Monday, November 30, 2015

THE SAND CREEK MASSACRE - A GENOCIDE THAT FAILED

 
With all its fancy production -- a soundtrack with barking dogs, gunfire, screams; misty quotes appearing and disappearing, mysterious red, white and blue lights illuminating artifacts -- the single-most stunning item in Collsion: The Sand Creek Massacre, 1860s -Today at History Colorado is a single-page letter from Captain Silas Soule.
 
The letter, along with a second letter from Lieutenant Joseph Cramer, is encased in plastic and kept in a pocket near the end of the exhibit. It would be easy to overlook. But then, it was almost lost -- twice.
 
It was no secret that Soule, who'd been at Fort Lyon when Colonel John Chivington rode in with his "Bloodless Third" troops in late November 1864, determined to attack the peaceful native Americans camped at Sand Creek, refused to participate in the killings. He testified against Chivington when Congress looked into the massacre of 150 mostly women, children and elderly men; Soule was assassinated a few months later, on the streets of Denver in April 1865.
 
But the letter he'd written shortly after the massacre to General Edward Wynkoop, who'd been transferred from Fort Lyon shortly before Chivington appeared, vanished. In 2000, when Congress was again considering Sand Creek -- this time to create the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site -- it suddenly appeared again. David Halaas, then the state historian, was going through a trunk of papers found in an attic in Evergreen and realized that the stash included long-lost letters about the massacre from Soule and Cramer. Just weeks after that discovery, then-Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell read Soule's words to Congress, moving lawmakers to tears. The site was dedicated in April 2007.
 
The words are from an eyewitness to history, to one of the saddest days in Colorado's history. But a decade after the letters were found, as History Colorado decided to dedicate one of its inaugural exhibits to Sand Creek, the museum chose to feature another letter from Soule -- one to his mother that did not discuss the massacre. It was only after the Northern Cheyenne objected to numerous omissions and errors in the proposed exhibit that the letter was added.
 
As I write in my current column, "Collision Course," the Northern Cheyenne are still so concerned about Collision that they have requested it be closed until History Colorado consults with the tribe; that hasn't happened. But interest in Sand Creek is high -- so high that two lectures at History Colorado featuring Ari Kelman, a University of California Davis professor who wrote A Misplaced Massacre, a book that follows the establishment of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, have sold out; a third has been added at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.
 
History Colorado should make copies of Soule's letter, and hand them to the hundreds of people who attend each lecture. And then it should make sure to leave all the extra copies at Collision, so that visitors can take home this reminder of one of Colorado's saddest days...and the sad injustices and oversights that continue.   And here's what they would read in Soule's letter to General Wynkoop: 
 
Two days after you left here with the 3rd Reg't. With a Battalion of the 1st arrived here, having moved so secretly that we were not aware of their approach of until they Pickets around the Post, allowing no one to pass out! They arrested Capt. Bent and John Vogle and placed guards around their houses. They then declared their intention to massacre the friendly Indians camped on Sand Creek. Major Anthony gave all information, an eagerly joined in with Chivington and Co. and ordered Lieut. Cramer with his whole Co. to join the command. As soon as I knew of their movement I was indignant as you would have been were you here and went to Cannon's room, where a number of officers of the 1st and 3rd were congregated and told them that any man who would take part in the murders, knowing the circumstances as we did, was a low lived cowardly son of a bitch. Capt. Y. J. Johnson and Lt. Harding went to camp and reported to Chiv. Downing and the whole outfit what I had said, and you can bet hell was to pay in camp.

Chiv and all hands swore they would hang me before they moved camp, but I stuck it out, and all the officers at the Post, except Anthony backed me. I was then ordered with my whole comany to Major A- with 20 days rations. I told him I would not take part in their intended murder, but if they were going after the Sioux, Kiowas or any fighting Indians, I would go as far as any of them.

We arrived at Black Kettle's and Left Hand's camp at daylight. Lieut. Wilson with Co.s "C", "E" & "G" were ordered to in advance to cut off their herd. He made a circle to the rear and formed a line 200 yds. From the village, and opened fire. Poor Old John Smith and Louderbeck ran out with white flags but they paid no attention to them, and they ran back to their tents. I refused to fire and swore that none but a coward would, for by this time hundreds of women and children were coming toward us and getting on their knees for mercy. Anthony shouted, "kill the sons of bitches" Smith and Louderbeck came to our command although I am confident there were 200 shots fired at them, for I heard an officer say that Old Smith and any one who sympathized with the Indians, ought to be killed and now was a good time to do it.

