Peltier Can Go Home: Finally

Leonard Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe, has been imprisoned for over 47 years following his controversial conviction in the 1975 shooting deaths of two FBI agents.

His case has long been a rallying cry for Native American rights activists, who argue that his trial was marred by misconduct and racial bias.

Calls for his clemency or commutation had intensified in recent years, with many hoping President Joe Biden would take action. And that day has arrived.

Biden, as part of a record-setting flood of pardons, has allowed for Peltier to leave federal prison and spend his remaining days in home confinement. We don’t know what stipulations that comes with but. in my opinion, ANY limits on the man’s movement in the days he has remaining is unjust.

But today we will still celebrate this clemency.

Biden pledged to prioritize racial justice and Indigenous rights, and his track record is less than overwhelming. Leonard Peltier’s case is a prime example of how the system has failed Native people.

I feel that it shows the wide gap between America’s historic priorities and the respect we feel due to Native Americans.