Food for Thought for 'Columbus Day'

[Umm Muhammad]

THE PEACE THRU JUSTICE       FOUNDATION

11006 Veirs Mill Rd, STE L-15, PMB       298

Silver Spring, MD. 20902

DHUL QADAH 1433       A.H.

(October 9,       2012)

Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):

I begin with a       reminder of a Native American Political Prisoner who       serves as a constant symbolic reminder of the betrayal of the U.S.       government, and the worthlessness of man-made "treaties!" The       prisoner's name is Leonard       Peltier!

In the struggle       for peace thru justice,

El-Hajj Mauri'       Saalakhan

Leonard Peltier       Case Facts

Leonard Peltier - American Indian       Movement

Welcome To Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Leonard Peltier - Wikipedia, the free       encyclopedia

--------------------------------------------

LAKOTA STUDENT ALLIANCE

Statement of the Lakota Student Alliance       Regarding Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills December 2, 1997

Mt. Rushmore is a Shrine of         HYPOCRISY!

Mt. Rushmore is a desecration of our Sacred Mother Earth and a slap         in the face of Lakota peoples everywhere. Documents have stated that Mt.         Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota is a shrine to democracy. As         you read further, you will find that American was founded on the blood         and lives of Indian peoples. We question what type of democracy this         shrine represents.        

The four faces carved on stolen Indian lands supposedly represent the         four most notable presidents of the United States. With their ideals and         values defined through the study of Iroquois society, America's founding         fathers are indebted to the Lakota and all Indian peoples for their mere         existence. But, in the Sacred Black Hills (our church, our synagogue,         our temple) those presidents carved on that granite rock were more than         mere democratic deviants.        

The founding fathers on that rock shared common characteristics. All         four valued white supremacy and promoted the extirpation of Indian         society. The United States' founding fathers were staunchly anti-Indian         advocates in that at one time or another, all four provided for genocide         against Indian peoples of this hemisphere.        

George Washington...

In 1779, George Washington instructed Major General John Sullivan to         attack Iroquois people. Washington stated, "lay waste all the         settlements around...that the country may not be merely overrun, but         destroyed". In the course of the carnage and annihilation of Indian         people, Washington also instructed his general not "listen to any         overture of peace before the total ruin of their settlements is         effected". (Stannard, David E. AMERICAN HOLOCAUST. New York: Oxford         University Press, 1992. pp. 118-121.)        

In 1783, Washington's anti-Indian sentiments were apparent in his         comparisons of Indians with wolves: "Both being beast of prey, tho' they         differ in shape", he said. George Washington's policies of extermination         were realized in his troops behaviors following a defeat. Troops would         skin the bodies of Iroquois "from the hips downward to make boot tops or         leggings". Indians who survived the attacks later re-named the nation's         first president as "Town Destroyer". Approximately 28 of 30 Seneca towns         had been destroyed within a five year period. (Ibid)        

Thomas Jefferson...

In 1807, Thomas Jefferson instructed his War Department that, should         any Indians resist against America stealing Indian lands, the Indian         resistance must be met with "the hatchet". Jefferson continued,         "And...if ever we are constrained to lift the hatchet against any tribe,         " he wrote, "we will never lay it down till that tribe is exterminated,         or is driven beyond the Mississippi." Jefferson, the slave owner,         continued, "in war, they will kill some of us; we shall destroy all of         them". (Ibid)        

In 1812, Jefferson said that American was obliged to push the         backward Indians "with the beasts of the forests into the Stony         Mountains". One year later Jefferson continued anti-Indian statements by         adding that America must "pursue [the Indians] to extermination, or         drive them to new seats beyond our reach". (Ibid)        

Abraham Lincoln...

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the execution, by hanging,         of 38 Dakota Sioux prisoners in Mankato, Minnesota. Most of those         executed were holy men or political leaders of their camps. None of them         were responsible for committing the crimes they were accused of. Coined         as the Largest Mass Execution in U.S. History. (Brown, Dee. BURY MY         HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE. New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 1970. pp.         59-61)        

Theodore Roosevelt...

The fourth face you see on that "Stony Mountain" is America's first         twentieth century president, alleged American hero, and Nobel peace         prize recipient, Theodore Roosevelt. This Indian fighter firmly grasped         the notion of Manifest Destiny saying that America's extermination of         the Indians and thefts our their lands "was ultimately beneficial as it         was inevitable". Roosevelt once said, "I don't go so far as to think         that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of         ten are, and I shouldn't like to inquire too closely into the case of         the tenth". (Stannard, Op.Cit.)        

The apathy displayed by these founding fathers symbolize the         demoralization related to racial superiority. Scholars point toward this         racial polarization as evidence of the existence of Eugenics.        

Eugenics is a new term for an old phenomena which asserts that Indian         people should be exterminated because they are an inferior race of         people. Jefferson's suggestion to pursue the Indians to extermination         fits well into the eugenistic vision. In David Stannard's study American         Holocaust, he writes: "had these same words been enunciated by a German         leader in 1939, and directed at European Jews, they would be engraved in         modern memory. Since they were uttered by one of America's founding         fathers, however...they conveniently have become lost to most historians         in their insistent celebration of Jefferson's wisdom and humanity."         Roosevelt feared that American upper classes were being replaced by the         "unrestricted breeding" of inferior racial stocks, the "utterly         shiftless", and the "worthless" (Ibid)        

The impossibility of persuading those four presidents to change their         belief is as realistic as the impossibility that Indian peoples will         relinquish our determination in seeking the return and restoration of         the sacred Black Hills. So long as the last Lakota is standing and         alive, the consciousness of America will be the primary target in the         Lakota struggle to regain the spiritual center: The Black Hills.        