When the Indians found there was no hope for them they went for the Creek and got under the banks and some of the bucks got their bows and a few rifles and defended themselves as well as they could.The massacre lasted six or eight hours, and a good many Indians escaped. I tell you Ned it was hard to see little children on their knees have their brains beat out by men professing to be civilized. One squaw was wounded and a fellow took a hatchet to finish her, and he cut one arm off, and held the other with one hand and dashed the hatchet through her brain. One squaw with her two children, were on their knees, begging for their lives of a dozen soldiers, within ten feet of them all firing - when one succeeded in hitting the squaw in the thigh, when she took a knife and cut the throats of both children and then killed herself. One Old Squaw hung herself in the lodge - there was not enough room for her to hang and she held up her knees and choked herself to death. Some tried to escape on the Prairie, but most of them were run down by horsemen. I saw two Indians hold one of anothers hands, chased until they were exhausted, when they kneeled down, and clasped each other around the neck and both were shot together. They were all scalped, and as high as half a dozen taken from one head. They were all horribly mutilated. You would think it impossible for white men to butcher and mutilate human beings as they did.

And you would think it impossible for us to not tell the whole story today.
 
From our archives: Read Michael Paglia's "The new History Colorado Center is an architectural triumph."

PRISONER ROBERT HINTON SHOT DEAD FOR REPORTING VIOLENT ABUSE


Chang W. Lee / NY TimesCHANG W. LEE / NY TIMES

Robert Hinton was shot at the Van Dyke houses on Thanksgiving. The 28-year-old was awaiting a settlement from the city for a beat down he suffered from correction officers on Rikers Island.

Just weeks from a $450,000 payout from the city and his first child expected in January, a former Rikers Island inmate had everything to look forward to — until he was fatally shot in the head in Brooklyn.
Robert Hinton, who made headlines for surviving a beatdown from correction officers, was killed Thursday night — just two months after winning a settlement from the city.
Hinton, 28, was on the brink of getting the big check when he was shot in front of the Van Dyke Houses on Sutter Ave. in Brownsville around 11:35 p.m., according to police. He was looking forward to welcoming a baby girl.
A second victim was shot in the leg. He ran to a nearby apartment, where cops found him, officials said. His wounds were not life-threatening.
The shooter was still being sought late Friday, police said.
In September, the city settled with Hinton over the 2012 case in which he was beaten by several correction officers. He was handcuffed and in solitary confinement on Rikers.
Hinton had committed the sin of refusing to be transferred to a different cell without getting his lunch — a baloney sandwich.
The settlement was signed Sept. 14, but Hinton had yet to receive it when he died, his lawyer said. It was unclear exactly when he would have received the money, but generally the city has a 90-day window to send the check, so he likely would have received it within the next three weeks.
APRIL 2012 IMAGE; AP PROVIDES ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED HANDOUT PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE TRIALS AND HEARINGSAP

City Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte called Hinton's beating an act of 'brazen misconduct.'

The Brooklyn man's face swelled to three times its normal size, his eyes filled with blood and he had cracked vertebrae as a result of the beating. A surveillance camera captured the attack.
"Our hearts are heavy with the news today of our client Robert Hinton's death," said Leo Glickman, whose firm represented Hinton in the lawsuit. "That he died in such violent circumstances reminds us again that our community must dedicate itself to ending the cycle of violence afflicting so many."
A Rikers Island captain and five correction officers were fired in January for the beating. In announcing the dismissals, city Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte said "there is no room for this type of behavior at Rikers."
The Bronx district attorney's office is still weighing whether to file criminal charges against the officers, a spokeswoman said.
"We are satisfied that Robert got his day in court and Robert now hopes to move on with his life," his attorney, Nicole Bellina, said at the time of the settlement.
Hinton's mother was at the medical examiner's office Friday afternoon, while devastated relatives gathered at his home. The mom learned of the shooting toward the end of the family Thanksgiving gathering, his aunt Lynette Johnson told the Daily News.
"It was devastating," Johnson said. "It doesn't seem real. In the blink of eye you're gone. He was a beautiful person. He said once, if you've been through half of what I've been through, you'd be dead."
The baby girl was due Jan. 20, his sister Keviah Johnson, 21, said.
Hinton smiles as he holds his niece Kayleann Johnson in this undated file photo.

Hinton smiles as he holds his niece Kayleann Johnson in this undated file photo.

"He was adventurous, loving, fun," she said. "He was the protector of the family."
"We were having Thanksgiving dinner," another sister, Kenashia Johnson said. "When everyone left he took his little sister and nephews home. And then he went to Brownsville."
Hinton was affiliated with the Bloods street gang, police sources said, and had several stays on Rikers Island. He had a five-year stint on an assault case in 2008, before he was transferred to state prison, officials said.
He was released in June 2014. He also served a three-year prison term beginning in 2005 for assault.
In the 2008 case, Hinton was accused of shooting and wounding a man during an argument.
He had 11 prior arrests for a range of charges, including weapons possession, assault, and attempted murder.
He had been arrested twice in 2015, officials said. 
With   -nydailynews

IS YOUR SISTER WORTH TEN DOLLARS?

