David Reznik
Student Coalition against Injustice
University of Florida

PRESS RELEASE for January 10, 2006

     Florida AIM to demonstrate against racist University of Florida
newspaper.
     GAINESVILLE, FL The American Indian Movement of Florida ("Florida
AIM") will hold a demonstration in front of the Independent Florida
Alligator (1105 W University Ave Gainesville) on Saturday January 14,
2006 at 1:30 p.m.

     The Alligator editorialized on Thanksgiving weekend with an
editorial cartoon that made light of killing American Indians. Florida
AIM preferring the dialogue of cooperation to the rhetoric of
confrontation sent a letter to the editorial board of the Alligator
explaining that while Indian people make up 1/125th of the US
population-Indians constitute 30% of the victims of violent hate crime
in America. Florida AIM further explained that families of Indian people
murdered in hate crimes such as Candice Rough Surface, Wilson "Wally"
Black Elk Jr., Ronald Hard Heart, Carol Garbow, Gabby Daniels, Allen Two
Crows, Justin Redday, and Robert Many Horses (to name a very few) remain
in mourning and have yet to find any justice. Florida AIM simply asked
the Alligator to provide basic human respect and dignity to Indigenous
peoples by apologizing to the families, and perhaps help to erase the
ignorance many have about these issues.

     The silence from the Alligator has been deafening. Native
organizations including the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, several
Indian social workers and individuals from across the globe have since
expressed their righteous indignation at the Alligator?s cartoon and
silence upon our reasonable request. This shows us that the Alligator
willfully and maliciously intended to offend and call for further hate
crimes against indigenous peoples.

     Florida AIM believes enough is enough! Racist, anti-Indian
mouthpieces such as the Alligator who openly support the murder of
Indigenous peoples and the continued suffering of Indigenous peoples
families must be challenged, confronted, exposed and extinguished.
Florida AIM respects the pain of the families of Indigenous peoples who
have been murdered in brutal hate crimes, often with the families
finding no solace or closure in the American justice system. Florida AIM
is vehemently outraged that the Alligator supports the hate crimes and
these peoples suffering.

     Florida AIM continues to demand a basic apology and efforts by the
Alligator to educate and inform the public-the mission of a newspaper.
If this paper continues to refuse to provide basic human respect and
dignity towards Native peoples, Florida AIM will continue to work to
destroy the Alligator as a racist anti-Indian newspaper that promotes
and encourages hate crimes. This can and will not be tolerated by any
Indigenous rights organization let alone the American Indian Movement of
Florida.

     Actions speak louder than words

American Indian Movement of Florida

State Office  (727) 421-9659  AIMFL@aol.com

Gainesville contact OttersonRoger@aol.com

National Office AIMGGC@worldnet.att.net