Greetings my relatives friends and supporters It is yet another

year.  It seems like a thousand years ago but only a year in time

in reality from the last time I dictated one of these statement

for the day of mourning so, again, I want to say as last time,

that I am honored that you would want to hear my words.

Sometimes when I lay on my bunk and I am between sleeping and awake,

for a small moment of time, I am free and I am there with you. I

know this sounds kind of melodramatic and I am not trying to be so,

but things affect you differently inside of here and things affect

you differently as you get older.  But I want to say with all my

strength, some things don't change, at least not for me.

When I think about all we have lost to this corporate world, when

I think about the losses of clean water and rivers and oceans and

when I think about the losses of clean air when I think about the

losses of freedom for hard working families that once had a father

that could take care of his family with as single job but now has

to work two or three jobs and the mother must work too and the

children that come home from school with their own key and have to

wait the return of one of their parents.  When I think of these

losses, when I think of the wage slaves that are being created

daily all over the world in the name of progress, when I think of

these losses I think... we damn sure have a good reason to mourn,

but I really believe that the word mourn should have a different

meaning for us, not something where we cry and throw our hands up

and say " WHY WHY, WHY ME, WHY US, WHY THIS"  but something that

we say NO MORE to. Something we make a vow to, renew our efforts,

ren ew our minds, renew our directions to take back our water take

back our air take back our forests and our mountains and valleys,

restore this mother earth to the natural balance the creator meant

it to be. We need to talk to the churches, talk to the various

religions, we need to get them to recognize that the strongest form

or worship isn't singing songs and bowing your head, the strongest

form of worship is to respect and restore to balance the beauty

of nature and the earth that was given to us, that is part of us,

that we are a part of, and to be responsible for.

This may sound like the ramblings of some old 69 year old man in

prison for 38 years but I have had a lot of time to think about

these things and when my grandchildren come to visit me, it gives

me a sense of urgency for all of us to start doing something NOW!

If each one of you would take a vow to get six other people along

with yourself to do at least ONE meaningful thing to restore this

balance and get each one of those people to network and get 6 more

people and let it go out from there like the branches of a tree

then together we can make a difference.  We can make a difference

starting today.

This day of mourning would become the morning of a new day!

I have quoted others before and I do so again because I respect

the wisdom of elders and people long past. Someone once said and

I don't remember who said it,

"All evil needs to triumph is for good people to do nothing." If

this is more than you care to do, or if you think you can't be

involved with others for some reason, I respect that, but I would

encourage you to at least plant one fruit bearing tree that someone

in the future, perhaps some child would have something to eat. That

maybe some other living creature might have a place of shelter

and food to eat. there will always be changes throughout the earth

and throughout mankind, some uncontrollable and some with design.

I know we can make a change for the better if we put our hearts and

minds together and let this day of mourning be a time of renewal,

we can spread the concept that mankind must live in harmony with

the creators handy-work and with one another.  If this time I

have spent here in prison could produce anything of value I pray

that it would move you to become involved. Find the right things

within government and support them, and find the wrong things in

government and change them.  This government as it stands right now

is on the verge of losing what constitutional rights people have.

This government is violating the constitution over and over and

over.  These violations started before you or I were even conceived.

As some of you may know the Constitution is a copy of the Iroquois 6

nations Confederacy law.  The constitution originally was designed

so that men would have maximum freedoms as long as they did not

infringe on the natural rights of others or in essence harm som eone

else. The freedoms and respect that the law implies that we should

have for one another in this nation should extend to all those

outside of this realm because what is right for one man should be

right for others. We should allow other people to be free from fear.

I remember an old jewish man I once met in hardware store, I engaged

in conversation with him.  He had fought in WW2 and he said to me,

and I always remember his words, "this isn't the nation I fought

for, this nation has become a nation of people who are afraid of

their gov't and anytime the people are afraid of their gov't they

are not free and I have noticed that what people will do to someone

else wrongfully, sooner or later if circumstances change they will

do it to you also.

These violations of human rights must stop.  I know the task may

seem overwhelming and I can't say that I have the answer for success

at making a change but I do know the answer for failure.. thats to

do nothing.

So if my imprisonment serves nothing else but to be living proof of

these violations, then so be it, but it is a reality.  Right now,

it has been selective violation, but there are powers at hand that

seek to inflict those violations upon everyone.  This reminds me

of a story that I heard once where a man said:

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak

out-

because I was not a communist;

Then they came for

the socialists, and I did not speak out-

because I was not a

socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did

not speak out-

because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they

came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-

because I was not

a Jew;

Then they came for me-

and there was no one left to

speak out for me." (*)

I ask you to remember these things because they are truisms that

have happened and they will happen again to you and your children and

your children's children if we do not take a stand.  a famous warrior

named Emiliano Zapata from the Mexican revolution once said "I would

rather die on my feet then live on my knees" .... I could go on and

on but I suppose you get my meaning.  I encourage you to be active,

to stand your ground and help us recover the ground we have lost.

God, I wish I could be there with you.

I am going to close for now.  Be thankful you have the time you have,

be thankful you have each other, and give each other a hug for me.

I will see you when I see you

Your friend Leonard Peltier.