
leadership, which has changed a number of times, was not sharing everything
with him, specifically, the criticisms and attacks on his feigned and alleged
innocence and destroying the myth and folklore: In other words, the truth. Also
included with each mailing is an autographed
copy of Peltier’s FBI wanted poster. Autographed by me, as promised years ago,
to dispel the myth that the aiding and
abetting charge against Peltier was somehow magically, and later, inserted
into the case. Highlighted with a yellow marker on FBI Identification Order #4681
is the date of “November 25, 1975” and, “charging Peltier with murder – first
degree, killing two Federal Officers in the performance of their duties and aiding and abetting.” Also highlighted
in yellow are two of Peltier’s known aliases, John Yellow Robe, and Leonard Williams;
the irony not being missed either by Peltier or anyone paying even the slightest
attention.
*** The letter may have appeared in TPO, but I haven’t
seen it and perhaps it doesn’t matter all that much. Not certain what kind of
attention TPO gets and would imagine that most in South Dakota, whether Native
American or not, have already made up their minds, one way or the other,
regarding the American Indian Movement and Leonard Peltier. This blog will be
posted and also forwarded to right around 5,000 recipients, so at least the
response to Ms. Thomas’s “Special Report” will get some attention.
