[news] Boston group calls for boycott of PayPal and parent company eBAY

Tue Jul 6 14:19:04 PDT 2004

Subject: Boston group calls for boycott of PayPal and parent company eBAY
Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2004 23:41:31 -0400
From: info at leonardpeltier.org

On this day of celebration of "freedom" and "democracy," the Boston 
Area - Leonard Peltier Support Group is calling for a boycott of 
PayPal and parent company eBAY.

The modest funds raised through the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee 
(LPDC) and selected support group Web sites are used for public 
education programs, political and lobbying actions, and legal 
strategies undertaken on behalf of Leonard Peltier. We do these 
things to keep Peltier's hope for freedom alive. While such 
activities are likely inconvenient for the U.S. government, they are 
not illegal. On the contrary, these activities represent free 
exercise of our constitutional rights.

We've come to expect interference with our Web-based services over 
the years, i.e., interruption of service at critical times, for 
example. However, last week, both the LPDC and the Boston support 
group received notification from PayPal (our Web site credit card 
verification and payment processing service) that we are in violation 
of its relatively new Acceptable Use Policy. Designating Leonard 
Peltier as being "notorious for committing murderous acts," PayPal 
has now deprived us of our online fundraising capability. Our 
accounts have been closed preventing us from receiving donations 
electronically and we have been told that our funds collected through 
the online service may be frozen for up to 180 days.

What is PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy? Read it for yourself:
  http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/use/index_frame-outside&ed=offensive 

Please note that PayPal doesn't monitor Web sites but depends on 
"members of the community" to bring alleged violations to its 
attention. We can only speculate as to who those "members of the 
community" were in this case.

PayPal also claims to have done an exhaustive evaluation of the LPDC 
and Boston sites for "offensive" material. What did they find?

* The announcement of Leonard Peltier's nomination for the 2004 Nobel 
Peace Prize.

* The legal updates concerning Leonard's case, including information 
on Peltier's recent victory over editor Paul DeMain in a defamation 
lawsuit filed in 2003.

* The position paper submitted by the Peltier legal team to the 
Committees on the Judiciary of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of 
Representatives on official misconduct in Indian Country, in 
particular that against the American Indian Movement and Leonard 
Peltier.

* Material to mobilize support for the release of hundreds of 
thousands of documents still withheld after 30 years by the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation, despite repeated Freedom of Information Act 
actions brought by Peltier's attorneys.

* Announcement of Leonard's presidential nomination for the Peace and 
Freedom Party in California.

* Political action materials as regards the upcoming presidential 
election, in general, and encouraging Indigenous and other U.S. 
voters to use their votes to help win Leonard's freedom, in 
particular.

We consider this policy and PayPal's actions to be an attack on our 
political beliefs, interference with our right to participate in the 
"democratic" political process, and an intentional effort on the part 
of PayPal and its parent company eBAY to interfere with our (and 
your) constitutional rights. Such corporate actions -- as taken at 
the behest of the U.S. government, or not -- are an affront to 
activists everywhere and threaten our basic freedoms.

We will NOT go away! Join the LPDC/BA-LPSG boycott of PayPal and its 
parent company eBAY. Spread the word to friends, family, colleagues 
and co-workers:

* Don't use the PayPal service on Web sites you own or manage. (Note: 
Alternative resources are listed below.)

* Don't donate to or purchase from sites that use the PayPal service.

* Don't buy or sell / auction items using eBAY.

Send them the message that we find THEIR policy and actions "offensive".

An online petition also will be available for your signature in a day or two.

THE LPDC IS IN URGENT NEED OF FUNDS. WE THEREFORE URGE YOU TO 
IMMEDIATELY SEND DONATIONS BY SNAIL MAIL. NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL.

LPDC
PO Box 583
Lawrence, Kansas  66044-0583
USA

Thank you.

**********************************************************

Subject: More on the PayPal/EBay boycott
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 23:03:26 -0400
From: info at leonardpeltier.org

Joint communication from LPDC and LPSG Boston

Greetings.

We have received a mixture of responses to our announcement yesterday 
regarding a boycott of PayPal and eBAY. We hope this communication 
will address some of your concerns.