The Black Hills Are Not For         Sale!

Historical Antecedents:        

In 1851, an agreement as reached by delegates of traditional Lakota         peoples and the United States of America which promised large areas of         land for which the Lakota peoples would roam freely upon. After         violating stipulations in the treaty, the U.S. sought another accord         with both parties promising to reserve lands for the Lakota peoples. The         second treaty, known as the 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty, required 3/4 of the         adult male population of the Lakota Nation to vote in agreement upon         relinquishing or selling all lands provided in this document.        

This treaty also promised to punish whosoever would break the trust.         But the treaty was again violated by the U.S. through repetitive attacks         on Lakota camps in the Little Bighorn Battle of 1876 and in the Wounded         Knee Massacre in 1890.        

In 1877, the Manypenny Commission Treaty agreement was made in total         violation of Article 12 of the 1868 Treaty earlier declaring 3/4         majority vote required in order to further cede any portions of lands to         the U.S.        

In 1980, the U.S. awarded monetary compensation of the land theft.         The blatant violations of their own laws against Lakota peoples were         what they called "dishonorable dealings" in the history of America. The         Lakota Treaty Advocates and Supporters nationwide unilaterally rejected         the money. Instead, the desire to achieve the return of stolen lands         grew stronger. The land has never been legally sold.        

Later came the episode with a millionaire businessman from California         who promised to get the lands returned to the Lakota in exchange for a         status as "Special Chief". Turned out he was unable to prove his         ancestry. Coincidentally, his action struck a major blow at the         solidarity of the Lakota Treaty advocates, an issue that needs to be         addressed now.        

The only offer we will accept is the return of the land guaranteed to         us in the treaty. Though Pine Ridge still ranks lowest in the American         poverty category, we still refuse the money. Spiritual poverty is what         we fear more than anything.        

REQUEST        

We appeal with urgency to all tribes affected by the 1868 treaty to         consider establishing a National Land Commission. We also request tribes         to study and enact legislation appropriate with the 20 Point Proposal         introduced in Washington during the 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties         Caravan. We also demand all tribal officials to restore treaty making         between Traditional Governments and U.S. Congress. And, finally, we ask         all tribes to consider adoption of the 1974 Declaration of Continuing         Independence (enacted at Mobridge, South Dakota during the International         Indian Treaty Conference), as the first step toward true Sovereignty.        

"and all treaties made...under the authority of the United States,         shall be the supreme Law of the Land..." Article VI, U.S.         Constitution.

------------------------------------

He didn't 'discover' America, but he did earn a dubious place in         history

Cristina         Quicler / AP file

Tourists walk by the tomb of Spanish explorer         Christopher Columbus in the Cathedral of Seville, Spain. Spanish         researchers recently determined that Columbus' remains are indeed buried         in the tomb, based on DNA results.

-----------------------------------------

We end on a more         positive note. A Native American (from the south) has just won a         hotly contested national election - much to the chagrin of his         "imperialistic" neighbors to the north! - MS

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/10/mexico-latin-amer...

Latin American governments congratulate Chavez win in         Venezuela By Daniel Hernandez The Los Angeles Times         October 8, 2012
Mexico City -- Governments in Latin America         quickly congratulated Hugo Chavez on his reelection Sunday as president         of Venezuela, a sign of his convincing win over strong opposition         challenger Henrique Capriles.
With Chavez's victory, Venezuela's         socialist government is set to remain in power at least through 2019 and         maintain its position as a regional leader for leftist governments that         are Bolivarian ideological allies or depend on Venezuela's oil and         subsidies.
The congratulations were effusive and personally         directed at the president who has been in office for more than 13 years,         making Chavez, 58, the longest-serving leader in Latin America.        
"Your decisive victory assures the continuation of the struggle         for the genuine integration of Our America," said Cuban President Raul         Castro, in a statement releas ed by the communist country's embassy in         Mexico City.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa called Chavez         "compa" -- short for compadre -- via Twitter and declared: "All of Latin         American is with you and with our beloved Venezuela. ... Next battle:         Ecuador!"
In Bolivia, President Evo Morales called Chavez's         victory a win for "the nations of Latin America that fight for their         sovereign dignity," according to the official Bolivian Information         Agency (links in Spanish).
Argentina's President Cristina         Fernandez de Kirchner sent an emotional tweet to the Venezuelan leader,         saying: "Hugo, today I wish to tell you that you have plowed the earth,         you have sown it, you have watered it, and today you have picked up the         harvest."
Capriles conceded after voting Sunday showed Chavez         winning by nearly 10 percentage points with 90% of votes counted.         Despite the narrowing in his margin of victory over past elections,         Chavez overcame the challenge due partly to w hat one pollster called an         "irrational and emotional devotion" to him among poor Venezuelans.        
By Monday, other regional players, including ideologically         conservative governments that share closer ties to the United States,         also recognized Chavez's win. The foreign relations ministries of         Colombia and Mexico pledged in short statements to continue working with         the Venezuela president, who has struggled against cancer.
"The         government of Mexico reiterates its full disposition to keep         strengthening the relations of friendship and cooperation that unite         Mexico and Venezuela," the Foreign Ministry in Mexico City said.        
China, the global communist powerhouse and a crucial trading         partner for Venezuela, also congratulated Chavez, the New China News         Agency   reported.

[Umm Muhammad]

The True Peace

The first peace, which is the most important, is that
which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship,
their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that
at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), and that
this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

This is the
real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that
which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made
between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be
peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have
often said, is within the souls of men.
Black Elk - Oglala Sioux