The "I Will, Will You?" Freedom Campaign has been started as a means to show the support of numerous people across America for Leonard Peltier. Celebrities such as Desmond Tutu, Michael Moore, Sting, Ringo Starr and Kenney Jones, speak up and ask President Donald Trump to grant compassionate release to Leonard Peltier! You can see all the videos on Human Rights Action Center YouTube Channel or our Facebook Page.
Leonard Peltier was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), which promotes Native American rights. In 1975, during a confrontation involving AIM members, two FBI agents were shot dead. Peltier was convicted of their murders, but has always denied killing the agents.
Leonard Peltier has been in jail for over 40 years now. The trial that sent him to jail for two life sentences was flawed. Amnesty International said so immediately and was joined by other human rights groups and activists. While special agents Coler and Williams died that day, Leonard Peltier did not do the killings. A major confrontation did go on for quite a while between the FBI and the American Indian Movement. Many Indians were lost in this period.
Massive support has come from the communities of film, stage and spiritual leadership and tribal leadership across the world. Our goal is simple and it is to ask for clemency, pure and simple. We are not arguing the legal case. We are asking from President Trump for compassionate release for Leonard Peltier. Thus, we are mobilizing to show the POTUS that there is a massive support for compassionate release for Peltier, both in the Indian communities and tribes as well as the American people. This will be Leonard Peltier’s last chance for Freedom.
This campaign will have much higher chances of success if everyone gets involved and takes action. Below are a few ways that you can take action!
TAKE A SELFIE
Write #CompassionateReleaseForPeltier on the palm of your hand or on a sign or anywhere you like. Take a selfie and share it on all your social media, and ASK THEM to do the same.
Sample post:
I Am Asking @POTUS to please grant #CompassionateReleaseForPeltier and allow him to return to his family. #HRAC #FreePeltier
Alternatively, you can share one of the posts that HRAC has shared on our social media pages:
>> Twitter Page
DRUM FOR PELTIER
We want to bring the tribes together with the American people in an unusual way!
As unprecedented, we are asking all 567 American Indian tribes to drum for Peltier on December 10, and have them joined and supported by drummers in American bands, including Kenney Jones, The WHO drummer.
Please join Human Rights Action Center and Native American and First Nations drum groups and hand drummers in singing for clemency for Leonard Peltier on Monday, December 10th. You can sing one song in your homes or host a public event.
This is new and never done before! Participants would get to drum with the Apaches. They will have your number and email and a schedule can be worked out so the timing can be synchronized. If you can ask someone to send a photo of you drumming to the Apaches as well as our social media contact. It is that simple.
All drummers are welcome to participate and support this in their own way. Please write to jacko@dublin.com to add your name or group to the list.