LEONARD PELTIER: FREE AT LAST - THANK YOU PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

LEONARD PELTIER: FREE AT LAST

 THANK YOU PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

“It’s finally over — I’m going home,” declared Leonard Peltier, the words carrying the weight of nearly half a century of incarceration and a struggle that has echoed across generations. For over 15 years, the *Big Education Ape Blog* has been banging the drum for Peltier’s release, and now, at long last, justice has taken a step in the right direction. President Joe Biden, in a move that will undoubtedly ruffle more than a few feathers in certain federal agencies, granted clemency to the 80-year-old Native American activist. And just like that, one of the most contentious symbols of systemic injustice in America is heading home — albeit to indefinite house arrest. But hey, freedom is freedom, even with a Wi-Fi password.

A Political Prisoner in Plain Sight

Leonard Peltier’s story is one that reads like a bad screenplay: a Native American activist caught in the crosshairs of a politically charged trial, convicted for the 1975 murders of two FBI agents during a violent standoff on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. The trial? Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a masterclass in due process. Coerced testimony? Check. Withheld evidence? Check. A courtroom atmosphere that could have doubled as an FBI reunion party? Triple check.

For decades, activists, tribal leaders, and human rights organizations have pointed out the glaring flaws in Peltier’s conviction. It’s not every day you see *Amnesty International* and *Desmond Tutu* on the same page as *Willie Nelson* and *the Dalai Lama*. But when it came to Leonard Peltier, the consensus was clear: this man was railroaded by a justice system that seemed to have misplaced its blindfold and scales.

Biden’s Big Move

President Biden’s decision to commute Peltier’s life sentence wasn’t just an act of mercy; it was a long-overdue acknowledgment of a system that had failed spectacularly. After years of petitions, protests, and polite-yet-firm letters from everyone under the sun (including several members of Congress), Biden finally took action. The result? Peltier’s life sentence has been commuted to house arrest, allowing him to spend his remaining years outside the cold confines of a prison cell.

Of course, not everyone is thrilled about this decision. The FBI Agents Association has already issued statements expressing their disappointment, which is about as surprising as finding out water is wet. But for Indigenous communities and human rights advocates, this moment is nothing short of monumental. It’s proof that even the most entrenched injustices can be chipped away with persistence, advocacy, and a little help from a president willing to stick his neck out.

A Symbol of Resilience

Leonard Peltier isn’t just a man; he’s a symbol — and not the kind you see on bumper stickers next to “Coexist” and “Save the Whales.” For Native American communities, his case represents decades of systemic oppression, broken treaties, and a justice system that often seems more interested in maintaining power than pursuing truth. His release is being celebrated not just as an individual victory but as a broader moment of hope for Indigenous rights and sovereignty.

Peltier himself has spent his 40-plus years behind bars reflecting on his role as both an activist and a prisoner. In his writings, he has expressed sorrow for those who have passed during his incarceration and gratitude for the countless supporters who have kept his story alive. He has also been candid about his frustrations — from repeated denials of clemency to health issues exacerbated by subpar medical care in prison. At 80 years old, with declining health and an abdominal aortic aneurysm that sounds as terrifying as it is hard to pronounce, Peltier’s release couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Bigger Picture

Peltier’s release isn’t happening in a vacuum. It comes at a time when America is finally starting to reckon with its treatment of Indigenous peoples. Just last year, President Biden issued a formal apology for the federal government’s role in Indian boarding schools — institutions that were less about education and more about cultural erasure on an industrial scale. These schools inflicted untold trauma on generations of Native children, and Biden’s apology, while significant, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to addressing historical injustices.

The *Big Education Ape Blog* — ever the thorn in the side of complacency — has been quick to connect the dots between Peltier’s case and broader systemic issues. From the abuse suffered in boarding schools to the ongoing struggles for tribal sovereignty, the blog has made it clear that Peltier’s story is part of a much larger narrative. And while his release is cause for celebration, it’s also a reminder that there’s still plenty of work to be done.

 A Legacy of Advocacy

The fight for Leonard Peltier’s freedom has spanned decades and involved an eclectic mix of supporters. From grassroots activists to Hollywood celebrities (yes, we’re looking at you, Robert Redford), the coalition advocating for his release has been as diverse as it is determined. Organizations like *Amnesty International* have highlighted his case as a glaring example of political imprisonment, while publications like *Popular Resistance* have chronicled his struggles in excruciating detail.

Even education-focused blogs like *Big Education Ape* have taken up the cause, using their platforms to draw attention to Peltier’s plight and its implications for justice in America. Their coverage has ranged from biting critiques of systemic racism to heartfelt calls for clemency, proving that sometimes even an "ape" can be an eloquent advocate for change.

What Comes Next?

So what does life look like for Leonard Peltier now? Indefinite house arrest may not be anyone’s idea of paradise, but compared to the walls of a maximum-security prison, it’s practically Club Med. For Peltier, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with his family, reflect on his journey, and continue advocating for Indigenous rights from the comfort of home (and hopefully with access to better healthcare).

