President Obama -- My Final Requests of You:
from Michael Moore's Facebook page
Sir, you have one week left as our President. There are no words to express the my profound sadness in typing such words. Thank you for giving us eight years of your life.
With so little time left, I hope you don't mind if I ask you for a favor or two. Well, actually, five. I can guarantee you I am not alone in these requests; in fact, I'm guessing millions of our fellow Americans share in these sincere final asks of you:
- Please order the Army Corps of Engineers to Flint, Michigan, today. The water is still contaminated, the pipes have still not been replaced. Every single day the people are still being slowly poisoned. Every single child in Flint now has some form of developmental damage in their brain. Flint has again been forgotten. Please, please don't leave office without sending in the troops to save these 100,000 lives.
- Please release former Army Spec. Chelsea Manning from federal prison. The documents she released told the American public the truth behind the Iraq War (an act similar to what Daniel Ellsberg was LAUDED for doing during the Vietnam War). Four Army intelligence officers told NBC News this week that the items she released did not cause any danger or harm to anyone in the military, and they thought her 35-year sentence was "excessive." She pleaded guilty and apologized to the court and to the nation. Manning is now in her 7th year in prison. In the past year, she has twice attempted suicide. Please show mercy and commute her sentence for the seven years she has served.
- Please also release Native American leader Leonard Peltier from prison. There are many questions about his conviction after the Wounded Knee stand-off in 1977. He has served 40 years in prison and is now 72-years old and very ill. He deserves to spend his final days at home with his family and his people.
- Please declare an end to the "War on Drugs." Tens of thousands of Americans have had their lives ruined by being thrown in prison for using, possessing or selling marijuana. You can, today, declare an end to the federal prohibition against marijuana and "de-schedule" it from it's current designation as a Schedule 1 illegal drug (heroin is Schedule 1). End this nonsense, and commute the sentences of all nonviolent drug users currently languishing in our prisons.
- Finally, Mr. President, on our behalf, offer up some national humility, redemption and forgiveness. It would only be symbolic, but It may go a long way to building some bridges, fixing the mistakes of history and redeeming our American soul. How powerful it would be if you offered an official presidential apology, on behalf of the American people, to the families of civilians killed by our drones; to our Native Americans for the genocide committed upon them by our ancestors; to the people of Iraq for invading their country and destroying their society; to American women for still being permanently paid less, for still living in constant danger of violence and for still holding little power in our democracy; and to the African American community in general for a sad host of things: for continuing to suffer from the legacy of slavery and bigotry, for still occupying the lowest rung of the economic ladder, for being the pawns of our criminal justice system, for the continuing abuse from law enforcement and for whatever else is in store for them under the incoming administration.
I know, it's a long list, but we all know how good it often feels to just say, "I'm sorry" -- and better yet, to follow that up with sincere action.
Please use the pulpit -- and the power -- you still have to offer some healing, some freedom, some forgiveness -- and some clean water for a town that's been waiting three years to drink just one glass of it.
Thanks again for all you've done. Here's to a productive and loving final week in office!
All my best,
Michael Moore
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