[discuss-dan] FWD: STATEMENT OF FEDELIA CROSS (OGLALA LAKOTA)

[Doc Rosen <drdrdoc@dr.com>]

STATEMENT OF FEDELIA CROSS
CITIZEN OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA NATION

I cannot express the sadness and anger that I felt when
I heard that my
brother, Leonard Peltier was not given a presidential
pardon from Clinton.
At first I could not believe Clinton's lack of courage,
but now I know that
he is not an honorable man.  Freedom for Leonard would
have been freedom for
all of us Indigenous People here on our own home land. 
I would like to know
why Clinton did not give him his freedom.  Clinton came
here to Pine Ridge
in July of 1999.  I thought he had a little compassion
for the Lakota People
and all Native Peoples of this land.  Clinton broke our
hearts and made us
cry on January 20, 2001.  We also cried for all of our
ancestors whose lives
were taken by the white man who came to this continent
over 500 years ago.

We as Lakota People have four values that we live by
every day of our lives.
They are bravery, wisdom, generosity, and fortitude. 
Although Clinton didn'
t give my brother Leonard his life back, we must
continue to be brave and
continue the battle to bring him home.  We must educate
Clinton and all the
US government officials about our culture.  We as
Lakota people have a form
of government ruled by our sacred pipe and our laws are
all natural.  We
must remind the federal government that we still have
treaties with them.
We must be kind and compassionate to the US government
officials because we
were born with the gift of kindness, love and
generosity.  Clinton witnessed
this when he was here on our homeland in July of 1999.

Our forefathers were all honorable men just like my
brother Leonard Peltier.
One of our greatest leaders was Crazy Horse.  He
protected and loved his
people until he was killed in jail by the federal
government.  Crazy Horse
asked us to remember him when we look toward our sacred
Black Hills.  We
also remember our brother Leonard Peltier when we see
the Black Hills.  Some
day Leonard will be singing Crazy Horse's praise song
while looking toward
the Black Hills.  That's what keeps us going.  We are
all very resilient.
Although Clinton broke our hearts, through our prayers
and our spirituality,
we will survive.

When we thought Clinton was going to give our brother
Leonard his life back
we had plans to build a Lakota school here in Oglala. 
Through Leonard's
demonstration of our Lakota values, we plan to develop
his dream and plans
for the betterment of our people even though he is not
here with us.

I heard one of our respected elders of our tribe talk
on KILI radio about
Leonard the other morning.  He said although Clinton
slapped our faces, we
must remain strong and show them how to forgive and
pray for them so they
will understand us.  He also stated that we should
educate our children so
they could become lawyers and help us in the future. 
At Leonard's school we
hope to accomplish this.  I would like to thank all of
you for loving and
supporting him.  All he wants is to be is a terrific
grandpa and a good
relative.  May God bless all of you.

Mitakuye Oyasin
All my relations,

Fedelia Cross


*Fedelia Cross is the niece of Roselyn Jumping Bull and
a survivor of the
Pine Ridge Reign of Terror.  She is a school teacher, a
mother and a grand
mother.

Somos la misma familia,
Doc
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