For the rest of us, his release serves as both a victory and a challenge. It’s a victory because it shows that persistence can pay off, even when the odds seem insurmountable. But it’s also a challenge because Leonard Peltier’s story isn’t unique. There are countless others who remain trapped in systems designed to marginalize and oppress. If we’re serious about justice, we can’t stop at celebrating one man’s freedom; we have to keep pushing for systemic change.

The Last Laugh

As we close this chapter in Leonard Peltier’s saga, one can’t help but marvel at the irony: it took 48 years, countless protests, and a presidential intervention to correct what many saw as an obvious miscarriage of justice from day one. It’s almost enough to make you laugh — if you don’t cry first.

But laugh we shall, because sometimes humor is the only way to process the absurdity of it all. Leonard Peltier is finally free (well, free-ish), and that’s no small thing. So here’s to him — and here’s to everyone who fought tirelessly for this moment. May his story inspire us all to keep fighting for justice, one witty blog post at a time.

Departing Biden commutes Leonard Peltier sentence https://nondoc.com/2025/01/22/departing-biden-commutes-leonard-peltier-sentence/ via @nondocmedia 

‘It’s finally over’: President Biden Grants Leonard Peltier Clemency https://ndncollective.org/president-biden-grants-leonard-peltier-clemency/ 

Big Education Ape: PRESIDENT BIDEN APOLOGIZES FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN BRUTAL INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS: FREE LEONARD PELTIER https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2024/10/president-biden-apologizes-for-federal.html 

Big Education Ape: Please Share this! Free Leonard Peltier: Obama Urged to Grant Clemency to Native American Activist Jailed for 40 Years | Democracy Now! https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/12/please-share-this-free-leonard-peltier.html

Big Education Ape: Peltier: ‘My Forty Years In Prison’ | PopularResistance.Org https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/02/peltier-my-forty-years-in-prison.html 

Big Education Ape: Modern School: Does America Torture Americans? Yes... https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2011/07/modern-school-does-america-torture.html?spref=tw

TRUMP 2.0 EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT SING, DANCE, STIR THE CULTURE WAR POT, AND SHAKESPEARE

 TRUMP 2.0

EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT SING, DANCE, STIR THE CULTURE WAR POT, AND SHAKESPEARE

Ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your MAGA hats and prepare for a whirlwind tour of Trump 2.0. The executive orders are back, and this time, they’re bigger, bolder, and more controversial than ever. If you thought the first term was a reality TV show, buckle up—this sequel is a mashup of *The Apprentice*, *Survivor*, and *Game of Thrones*, with a sprinkle of *Shark Tank* just for fun. Let’s dive into the greatest hits of Trump’s latest executive order playlist, where culture wars meet policy chaos, and the Constitution gets a serious workout.  

Birthright Citizenship: The Constitution vs. The Apprentice

In a move so bold it could’ve been a season finale twist on *The Apprentice*, Trump has decided to tackle birthright citizenship. His executive order declares that babies born to undocumented immigrants (or certain temporary residents) on U.S. soil are no longer citizens. Yes, you read that right—he’s taking on the 14th Amendment like it’s a poorly negotiated trade deal.  

Legal scholars are already sharpening their pencils (and their wit), pointing out that this little thing called the Constitution might have something to say about it. But Trump seems undeterred. His message? “You’re born here? Big deal. Not a citizen. Next!”  

Energy Emergency: Drill, Baby, Drill (and Cancel Those Windmills)  

If there’s one thing Trump loves more than a golden escalator, it’s oil. Declaring a “national energy emergency,” he’s ordered expedited drilling in Alaska and beyond. Forget Biden’s coastal protections—Trump’s executive order rescinds them faster than you can say “polar bear habitat.”  

And those offshore wind turbines? Trump paused leasing federal waters for wind projects, citing his long-standing feud with the spinning giants. “They’re ugly, they kill birds, and they make me seasick,” he probably didn’t say but definitely thought.  

Oh, and the Paris Climate Agreement? Once again, Trump has ghosted it like a bad Tinder date. “We’re out,” he declared, proving that when it comes to climate commitments, he’s the Houdini of global diplomacy.  

DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Not on My Watch!  

In his crusade against “woke” culture, Trump has set his sights on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His executive order eliminates policies that promote these values across federal agencies. He even went so far as to revoke Lyndon B. Johnson’s Equal Employment Opportunity order from 1965—because apparently, 58 years of progress was just too much.  

Trump also directed the FAA to ditch DEI hiring practices in favor of good old-fashioned “merit-based hiring.” Translation: “If you’re woke, you’re broke.”  

And just in case that wasn’t enough, he ordered agencies to investigate large corporations and universities with hefty endowments. Nothing says “small government” like micromanaging billion-dollar institutions from the Oval Office.  

Transgender Policies: Back to Binary Basics  

Trump’s executive orders have also taken aim at transgender Americans. He declared that official documents must recognize only two sexes—male and female—because apparently, biology is now a matter of presidential decree.  

He also rescinded Biden-era provisions that allowed transgender individuals to serve in the military. While he didn’t immediately reinstate his first-term ban, he left the door wide open for a sequel. It’s like he’s teasing us with a cliffhanger: “Will he or won’t he? Tune in next season!”  

