Global Write A-Thon For Leonard Peltier Update !

Global Write-A-Thon for Leonard Peltier
Save the Date: December 1st-11th, 2007

December 10th is International Human Rights Day. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on December 10, 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first global enunciation of human rights.
(See: http://users.skynet.be/kola/udhr.htm )

The commemoration was established in 1950, when the General Assembly invited all states and interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit. The day is a high point in the calendar of U.N. headquarters in New York City, and is normally marked by both high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. In addition, it is traditionally on December 10th, that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights is awarded.Many governmental and nongovernmental organizations active in the human rights field also schedule special events to commemorate the day.

We celebrate Human Rights day because there are many people who do not have the rights granted to them. This day was declared so that all of us can become aware of our rights and create an awareness among others, of people who are deprived of their rights.

To mark this day, join people all around the world and participate in our second Global Write-A-Thon for Leonard Peltier. This year, we will concentrate on the release of the documents that the FBI are still withholding. Our Write-A-Thon is directed at Senator Patrick Leahy, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

What's a "Write-A-Thon"? Simply put: a "writing marathon". Or write a ton of letters... :-)

Each year, Amnesty International organizes a Write-A-Thon for December 10th.
This is where we found our inspiration. Their slogan is "Write = Might". This is oh so very true! (Thank you Amnesty International) Your letters are the watchdogs, putting perpetrators of abuse on notice. Your letters are the light that shines through the despair prisoners of conscience & political prisoners face on a daily basis. Your letters are tools of freedom, paving the way for the abused and battered to finally find justice and freedom.Participation is easy!

You can either pledge to write a letter by yourself, or, you can plan a letter writing event, at your home, school, church or even at your local cafe. You can hold your event, and send your letter(s) anytime from December 1-11, 2007.

To make it even easier, we are providing you with a sample letter that you can print out.

You can download the letter at:the IPF website: http://users.skynet.be/kola/writeathon2007.pdf

the LPDC website: http://www.leonardpeltier.net/documents/writeathon2007.pdf

Senator Leahy's address is on the letter.You can also fax your letter to Sen. Leahy at 202-224-3479(for supporters outside the USA: 00-1-202-224-3479)

Please inform us how many letters you & your friends/family have sent.
(note: have sent, not will send). * Please see Note Section

Send a message to the IPF at ipforum@skynet.be or to the LPDC at info@leonardpeltier.net put "Peltier WriteAThon" as subject title tell us how many letters were sent as well as your city + state (for the USA) or city + province (for Canada) or city + country (outside USA & Canada)

Thank you for your support !

Let's write a ton of letters for Leonard.

Els Herten, International Peltier Forum
Toni Zeidan, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

LPDC WEBSITE: http://www.leonardpeltier.net/
IPF WEBSITE: http://users.skynet.be/kola/index.htm and http://www.myspace.com/leonardpeltierisinnocent
e-mail LPDC:info@leonardpeltier.net
e-mail IPF:ipforum@skynet.be


Please Note:
For all those who seem to have a problem opening a *.pdf file... just send me an email at kolahq@skynet.be or at ipforum@skynet.be and I'll send you the sample letter for the Global Write-A-Thon as a Word *.doc attachment.
And, it seems a lot of people are mixing up two campaigns!
Our online petition is NOT the same as the Write-A-Thon.

This past week, there are ten times more people than usual signing the online petition for executive clemency, addressed at President George W. Bush.
Which, of course, is splendid. :-)But the Write-A-Thon , taking place right now from December 1 to 11, 2007, is about the release of the documents the FBI is still withholding and is addressed at Senator Patrick Leahy.
This is a writing campaign involving letters on "real" paper...
Remember: paper, sign with a pen... put in an envelope with a stamp (those thingies you can buy at a real brick stone post office)? J ( grin)

So, PLEASE: either print out the *.pdf sample letter or ask me for a Word *.doc copy.
By the way, we are asking supporters to inform us on how many letters were sent (and from which country) for only one reason: it gives us an idea how many letters Senator Leahy will receive and if indeed, this turned out to be a writing marathon.
It's not to check on you personally. Just so you would all know you're not alone in writing... We've already received messages from supporters who sent their letters to Sen. Leahy from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Poland and the USA. :-)Keep 'em coming !!!
Els Herten