American Indian Movement or American Indian Mafia? Leonard Peltier or Joseph Trimbach? Who do we trust? by Hickory Hendrickson
(libertarian)
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
I haven't made it through his book, "American Indian Mafia" yet but I have kept up with Former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Joseph Trimbach's published articles in FBI Monthly, Rocky Mountain News and News From Indian Country.
Mr. Trimbach introduces himself best, so I'll let him do the honors.
"Thirty-three years is a long time. But not so long that I don't remember what happened at Checkpoint #3 on the late afternoon of March 8, 1973. Four of my soldiers, pinned down behind an armored personnel carrier (APC), were in danger of being overrun by heavily armed militants. I was on duty at the Command Post when the emergency call came over the radio loudspeaker. With a surge of adrenaline, I hastily organized a sizable troop of reinforcements armed with M-16s. In mere moments, we were racing to the scene in an anxious forty-five minute trek across desolate terrain. En route, we received a grim update. The troops had run out of ammunition and were hunkered down, awaiting the endgame. Amid the steadily closing gunfire, they wondered who would arrive first, us or the enemy."
"Viet Nam, you say? Not quite. The arena of battle was the bowl-shaped, barren terrain surrounding the village of Wounded Knee, South Dakota. The "war" began on the dusty plains of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation when armed invaders, most of them reservation outsiders, led a nighttime raid on the village. My soldiers were FBI Special Agents, including the Bureau's first female Agents. As the senior FBI official on the scene, I made the fateful decision to erect roadblocks around the village in an attempt to contain the violence. With the help of U.S. Marshals and Indian Police, we hoped to end the conflict quickly in order to minimize loss of life. Little did I know that the raid I had initially viewed as similar to a bank robbery in progresswith demands for the release of hostageswould drag on for 71 long days. And the story of what happened became fodder for propagandists and reporters." - Trimbach in his 2006 article "PBS Fair?" published in The FBI Monthly - Read More Here -
Trimbach shows his opinion of all other media sources in the last sentence of the quote when he compares reporters to propagandists. I guess the FBI must be against propaganda......humm?
Trimbach's other articles discredit several books written about the 1973 Battle at Wounded Knee. Well maybe discredit is to strong a word. Spout his opinion is more accurately what Trimbach does in his articles. I hope to find more in-depth information in his book.
I plan to request an interview with Trimbach after I read "The American Indian Mafia". I will write a complete review of his work at that time.
In the past (Trimbach claims in his comment) all I have done is tell AIM's side of the story. WK 1973. I'm now researching the FBI's side of the story from Trimbach's point of view. I'll try to tell their whole story when I find out more facts. I'm having problems verifying some of Trimbach's sources.
Never-mind, I'm not going to waste time telling their side of the story. Someone else is busy on that project. Like I said....Trimbach tells it best!
Monica knows a lot more about the subject then I do. She wrote a review of "American Indian Mafia" and posted it here.
Trimbach and the FBI had a first hand view of the action at WK II. So did Leonard Peltier and AIM. Who do we trust?
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Because I know personally many of the actors introduced by Joseph Trimbach in his book, The American Indian Mafia, in the tragedy of Wounded Knee II (1973), the reservation murder of the two FBI agents on Jumping Bull property for which Leonard Peltier has been found guilty by nearly twenty judges across the US in a variety of appellate courts (all concurring he is guilty), and the murder of AIM member Anna Mae Aquash under present invetigation, I would rather trust my good friend Kamook Banks and her sister Bernie Lafferty when they affirm they heard Peltier admit he killed those agents, and Mr Joseph Trimbach with a distinguhished career as an ivnestigative officer for the FBI, than a murderer behind bars, Leonard Peltier. Folks without any knowledge of facts have swallowed, hook and sinker, the story that the FBI is an ennemy of the people and harassed the American Indian Movement. The reverse might be more the truth. The truth will out. It is beginning to emerge at the trial of the AIM murderers of Anna Mae Aquash. Finally, a book which sticks to the facts instead of fantasy. I know the people, the reservation, Leonard, and I know a lot of pertinent facts: In my view, Joseph Trimbach is on the right track, and I highly recommend his well-documented, well-researched book, which sets history right.