Jan. 6 Pardons: Forgive and Forget?  

In one of his most eyebrow-raising moves yet, Trump pardoned the majority of Jan. 6 defendants and commuted the sentences of 14 others. Among the lucky recipients were leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, proving once again that loyalty pays—especially if it involves storming the Capitol.  

Trump referred to these individuals as “hostages” in need of rescue, which is certainly one way to describe people convicted of crimes against democracy. He even pardoned Ross Ulbricht, creator of the infamous Silk Road marketplace, because why not throw in a wildcard?  

Health Orders: WHO’s Out and Big Pharma Wins  

Remember when Trump pulled the U.S. out of the World Health Organization (WHO) during his first term? Well, he’s doing it again—for good measure. Citing the WHO’s “mishandling” of the COVID-19 pandemic and its alleged political biases, Trump’s executive order makes it clear: America is breaking up with global health diplomacy.  

As for prescription drug costs? Biden’s 2022 order to lower them has been tossed out like last season’s fashion trends. Big Pharma is back in business, baby!  

TikTok Ban: Suspended but Not Forgotten  

In a surprising twist, Trump has suspended his beloved TikTok ban—for 75 days. Why 75 days? No one knows. Maybe it’s a grace period for him to perfect his renegade dance moves or launch his own TikTok rival app called *TrumpTok*. Whatever the reason, Gen Z can breathe easy… for now.  

The Name Game: Denali Becomes Mount McKinley Again  

If renaming mountains were an Olympic sport, Trump would take gold. In an executive order that feels oddly personal, he renamed Denali back to Mount McKinley and rechristened the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Because nothing says “Make America Great Again” like slapping new labels on old landmarks.  

Federal Workers: Back to the Office or Bust  

Federal employees hoping for continued remote work privileges are in for a rude awakening. Trump has ordered all government workers back to their cubicles full-time and implemented a hiring freeze across federal agencies (except for the military and immigration enforcement).  

But wait—there’s more! He also reinstated his infamous Schedule F executive order, making it easier to fire civil servants deemed disloyal to his administration. It’s like *The Apprentice*, but with less drama and more bureaucracy.  

A Department for Efficiency (and Irony)  

In perhaps the most ironic move of all, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency via executive order. Because nothing screams “efficient” like creating an entirely new department to oversee efficiency. It’s like hiring a personal trainer who spends all their time eating donuts instead of lifting weights.  

Final Thoughts: A Symphony of Chaos  

Trump 2.0’s executive orders are many things—bold, divisive, legally questionable—but above all, they’re entertaining in a way only Trump can deliver. Whether you agree with his policies or not, you have to admit: The man knows how to keep us talking. 

So grab your popcorn and settle in for what promises to be a wild ride through the next four years of executive orders, culture wars, and bureaucratic mayhem. Love him or hate him, Trump is back—and he’s singing to his choir louder than ever before.

If William Shakespeare had attended the Trump Inauguration he might have said:  

Now is the winter of our discontent,  

Made glorious summer by this son of Queens;  

And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house  

In the deep bosom of executive orders buried.**

Now are our brows bound with MAGA hats;  

Our bruised arms hung up for monuments of walls;  

Our stern alarums changed to Twitter storms,  

Our dreadful marches to rallies and chants.  

Grim-visaged truth hath smooth’d her wrinkled front;  

And now, instead of mounting facts and reason  

To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,  

He capers nimbly in a golden tower  

To the lascivious pleasing of a base.

But I, who am not shaped for woke agendas,  

Nor made to court an amorous progressive press;  

I, who am rudely stamped, and want the virtue  

To strut before a liberal ambling crowd;  

I, who am curtail’d of this fair proportion,  

Cheated of decorum by dissembling polls,  

Deformed, unfinish’d, sent before my time  

Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,  

And that so lamely and unfashionable  

That fact-checkers bark at me as I tweet by them;  

Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,  

Have no delight to pass away the time,  

Unless to sign my shadow in the press  

And descant on mine own executive orders:  

And therefore, since I cannot prove a uniter,  

To entertain these fair well-spoken days,  

I am determined to prove a disruptor  

And hate the idle pleasures of these elites.

Orders have I laid, proclamations dangerous,  

By drunken prophecies of fake news and fraud,  

To set my predecessor and the woke  

In deadly hate the one against the other:  

And if the courts be as true and just  

As I am subtle, false and treacherous,  

This day should birthright citizenship be mew’d up,  

About a clause, which says that ‘soil’  

Of America’s heirs the citizen shall be.

Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: here  

Alaska drills.

Now is the age of culture wars declared,  

With genders fixed and DEI dismantled;  

Where monuments rise to classical columns,  

And windmills pause at the stroke of a pen.  

Pardons flow like wine at a feast,  

And the hostages of January 6th walk free.  

The Paris Climate burns in the flames of my ire,  

While gas and coal rise from the ashes of treaties.  

TikTok dances on a temporary stay,  

And the WHO withdraws to the sound of my scorn.

But I, who am unfit for compromise,  

Will stride this stage with a villain’s glee.  

For I am the winter of their discontent,  

And glorious summer shall never return.