When I feel a little sluggish, when I feel the need for my blood to boil, I pick up my copy of In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse.
It is one of the most powerful, stab in the heart and disgusting books I've ever read.
The author, Peter Matthiessen, had to fight for nearly ten years to get the book distributed due to lawsuits meant to stop it's sale.
The book captures the very spirit of the American Indian Movement and gives an insight into why there is so little heard from them today.
They were bled dry.
The book is an indictment against all of our government's policies toward Native Americans, an indictment against our system of justice and, in many ways, an indictment against us all for looking the other way.
The book is more about the slaughter of a culture than the government assault on Leonard Peltier.
I said that the book was held up by lawsuits. These lawsuits were brought by the governor of South Dakota in order to hide the fact that a young Lakota girl, Jancita Eagle deer,Had reported to her school principle that her legal guardian,William Janklow had raped her. She was then driven to a hospital where doctors confirmed that an attack had taken place. A complaint was filed with the BIA, which recomended that charges be filed against Mr. Janklow who was working as tribal legal adviser.The FBI was given jurisdiction of the case and stonewalled the investigation. Eventually a judge on the reservation, Mario Gonzales, charged William Janklow with "assault with intent to commit rape, and carnal knowledge of a female under 16." As a white man, Janklow was not subject to tribal jurisdiction and he refused to testify. The local white prosecutor refused to investigate. As a result of the charges Janklow was eventually disbarred from further legal work on the reservation. Jancita's mother vowed that she would see that Janklow was prosecuted but she did not live long enough to see the day. Her beaten body was found in a frozen field.
That was the portrait of justice then, that the word of a young Lakota girl didn't warrant even a passing glance from the police.
That is still the case today
Today, William Janklow is Governor of South Dakota.
And In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse is the finest book I have ever read.
