Hey, I've received this email today from a friend. I'm not sure if anybody will be able to help out, but I thought it's worth to try...

Hello dear friends,

I have to get something of my chest, of which I'm sure you'll all find it as disgusting as I do!!
One of my Native American inmate buddies, Edward, got his parole denied for five years, and one of the reasons they gave him was "because he refuses to cut his hair", in fact; they said that he might never get out as long as he refuses to cut his hair. (which comes almost down to his waist; a normal hairdo for an Indian guy, if you ask me!? Right???)
Anyhow, he was locked up 23/24 already for the SAME reason; because Edward, traditional as he is, keeps refusing to cut of his hair!

Well, it's like the 50's & 60's all over again, if you ask me; where they forcibly cut the Native American people their hair and made it illegal to speak their own language!!!
Don't you find it disgusting and most of all: VERY DISRESPECTFUL towards the First Nations???

Now, what do you think???
Could we bring this subject under the attention??
If so, to WHO'S attention???
And could it be of some help???

Any suggestions are welcome!

Greetings! Jessie

Hey, while surfing I had found this site once. Maybe if you send this E-mail to them, they might be able to help.

http://www.members.tripod.com/sapawiyaka/bio.html

Joy

thanks Joy! I will pass on the information

What prison system is he in?

I'll ask Jessie and let you know

He's in Oklahoma

Soraya,
I'm from Oklahoma. Good ole Indian City and I'm really really sure there is no law that states that inamtes have t o cut their hair for parole.

Maybe it is a certain warden who has his own rule book about what a professional convict should look like.

I had a very good friend that was in the Enginerring field. Excellent man with top skills graduated at the top of his class but could not find an employer who would take him serious with his long braid down his back. For him to fit in the professional world of Civil Enginerring he had to cut his beautiful long hair. Professional Employers has a set idea of how we should look and prejudicail as it may be we have to fit in thier mold of ideal employees

yes Torrey, my friend told me there has been an investigation, but I'll get more information about this. I have heard too many times about how Native Americans are being treated in prison, being refused to practise their religion...makes me mad! I think it's a sad thing that your friend had to cut of his hair for his job....because that's discrimination...

Native Americans that are not in prison are not allowed to practise thier religion with out harrasment and threat of being arrested. The FBI, and Drug Enforcement are all over them.

Let us know what goes on.

Why do they act like this? From the stories I hear a lot of Native Americans are all being treated as they are all criminals or something...I'll make sure to keep you updated.

I keep getting upsetting emails like this, about several Native American inmates...is there no organization that can help>