--------- "RE: Rally For Justice Update" ---------

Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 14:36:01 EST
From: AIMAZ [email protected]
Subj: Rally For Justice -- Update 12/29/97

UUCP email

Statement on the Rally for Justice
Update 12/29/97

My Relatives,

We, here in Arizona have done a great deal of discussing, and planning for the Rally for Justice, 1998. After much thought, discussion and prayer, we have come to the following decisions.

We have decided to postpone the Rally for 1 year. Making the new date, the first work day, (Tuesday) after the "recognized" so-called columbus day.

The reasons for this are varied and we wish to express them here, and get your feedback on them.

1. We see the Rally for Justice as a major turning point for Indian people and all Indigenous peoples of the world, and think that holding it just prior to the new millennium would have a greater impact and offer more hope for Indigenous peoples for the future.

2. There are hundreds of "small fires" burning throughout Indian country and across the globe. In order to make any type of difference, we have to stop playing the government's game of running around, trying to stomp out all these "small fires" and turn them into one, huge "bonfire" that we can attack successfully.

   A. To this purpose we are asking for individuals/groups to take responsibility for researching, in depth, details concerning the issues facing Indian country on an individual basis. For example; Mr. Charles Vargas of the San Carlos Apache Nation has kindly volunteered his time and talent to research the issue of "Land grabbing and mining issues on Indian land" on a national level. Anyone with information on land grabbing or reservation mining issues in their area are asked to forward any and all information they possess on this subject to Mr. Vargas. He can be contacted via email at [email protected].

   B. We are asking then, for all other individuals/groups to pick a topic from the following list and act as a national collection site for any and all information obtainable on these issues...please feel free to volunteer for any other issue you see as important that may not have been listed here...

   • Anti-Indian Legislation (federal/state/local)
     
   • Government Imposed Blood Quantums
     
   • Child Protective Services and the ICWA.
     
   • Grave Desecration/Repatriation (NAGPRA)
     
   • Federal and State laws and compacts dealing with Indian casinos
     
   • "Imported" Indian jewelry and art
     
   • Cultural and Spiritual Theft
     
   • Government intervention in tribal courts, councils, businesses
     
   • Political Prisoners (including, but not limited to, Leonard Peltier)
     
   • Indian domestic problems and lack of government assistance (ie alcoholism, fetal alcohol syndrome, domestic violence)
     
   • Education of Indian children in non-Indian schools
     
   • Racism and mascots (including products/businesses such as Crazy Horse Malt Liquor, Red Man Chewing Tobacco, etc. and School/Sports Mascots)

   
   As was mentioned earlier, please feel free to choose a topic that may not be listed here, but each individual and/or group is encouraged to select only one as we are attempting to gather as much information as possible and don't want to overwork anyone more than necessary. We believe that the presentation of this documentation/information in one year's time would necessitate the formation of a "Red Ribbon Court" to formally charge the government and its members with crimes against the people.

3. We wish to announce the planning of the 3rd Annual Concert for Justice, for ALL Indian people to be held in Phoenix, Arizona in September, 1998. This will be the kick-off for the National Rally the following year, and a time to gather the information together from the various groups and individuals.

4. Time must be allowed for all this to take place so that we do not go to Washington, D.C. ill-prepared and unarmed. If this is truly to be a turning point for Indian people, then it must be as effective as possible. The following organizations have added their endorsement, support and voice to the Rally for Justice...
   • American Indian Movement
   • AIM, Arizona Chapter
   • AIM, Florida Chapter
   • AIM, New York Chapter
   • AIM Support Group - Arizona
   • AIM Support Group - Central Indiana
   • AIM Support Group - Massachusetts
   • AIM Support Group - Northern Alabama
   • AIM Support Group - Ohio/N. Kentucky
   • AIM Support Group - Waco, Texas
   • AIM Youth Council of Arizona
   • Aboriginal Independent Newspaper - Australia
   • A.I.S.I.A - France
   • Aztlan Liberation Organization
   • Brown Berets de Aztlan
   • Collision Course Video Productions - San Francisco, California
   • Concerned American Veterans
   • Cesar A. Cruz
   • For Mother Earth, Indigenous Working Group - Belgium
   • KOLA, HQ - Belgium
   • Lakota Student Alliance
   • League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations
   • Leonard Peltier Support Group - Augusta, Maine
   • Leonard Peltier Support Group - Maryland
   • Leonard Peltier Support Group - Metro Detroit, Michigan
   • Minister Joel Muhammed, Nation of Islam, Phoenix Mosque
   • News From Indian Country
   • People Organized Working for Equal Rights
   • Redhand Studios - Phoenix, Arizona
   • Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty
   • "Smoke Signals", CHRW, 94.7 FM - UWO, Canada
   • United American Indians of New England
   • WOJB-FM, 88.9 - Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation

Please respond as soon as possible with your thoughts on this action, your concerns, and volunteers to be the central resource point for one of the issues listed above. As volunteers come forward, their contact information and issue will be distributed so that people from across the globe can begin sending information pertinent to that particular issue to them.

Individuals and groups are also encouraged to assist in the planning of the Rally for Justice, by volunteering to be responsible for one of the categories below... Permits/Reservation of Mall area Staging/Sound Housing (host hotels, families, churches etc.) We anxiously await your replies, our relatives, as well as your support and assistance in this mammoth undertaking.

In Struggle,
Vernon Foster
Southwest Regional Director
American Indian Movement