Dear LaDonna: The fact remains on court transcripts that the FBI coerced false testimony via Myrtle Poor Bear. American Indian Mafia is based on false testimony, false witnesses and false affidavits. Regardless of what you believe the fact of the matter is that FALSE AFFIDAVITS is the foundation of this book.
The historical FACT remains that the FBI lied. Read the court records/transcripts of Myrtle Poor Bear. The book "American Indian Mafia" is based on a historical, factual lie. The FACT that court records/transcripts reveal the FBI coerced false testimony, false affidavits via false witness, Myrtle Poor Bear. In FACT, the FBI purposely and intentionaly set out to secure a false witness to hide the truth of the matter being discussed in court on that day. The truth is the opposite of lies, and that is a FACT.
"American Indian Mafia" is a deliberate lie to hide the truth. What truth are the FBI hiding? The key to open the door of true understanding is found in the historical court records/transcripts of FBI witness, Myrtle Poor Bear. These records will tell you exactly "what" they are hiding. Listen intently to the "words" of Myrtle Poor Bear.
Fact I: Myrtle Poor Bear was a troubled individual whom the FBI should have left alone. As far as I know, Jean Day was Leonard Peltier's girlfriend in Tent City.
Fact II: The Affidavits (3) signed by Myrtle Poor Bear were used to extradite Leonard Peltier from Canada, and not in court during his trial. Though she was scheduled to be a witness for the prosecution, Poor Bear turned around and moved over to the defense during the trial.
Fact III : Because her "words' evidently could not be trusted, her testimony was not taken in front of the jury, and Judge Benson who presided over the trial of Peltier ruled that Myrtle Poor Bear's testimony was "irrelevant" to the case.
Conclusion: Myrtle Poor Bear has nothing to do with the culpability or lack of culpability of Leonard Peltier. Her name is dragged into this story again and again, when it should be forgotten and she left in peace. Finally, the case was not built on her testimony at all, so stop fretting about what she said or did not say. She is "irrelevant" to the matter.
In reference to LaDonna’s concluding comment that Myrtle Poor Bear is “irrelevant” to the Leonard Peltier case is obviously wrong! Myrtle Poor Bear will forever be known as the “Cat’s Paw” of the FBI along with other “actors” who are coerced or bribed into breaking the most basic moral law of “not to bear false witness against your neighbor”.
Anyone with a genuine interest in the truth should examine both sides of the story. For five bucks, you can download a copy of American Indian Mafia at outskirtspress.com/AmericanIndianMafia. We spent tens of thousands of dollars doing research for this book and found documents that will surprise you. We back up our claims with over a thousand footnotes, two appendices, and dozens of photographs. The other side has only propaganda, ad hominem attacks, and the destructive legacy of Peter Matthiessen's, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. If after reading our book you honestly think we're trying to cover up the truth rather than expose it, we'll refund your five dollars. (You'll be asked a series of authentication questions easily answered if you own the hard copy or have downloaded the e-book.) There is no reason to remain uninformed. Distrust of the government and a history of broken treaties is no longer a viable excuse to stay in the dark. If you really want to help the Indians of Pine Ridge, you need all the facts about Pine Ridge history and the AIM legacy. Our web site, americanindianmafia.com, is a good place to start.
Read both sides of the story for FREE at GOOGLE: "Myrtle Poor Bear Affidavits" or "Trial Transcript Excerpts Case Number CR77-3003"
DICITIONARY.COM defines CREDIBLE: 1. capable of being believed; believable: a credible statement. 2. worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy: a credible witness.-Synonyms 1. plausible, likely, reasonable, tenable. CREDIBILITY: 1. The quality, capability, or power to elicit belief: "America's credibility must not be squandered, especially by its leaders" Henry A. Kissinger 2. A capacity for belief: a story that strained our credibility. -Noun 1.the quality of being believable or trustworthy.
