Jericho '98
March 26, 1998

My name is Anna Standing Deer and I have been asked by my husband, known to many of you all as simply Standing Deer, and to many of you not at all, to do this Jericho '98 entry on him. I hope to be writing of him the next time in freedom, as well as writing on many of our other brave political warrior men and woman in freedom the next time as well.

Freedom for all is what I see as the purpose of us being assembled here in DC today. Let the walls come tumbling down! Let there be no more Iron Houses of Greed.

It's ironic that I often used to think that the first day of my life began when I first met Standng Deer, and the first day of his life began, when he met me. But that is not so for my husband had many miles to go both forward and backwards also in reclaiming himself to give either of us a "first day." This he did in 1978 with American Indian Leader, Leonard Peltier. With Leonard, Standing Deer, born of the Oneida/Choctaw peoples, not only crossed the land to his Oneida peoples, but retraced the Trail of Tears within his soul, not only for himself and me, but for countless others, and in this manner, in 1978, we came to know our first day...

In 1978 Leonard, was his mentor and Standing Deer was alone with Leonard. It was the life of Leonard that he chose to spare in exchange for his freedom. Today, Standing Deer remains the only person alive to prove and speak on the hideous, hideous US government's plot to rid the land of a strong symbol of Indian resistance, Leonard Peltier. And as you know,it is by our symbols of resistance, as in Leonard, Assata, Mumia, Carmen, Marilyn and countless others, that a people are embued to live and fight... yet another day. I hope in some small way that my husband also, has served to inspire a person or two or three, so that all members of our varied families may come to know, as he and I do, that the wait is indeed a "good one" and the fight, a "just one" if it results in all of our people knowing the essence of true freedom.

In 1983, Standing Deer, Leonard and Al Garza, (a Sefardic Jew) were joined together in a death fast, in a protest of Marion prison conditions, (they were on 24-hour lockdown) as well as the denial of Marion prison officals to allow the worship of respective religions of these three men. Standing Deer, Leonard (Gwarth-ee- Lass) and Al Garza (Rechaza) were committed to fast to the death. As Standing Deer said in Can't Jail the Spirit, it was possible for him to endure ALL prison indignities, "except the final outrage" of having the worship of his religion outlawed.

The men fasted for 43 days until the US government, fearing further worldwide condemnation and censure, ordered forcefeeding, lest these men publicly die on their hands, in order to secure such a basic right as freedom of religion. These three men, refusing to be forcefed. in 1983, remained in struggle.

Ultimately, in 1983,through the influence of our attorney, Margaret Gold, the three were moved from Marion (and Springfifed Medical Unit) to separate locations. Standing Deer went to USP Lompoc, where he was soon booted out of the federal prison system altogether for spearheading more prison and Native American spiritual rights activism.

Standing Deer then started doing Oklahoma time in Oklahoma, and was none too quiet there either. He, along with his Native American Choctaw brother, Ben Carnes, was instrumental in prisoners being allowed to wear their hair in accordance with the dictates of their Native religion, as well, as seeing that the prison facilitated the entry of traditional medicine men into the Oklahoma state prison system for traditioal prayer.

Then came Standing Deer and Texas,where we are now.There he is our "roving uncredentialed penal" reporter,writing of untouchable food, guard brutality and even worse, guard mayhem and death.

And now to update all of you on the last three months. Standing Deer is the author of the "High Security" pychological death chambers piece called "control units". If you watched "Nightline " this past week, you would have noticed how, perhaps inadvertently, your letters of assistance, drew Ted Koppel to Standing Deer's Estelle prison unit, where there is a completed "control unit." Such exposure of these "controls unit" almost cost us his life, as the prison decided it was necessary to detain Standing Deer illegally in solitary confinement for a total of 24 days, and deny him essential high-blood pressure and diabetes medication, upon first throwing him into "lockup." Again Margaret Gold intervened along with the life-saving letters, calls and faxes of all of you.

In case some of you have not heard, both Leonard and Standing Deer have been put through at least 4 (four) years of mind-torture by both being told that they had the potentially fatal illness prostate cancer. On March 13th this year, Standing Deer was told that he did not have it and Leonard was given the "good" news shortly before that. This was done by their "doctors" at their respective prisons. A reversal of fortunes? The men's minds had been devastated and although they do feel some measure of relief now, we still do not know the truth, and are attempting to locate our own medical experts.

It is of great significance to the US government that my husband still lives and can testify to the plot on Leonard Peltier's life, however, this death threat hanging over Standing Deer, has done little to deter him from the struggle of spiritual rights and his quest for basic human dignity and viability for all, within and without the Walls. Often it seems the greater the adversary, the more resolved he becomes. For Standing Deer, it was a great honor when you all designated him a political prisoner and I know that he will never seek to disappoint you for bestowing that honor upon him, nor seek to belittle this honor in significance, for this is what he has said to me.

And so we will continue to try and do our utmost in working alongside the People and itis my hope that that Standing Deer continues to live on Mother Earth life in order to "fight the good fight"with the combined help of all of you.

Thank you.

Anna Standing Deer

It would be nice if you would write Standing Deer. You may reach him in this manner:

Robert H. Wilson #640289
Estelle Unit
264 FM 3478
Huntsville, TX 77320-3322