Last night I read quite a bit about the life of Peltier and I've decided that anyone with an ounce of compassion would agree that he has served far more than necessary. When he was a boy, he was taken away from his tribe, and forced to attend a white school, in an attempt to force him to give up his Native American Culture.
How does that justify murder?
As a young adult, he became an activist to work against the brutality that many Native American were facing from the police.
Activist? You mean terrorist.
He didn't have a fair trial as a lot of evidence wasn't permitted to be shown. While he did admit guilt, I'm sure well informed Americans know that sometimes people are treated in ways that lead them to exhaustion and they admit guilt to crimes they never committed.
He also admitted he did it to Anna Mae Aquash (a fellow AIMer), who then was executed by AIM members when they started suspecting taht she was an informant, with possible (probable?) involvement by Peltier.
In These Times said:
Specifically, [Ka-Mook Nichols] stated that in the months following the shooting, Peltier, speaking to Pictou-Aquash and her, said of one of the FBI agents, “The motherfucker was begging for his life, but I shot him anyway.” With regard to Pictou-Aquash, whom some AIM leaders mistakenly believed was an FBI informant, Nichols said Peltier told her “he believed she was a fed and that he was going to get some truth serum and give it to her so that she would tell the truth.”
The Truth About Leonard
Peltier has been the darling of the LWNJs and also of the glitterati like Marlon Brando, but he is really a piece of shit.
So, regardless of how I might sometimes feel about our constitution permitting presidential pardons, I think commuting the prison sentence of Peltier was the right thing to do. In fact, I think it should have been done years ago, all things considered.
Would you feel the same if it was a white nationalist and not an Amerindian nationalist under similar circumstances, i.e. admits to shootout (and thus felony murder) but officially denies the execution style murder, but then again there is witness, a fellow white nationalist, who claims that he admitted to executing the agents even though one of them was "begging for his life"?
The first was an unjust act, and the second was an act of compassion.
I say both were unjust acts.
And, these so called violent militias are now permitted to get some "mothafuckin" guns. Just what do you think they might have in mind?
Maybe they can fight the militias who were not even prosecuted for their insurrectionist occupations of sovereign US territory in places like Seattle and Atlanta in 2020.
I was going to respond to your post, but I will add some information. Perhaps it you give this more thought, you will realize why this man's sentence was changed from prison to confinement to home. Why isn't 50 years in prison enough for a murder that the offender may not even have committed. And, even if he did, I think 50 years is more than enough of a sentence, especially when the person is 80 years old and in poor health. He was not pardoned. He must be confined to home.
https://nativenewsonline.net/curren...on-after-50-years-as-biden-grants-commutation
A White House statement cited Peltier's advanced age, deteriorating health, and the extensive support for his release from tribal nations, Nobel Peace laureates, former law enforcement officials, and human rights organizations.
"This commutation will enable Mr. Peltier to spend his remaining days in home confinement but will not pardon him for his underlying crimes," according to the White House statement.
The decision comes after decades of campaigns by Native American leaders and organizations who have questioned the fairness of Peltier's trial and conviction. Even the former U.S. Attorney whose office handled Peltier's prosecution and appeal supported granting clemency.
The White House noted Peltier's "close ties to and leadership in the Native American community" as a factor in the decision.
The commutation of Peltier’s sentence comes after increased advocacy from tribal leaders, congressional members, human rights advocates and even former prosecutors who were involved in the case.
Even some of those who prosecuted him, as well as some in law enforcement supported his release so he can spend his remaining life in home confinement
This reminds me a bit of a home health patient who I visited in Greenville, SC in t he 80s, who had been given an early release. He was also convicted of murder, but was about 80 and in failing health. He lived in a poverty stricken, high crime neighborhood, but among the gangs and violence, lived some of the dearest, kindest people I ever visited. The man's neighbors came to his home and helped care for him, and I was very touched by their compassion. Sadly, some people lack compassion, are unforgiving and think everything who commits a crime should be brutally punished.
Why isn't 50 years enough of a punishment for a murder that may not have even been committed by the person convicted? He didn't receive a fair trial according to some sources and no he was not a terrorist. He was an activist. Back in those days, it was the police who often acted like terrorists, especially when it came to the way they often treated Native Americans. So, your attitude shows a complete lack of understanding and compassion.
