Arlo Looking Cloud--Psychological Lamb on the way to the Slaughter

ARLO LOOKING CLOUD: PSYCHOLOGICAL LAMB ON WAY TO SLAUGHTER

What we have here is failure to communicate. More accurately, we have a total unwillingness to communicate. The real family of Arlo Looking Cloud were quite surprised to learn that Arlo’s request for a new attorney was turned down by the judge. They were quite surprised because they had to read it in the paper in order to know it had even taken place. The Rapid City Journal refers to Arlo as “the slayer of Anna Mae,” while the Sioux Falls paper refers to Arlo as the “killer.” In other words, Arlo is stuck with court appointed lawyer, Timothy Rensch. Timothy Rensch, who was incapable of cross examining those 23 FBI Agents . Timothy Rensch, who allowed a videotaped “confession” by Arlo, while Arlo was drunk . Timothy Rensch, who allowed extraneous evidence to be planted against AIM, American Indian Movement, and Leonard Peltier. I have just one question here: just who’s side is Mr. Rensch on? FBI or Arlo? Even I, who claim to no nothing of the law, could have litigated that case better than Mr. Rensch.

And now Mr. Rensch is hanging on like a tick to a dog, aided and abetted by the racist South Dakota court system, to make sure that Arlo goes quietly and silently to prison where he can rot along side Leonard Peltier, while the real criminals are riding high, are in charge. Poor little Arlo is only a pawn. The Feds want to remove the only defense the Indians ever had in modern times: AIM. You know what the disgusting thing is in all of this? Everyone wants a piece of Arlo, just like a vulture, yet no one really cares about him except the real family of real Lakotas living here on the Pine Ridge Reservation. And they are so powerless to do anything. They are the real family. I know them. I talk with them.

I talked with Tony Black Feather, UN representative, supporting indigenous people not only here, but around the world. He said, “The elders told us not to trust the U.S. Government. Americans live by a corrupt system and corrupt laws which they consider to be normal. Every day a pychologically abused Lakota is led like a lamb to the slaughter. No crumb of justice will never justify his sufferings. And the conscience of my people is captive to the corrupt system that claims to be their benefactor. Bush and Ashcroft are using the wealth of my nation to hurt my Lakota people, and to hurt women and childen around the world. Bush and Ashcroft want to emasculate the men, damage their psyche, turn them over to alcohol with all it’s self-destructive madness. Bush and Ashcroft, who have legalized mass murder, are killing people around the world. America was always a criminal nation. I want Bush and his kind to leave my country. Stop hurting my Lakota people. Stop sentencing and imprisoning my AIM warriors.”

Every day, I see those psychologically damaged lambs Tony was talking about. So hooked on alcohol, so incapable of harming anyone but themselves. I had a cook sale in Pine Ridge last week. Parked in the Sioux Nation and Billy Mills parking lot, I set up my table and sign. After coffee 50 cents, I put ‘free to AIM supporters.’ I had been inspired by Leonard Peltier’s words that we should get out and support AIM who sacrificed themselves that Indian people might enjoy the same civil rights as everyone else. In short, they were fighting for freedom and democracy. Of course, this is 30 years later, but better late than never. I thought the least I could do would be to find out if there were any AIM supporters, and if there were, to at least offer them a cup of coffee. I realized too late my mistake. After awhile, a couple young guys came over and asked, “is this free?” I asked, “Do you support AIM?” “Yep.” “Well then it is free to you,” I said. “Everything?” I couldn’t say anything, so they had hamburgers and cinnamon rolls. They left and soon more came over. After awhile a big old van pulled up and out piled a group of AIM supporters. They all lingered, talking, eating, laughing, and teasing, "Hey, I think this guy is a Goon supporter.” And for a brief time, relived the glory days, with some accountability, “What did you do back in 73? You just popped out and were in pampers.” A good time. They came and went, but one stayed and talked with me about the recent murders, the 8 men in Rapid City, that racist Republican town, where Indians can be killed and no one cares. And the 2 Lakota men killed in White Clay, Nebraska, Hard Heart, and Black Elk. We talked about how no one remembers these murders, except for the Lakotas. The guy talking was a brother to Black Elk. We wonder why the FBI is so interested in Anna Mae rather than these alcoholic Lakota men. “Are we going to have to wait 28 years for justice? Then they will nab another Lakota and send him off.” Time to pack up and go home. I took the 8 dollars I made and put in gas and headed home.

I thought about how these guys will now be scheming for drinks and back to their daily life of nothing to do but drink. These guys wouldn’t hurt anyone. And not too long ago, Arlo was one of them. I think about how U.S. Representative Janklow’s car hits and kills a man while the car is traveling over 70 mph on a gravel road and how the car fails to stop at a stop sign and Janklow is sentenced to 100 days, and I believe the car was given the death penalty. Whereas Arlo has already served over 200 days, was set up, and convicted of a murder he did not commit, labeled by the press as a killer and a slayer, condemned by 2 prosecutors, the States Attorney and the corrupt system appointed attorney Mr. Rensch. I think about all those psychologically abused lambs on the way to the slaughter. All done in the name of the Bush/Ashcroft regime’s campaign on terrorists. Legalized criminality. That’s what Tony calls it. And we can count on Americans to rally round the flag, gun down terrorists, while celebrating freedom and democracy. That is why I choose to live in poverty among real people on the Pine Ridge rather than that huge institutionalized asylum called America. And from this vantage point out in the hills of South Dakota I will continue to speak up for all these psychologically damaged lambs, who are real people who I am not ashamed of. As long as I have breath in my body, I will continue to speak up for them and pray that the truth will finally have its day in court and that some day justice will truly be served.

If you are wondering what you can do, you can start by getting your values in order. If you are Lakota or of another tribe, start practicing your traditions and values. Don’t know what to do? Get together with the oldest, wisest people. Ask them what to do. Then follow their advice. If you are non-Native, start looking up the real history of the Indian, the one you didn’t learn in school. Go to the reservation. If you are not Indian, please do not dress up and pretend to be Indian. There is nothing to be promoted by this self-massaging activity. Instead, start standing up to the corrupt system you live by. Find out who the real enemy is, who the real terrorist is. If you really wanted to do something, you might come to the reservation prepared to roll up your sleeves and go to work. Help plant gardens, help Indians to get back on their own land, how to market buffalo, fix fences, repair houses. And anytime you hear anyone marching for their rights, join with them. Always remember, when one person’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is threatened, so are we all.

Any questions or comments, my e-mail is jlschmidt [at] gwtc.net, by web site http://www.lakotaperspectives.com

An add on update: Arlo was tried, convicted, and sentenced for the murder of Anna Mae. Most recently, judge Piersol turned down new attorney Terry Gilbert's request for DNA samples from Anna Mae, and a request for a mental evaluation. Arlo called me from the jail in Rapid City last week. He had some disturbing news which I will cover in my next article. Four days later, he was moved to Florence, Colorado, prison. The only person who had advance knowledge of this was the same person who threatened to close down my web site.