Please be advised that the boycott was launched with Leonard's 
approval and only after extensive discussions over a four-day period 
between the Boston Area - Leonard Peltier Support Group, the Leonard 
Peltier Defense Committee, and Leonard's lead counsel. Concurrently, 
negotiations were attempted with PayPal with no success. Once we were 
sufficiently convinced that the Committee, in particular, and the 
Peltier Network, in general, was under attack, we felt we had to take 
action. Integral to that decision is the fact that PayPal's action 
against the LPDC is not the only action taken against its fundraising 
efforts in recent months.

We also believe this boycott is about much higher issues than just 
the survival of the Peltier Network. If it happened to us, it can 
happen to you. ANY organization with which PayPal takes issue can be 
shut down in the same manner. Whether an action taken independently 
by PayPal or at the request of an entity such as the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation, or even instigated by an individual bearing a 
personal grudge, we find PayPal's policies objectionable -- more than 
that, intolerable. The Internet has been a great equalizer, has it 
not? What kind of a message is PayPal sending to social, political, 
and environmental activists and people of color? The Internet is for 
some, but not "others"?

We encourage you to peruse (link below) the "Acceptable Use Policy" 
instituted by PayPal. We ask you to decide whether or not a 
corporation that can and will deprive you and your organizations of 
the funds needed to fight for social justice should be granted the 
opportunity to do so, as well as the ability to receive any portion 
of those limited funds (user fees) -- in particular, when there are 
alternative services available to you. In short, ask yourself if 
PayPal is really your pal.

As human and civil rights organizations, our mission is to combat 
various forms of injustice. When one of our organizations is singled 
out as PayPal has done with the Peltier Network, we must all stand 
together. As Sitting Bull said, "As individual fingers we can easily 
be broken, but all together we make a mighty fist."

We apologize to anyone inconvenienced by our sudden call for a 
boycott of PayPal and eBAY. While Leonard Peltier is our primary 
concern, we also were concerned about the possible impact of our 
boycott on other activist organizations. This is why a list of 
alternative services was provided at the end of our communication 
yesterday. We were confident, in this electronic age, that affected 
Web sites would be able to adjust quickly. It would appear that our 
confidence was well- placed as we have been receiving messages 
throughout the day from activist organizations and related vendors 
that have already switched to other services.

Many of you have suggested that we launch an online petition. A more 
aggressive approach was deemed advisable and, as noted in our 
original communication about this boycott, a boycott sign-up utility 
was prepared yesterday and will be accessible soon.

We thank you for your comments and suggestions.

In solidarity,

The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee &
The Boston Area - Leonard Peltier Support Group

PayPal "Acceptable Use Policy":  (click link or copy and paste to 
your browser search window)

http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/use/index_frame-outside&ed=offensive

INTERNET PAYMENT PROCESSING SERVICES

Disclaimer:  This list is provided for information only and does not 
mean to imply endorsement.

Non-Profit:

http://www.groundspring.org

Business:

http://www.nationalwebdepot.com/getpaidonline.html
http://www.ikobo.com/
http://www.webmasterquest.com/members/hotlinks.php?ClickTo=28692
http://www.webik.com/
http://www.rogerbeta.com/stormpay.htm
http://www.business.com/directory/internet_and_online/ecommerce/payment_solutions/ 

http://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/landing_pages/09.shtml?promocode=o215

Addendum:

Please find a communication from one of our European supporters below.

=+=+= INTERNATIONAL FORUM of VIPs for PELTIER =+=+=

Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2004 11:41:44 -0700
To: kolahq at skynet.be, info at leonardpeltier.org
From: John at CD Baby <john at cdbaby.com>
Subject: A note to Paypal ->please read and pass on

To all...

after reading the notice regarding the closure of the LPDC account on 
paypal..etc.. I have cancelled my paypal account and encourage others 
to do so..

please pass this on

read below for my note to paypal

peace

John

-------------------------------------------

I am a firm supporter of Leonard Peltier and find your obviously 
politically motivated, misguided decision to cancel the accounts for 
the "Leonard Peltier Defense Committee" and the "Boston Area Leonard 
Peltier Support Group" to be a hideous misuse of power.. I am deeply 
ashamed to have ever contributed to your companies. You dishonor us 
all by your actions.

I will continue my support of Leonard with cash donations and will 
encourage everyone that I know to find alternatives to using the 
paypal system

your actions are disgraceful

John Steup

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