Like anyone who lived on the reservation, Myrtle Poor Beard lived in fear of the AIM leadership. Those who constantly trot her out as some sort of excuse for murder cheapen her memory. Let the poor woman rest in peace.
Myrtle Poor Bear is not allowed to "rest in peace" in this book. Under the heading "A Bum Steer" on pages 441 & 442. She is described in negative, stereotypical terms as another "alcoholic Indian" with no mind of her own. No wonder her testimony was that she lived in fear of the FBI and was coerced into giving false testimony. I do not consider her "a bum steer" or her testimony "a bum steer".
She should be accorded human dignity and respect whether you agree with her testimony or not. Her words will live forever in the court records and history books!
Instead of reading the biased (ex FBI-agent that is telling you all !) American Indian Mafia i recommend reading Agents Of Repression written by Ward Churchill. This will show you how it worked.
FYI, Trimbach skewers Churchill's Agents with many examples of fraudulent research. If I were you, I'd look for a better example of Churchill's "scholarship."
Cultural Anthropology 101: “The Parasite Society” by Elaine Wakaksan Matlow
The definition of a parasite is: an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival of its host; One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.*
The parasite society feeds off the human body, specifically the human body of Native Indian People.
Here’s how it works:
1. The parasite society creates oppression and traumatic events that affect the lives of Native Indian People.
2. In response to the oppression and traumatic events in their lives, Native Indian People may self-medicate themselves by using drugs or alcohol to alleviate the physical, mental and emotional trauma inflicted upon them.
3. The parasite society betrays the Native Indian People by stigmatizing, criminalizing and informs against them during court trials resulting in sentences to either jail or prison, or some type of substance abuse program.
4. The prisons and substance abuse programs provides jobs for the parasite society. Hence, they feed off Native Indian People whose bodies are contained in prison cells, substance abuse programs, or concentration camps known as Indian reservations. The Indian reservation provides about 65% of the natural resources consumed by the parasite society, and also provides jobs for boarding, residential, or public school administrators and staff.
5. Based on prison economics, the parasite society creates employment for themselves as follows:
-police
-jailers
-attorneys
-judges
-probation officers
-doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists
-substance abuse counsellors
-administrative staff
-half-way house staff
-contractors to build jails and prisons
-architects to design jails and prisons
-producers of electronic surveillance systems
-auto industry to design police patrol cars
-producers of police paraphernalia: uniforms, guns, clubs and tasers
-dog trainers for police dogs
-forensic anthropologists
-drug dealers
-U.S. Department Bureau of Indian Affairs
-U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
6. The Indian Reservation system* provides the parasite society with:
-prisoners for jails and prison system
-clients for substance abuse programs
-land
-water
-farm land, agricultural food that feeds the world such as: corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, etc.
-forestry, lumber
-oil, coal, gold, uranium and other minerals
-casinos and entertainment
-books, movies, film industry
"Big Eeya" This is a very old Dakota culture story as told by Irene Wakaksan Gonder
Once upon a time, a long time ago… a visitor came to the Dakota People. Their village was located near Wood Lake. The Dakota invited the guest to eat dinner with them. The guest had very big eyes and a very big belly. He ate all the dinner presented to him. He wanted more food to fill his big belly. The Dakota were a generous people. So, more food was brought to him. He ate the food all up and yet, he still wanted more food. Soon the Dakota realized that their guest was a Big Eeya and that he would eat everything in sight, including them.
What were the Dakota to do? The Big Eeya had an insatiable appetite. He wanted more food. The Dakota decided to run away from the Big Eeya. As they ran away they would leave a basket of food for him to eat while they fled. His belly became bigger and bigger. Soon the Dakota came to the edge of Wood Lake. They left another basket of food on the banks of the lake for the Big Eeya to eat. They got into their canoes to cross over to the other side of the lake. As they looked back they saw the Big Eeya eating the last basket of food they left for him. His belly was so very, very big and yet he still wanted more food. His big eyes saw the Dakota fleeing across the water. He wanted to eat them. So he jumped into the lake and gave chase after them. His belly was so very, very big and so very, very heavy that he drowned.
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