A Christmas Appeal to President Clinton -- A Message from Michael Moore

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

>Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 15:05:22 -0500
>Subject: [Mike's Message] A Christmas Appeal to President Clinton -- 
>A Message from Michael Moore
>From: "Mike's Message" <mikemail at cloud9.net>
>To: <michaelmoore-l at cloud9.net>
>
>
>December 21, 2000
>
>Dear President Clinton:
>
>Today, you begin your last month in office. There are many things my
>Friends and I wish you could have accomplished in these last eight
>years. I'm sure you feel the same way.
>
>There are a few things, though, you could do in the next 30 days that
>Would bring freedom to just three people. I am asking you to be a hero
>to three individuals who continue to experience a profound injustice. You,
>as President, can correct the suffering they have had to endure. In the
>Spirit of the season, I am hoping you will consider my appeal...
>
>1. Pardon Leonard Peltier. Mr. Peltier, a leader of the American Indian
>Movement, has been in prison for over two decades. Amnesty International
>and every other human rights organization in the world considers him to
>be a political prisoner. The evidence is clear he did not commit the crime
>he is in prison for (the killing of a federal agent during an uprising at
>the Wounded Knee reservation... see http://www.freepeltier.org/).
>
>Native Americans have barely survived the genocide that white Americans
>began over 400 years ago. That we would imprison just one innocent
>Native American is not only abhorrent, it is a continuation of that
>genocide. This man was punished for his political beliefs. He has suffered
>enough. Sign the pardon today.
>
>2. Pardon Howard Mechanic. Howard, like yourself, was an anti-war
>protester at Washington U in St. Louis.  His crime:  he threw a cherry
>bomb. No one was harmed, no property was damaged, but Howard was given a
>five year sentence.  After loosing the appeal, he ran.
>
>For the past 30 years, he lived a quiet life in Arizona, raised a
>family, did charity work, and fought for the underdog. Until he was caught.
>Now he is in prison. He never committed a crime. The New York Times magazine
>ran an incredible story on him earlier this year. Not only is this man no
>threat, he is an asset to our society, actively involved in his community.
>(See http://www.howardmechanic.org/)
>
>The Vietnam War is over. Why are we still fighting it by persecuting
>People like Howard Mechanic? This could have been you, Mr. President
>when you were at an anti-war rally. Release him from prison immediately.
>
>3. Tell Peru to Return Lori Berenson. Lori has been in a Peruvian prison
>for over 5 years. They accused her of conspiring to help a rebel group
>there. She was in Peru working as a freelance journalist . She never got
>a real trial (see http://www.freelori.org/). This could be your daughter,
>Mr. President -- a young, idealistic girl, traveling to a foreign country to
>shed light on the way people are treated, and because she was seen talking
>to or hanging out with the wrong people, she is imprisoned for life! In
>fact, this could have been YOU, Mr. Clinton. What if during your college
>travels to the U.K. or the Soviet Union you were seen chumming with IRA
>people or Soviet dissidents? What if the secret police just whisked you away
>without a trial?
>
>This is an outrage. I know you have asked the Peruvian officials about
>Her well-being, but enough is enough. They now claim they will give her
>a new "trial." No way. NO more Peruvian "justice" for one of our young
>citizens. Demand that they return her now or Peru will face harsh sanctions
>from the United States. All you really need to do is just pick up the phone
>and make a call. You don't even have to tell us what you say to them. Just
>do it.
>
>Now, that's not a lot to ask of you, is it? Three of our fellow humans
>languishing unjustly in prison. There are many, many more. I suppose if
>you really wanted to go down in the history books, you could reduce
>everyone's federal sentence on death row to life imprisonment. Better
>yet, you could issue orders to stop arresting our black and Hispanic
>citizens at such a disproportional rate in your "War on Drugs." THAT would
>be an act of courage.
>
>I ask all who read this to join me in this appeal. Write to President
>Clinton at:  The White House
>              1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
>              Washington, D.C. 20500
>
>E-mail:  president at whitehouse.gov
>
>Phone:  202-456-1414
>
>Fax:    202-456-2461
>
>And just for fun, just to make a final point about the sacredness of
>everyone's vote, you could make Al Gore -- not George W. Bush -- the
>43rd president of the United States! That's right, you can make the will
>of the people a reality. And it's legal. Just resign a couple days early.
>Al, according to the Constitution, automatically becomes president. As I
>have said for years, it matters little which one of you Republicrats is
>in the Oval Office, so what the heck! Actually, the one thing we will miss
>about you is your sense of humor. Give us all a good laugh and force
>Baby Bush into having to succeed Al Gore. Make him have to physically take
>the legitimate reigns of power from the actual winner of the election into
>his illegitimate hands!
>
>And -- think of how much the Republicans and the Inauguration Committee
>will have to spend changing all the pre-printed banners and napkins that
>say "George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States of America."
>It'll drive them crazy.
>
>Yours,
>
>Michael Moore
>mmflint at aol.com
>www.michaelmoore.com