The excerpted remarks were written by political prisoner Leonard Peltier (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians) for the 53rd annual National Day of Mourning, Nov. 24, 2022, at Plymouth, Massachusetts. On Sept. 12, 2023, Peltier turned 79 years old. He has been falsely imprisoned for over 47 years for allegedly killing two FBI agents in 1975. The International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee continues to demand clemency from the White House for the ailing Indigenous leader. Go to whoisleonardpeltier.info.
All the world now faces the same challenges that our people foretold, regarding climate damage being caused by people who take more than they need, dismissing the teachings of our fathers and the knowledge of countless generations living upon the Earth in harmony.
Our people have been through a lot; generations have been imprisoned, beaten, murdered, dispossessed of our lands, and they fought, so we might live.
We are proud of our ancestors. I have tried to make the best of my time upon the Earth, in my given circumstances. To say the least, this has not been an enjoyable life journey, but I am proud to have been given a chance to stand for our people. I encourage you to do the same.