Avoka Ezidxan and Aveen Ismail 
ISIS still holds some 2,000 Yazidi women and girls, according to community leaders. Here some of the survivors and family members speak out.
WWW.NBCNEWS.COM|BY NBC NEWS
  • " SOME ARE SOLD FOR WEAPONS, OR FOR JUST $10, OR 10 Cigarettes
    Today, community leaders say around 2,000 women and girls are still being bought and sold in ISIS-controlled areas. The young become sex slaves and older women are beaten and used as house slaves, according to survivors and accounts from ISIS"

THERE IS NO END TO CHINA'S CRUELTY

Jeremy Taylor shared a link.
4 hrs
New fashion jewelry in China, animals living under plastic containing a liquid nutrient and oxygen that allows them to live up to 2 months.This is cruel and should be condemned by the international community.
SECURE.AVAAZ.ORG

THERE IS NO GOD BUT MONEY


Sunday, November 29, 2015

WOMEN'S RIGHTS DEFENDERS KILLED IN 2015

We remember Losana and other women human rights defenders we lost in 2015.
To mark International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, we remember some of the female activists who have been killed over the past year
THEGUARDIAN.COM|BY LIZ FORD

SAUDI ARABIA HAS TENTS GALORE - BUT NO REFUGEES - WHY?

Saudi Arabia is home to 100,000 empty air-conditioned tents that have the capability to house over 3 million people at once, but, unfortunately, they have…
EWAO.COM

BABY BURIED ALIVE IN AMERICA - AMERICA HAS SAVAGES TOO

The crying coming from under a block of asphalt sounded like it was from a cat to Angelica Blount, but it turned out to be an abandoned baby that police say was deliberately buried under debris along a Los Angeles area walking path.http://wptz.tv/6187BrpDL
The crying coming from under a block of asphalt sounded like it was from a cat to Angelica Blount. But it turned out to be an abandoned baby that police say was deliberately buried under debris along a Los Angeles area walking path.
WWW.WPTZ.COM|BY BY ANDREAS PREUSS CN

RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - PRACTICING A WAY TO PEACE - PROTESTING AGAINST VIOLENCE

 
RHR KICKS OFF ANOTHER YEAR OF EDUCATING YOUNG ISRAELIS ON HUMAN RIGHTS, ISRAEL AND JUDAISM
Every year, Rabbis for Human Rights teaches around 800 young pre-military service Israelis about international human rights standards, the specific needs of vulnerable communities in our region, and the connection between the founding principles of Israel with Judaism and human rights. For most, this is the first time they have ever really thought or learned about human rights.
Each year, these students become soldiers, bringing their new knowledge with them into the field to influence the decisions they make on the ground.
Click to read more from education director Rabbi Nava Hefetz on RHR's unique education programs in Judaism and human rights, just kicking off the new academic year this month.

 
Rabbi Nava Hefetz, Educational Director of RHR, reports on the opening of this year's educational work: [caption id=
RHR.ORG.IL
Top of Form
 
 
 
WATCH: YOUNG JEWISH SETTLERS INCITED TO VIOLENCE
A group of young Jewish boys came to the Palestinian village of Madma from the settlement of Yitzhar on Saturday and called for Palestinian farmers to be the next Muhammad Abu Khdeir and Dawabshe. Palestinian Muhammad Abu Khdeir was burned alive in the summer of 2014 by Jewish extremists, while three of the Dawabshe family, from the Palestinian village of Duma, were burned to death in an arson attack reportedly by Jewish extremists this past summer.
The below clip linked to below, filmed by Rabbis for Human Rights' Palestinian field worker Zakaria Sadah, shows an adult Israeli leading a group of young boys from the settlement of Yitzhar to Palestinian land where the boys shouted at local Palestinians "All of you are Khdeir and Dawabshe" [minute 1:50].
WATCH THE VIDEO CIP -->https://youtu.be/zk8E886Umhs
Rabbis for Human Rights:
"This is another unfortunate testimony to the manipulation of young boys towards hatred and terror in settlements known for extremist ideology. When we see Palestinian children incited towards violence in this way, we are outraged – and rightly so. Therefore, we all must follow the Hebrew proverb "Na'eh doresh – na'eh meqayem" (practice what you preach) and condemn this action. We especially hope to see this behaviour condemned by the spiritual leaders of settlement communities."
Video: Zakaria Sadah, Palestinian field worker of Rabbis for Human Rights
Note: Although Rabbis for Human Rights does not work on Shabbat, our Palestinian field worker provides documentation and assistance in incidents that may occur then.