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</font><font face="Verdana" size=2>Original Content at
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<b>May 3, 2011<br><br>
</font><font face="Verdana" size=4>Osama bin Laden: code-named
Geronimo<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Verdana" size=2><i>By Ben Carnes<br><br>
"We've IDed Geronimo," said a disembodied voice, using the
agreed-upon code name for America's most wanted enemy, Osama bin
Laden." </i>... <u>
<a href="http://swampland.time.com/2011/05/02/inside-the-situation-room-weve-idd-geronimo/#ixzz1LEh1G9iZ" eudora="autourl">
http://swampland.time.com/2011/05/02/inside-the-situation-room-weve-idd-geronimo/#ixzz1LEh1G9iZ</a>
</u> <br><br>
As a Native man, I was genuinely stunned to learn the US had selected the
name of a hero who fought to defend his people and way of life.
We've been reduced to caricatures as mascots and entertainment in sports
and media. Our Identity as Native people have been confiscated and
labeled as "Native Americans' or "American Indians". Then
to associate one of our icons of resistance is an insult. I can't even
begin to imagine the horror felt by Geronimo's descendants or his people,
the Chiricahua Apache. They were branded as Americans in 1924 before they
were pardoned as prisoners of war, ironically. <br><br>
I felt a more appropriate name would have been "Custer" or
"Columbus", both murderers, but this doesn't fit with their
version of history. And you would think Obama, the president who
campaigned for Native votes would have been more sensitive to this point
when he said, <i>"I'm on your side. I understand what it means
to be an outsider. I know what it means to feel ignored and forgotten,
and what it means to struggle. So you will not be forgotten as long as
I'm in this White House,..."</i>. <u>
<a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/11/06/20091106summit1106.html#ixzz1LElNcIbf" eudora="autourl">
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/11/06/20091106summit1106.html#ixzz1LElNcIbf</a>
</u> <br><br>
This society tends to marginalize the First Peoples of this land, so
maybe this shouldn't be a surprise that the hero's of Native people are
still regarded as terrorists by the military and they saw no problem in
making the association to Geronimo. Some people may say that OBL's skill
at evading capture was a tribute in memory of Geronimo! Let's do a
reality check here, who would want to elevate OBL to a glorified level?
<br><br>
What I've seen since the use of this code-name was revealed is shock,
disgust and outraged. Here's one of many posts on Facebook: <b>
" Geronimo was NO TERRORIST, HE WAS HUNTED DOWN BY THIS COUNTRY'S
OWN FIRST TERRORIST!!!!TRUTHS HURT!!THIS IS THE TRUTH, i AM A NATIVE
WOMAN VET OF THIS COUNTRY, IM INSULTED!!!!!" <br><br>
</b>If we want to have a look at terrorism, shouldn't we look at the
history of the US? When the Oklahoma City bombing occurred, it was called
the worst act of terrorism on US soil. I beg to differ, as Native people
we suffer acts of terrorism at Sand Creek, Washita, Wounded Knee and the
Trail of Tears and Death, etc., place names that remains burned into our
memories and sacred in our hearts, just as the site of the World Trade
Center or the Oklahoma City National Memorial has for so many people who
lost loved ones in recent memory. <br><br>
I believe the President and the US military owes the Apache people an
apology and a sincere one at that. <br><br>
<u>****************************<br>
</u>Author's Bio: Ben Carnes is a Choctaw activist and writer who
received the 1987 Oklahoma Human Rights Award for making a stand against
forced hair-cutting policies while incarcerated. After his parole in
August 1988, he has been involved in organizing events and demonstrations
on behalf of Native people and Native prisoners, including Leonard
Peltier. His experiences have led to being asked to testify before
congressional committees, and speak at numerous universities, public
forums and events. He has served as a volunteer chaplain at the Oklahoma
City bomb site and as a board member to the Greater Oklahoma City
Interfaith Disaster Recovery, Inc. which provided aid to victims of the
bombing. Along with being a spiritual advisor to state and federal
prisoners, including acting as a consultant to the Oklahoma Department of
Corrections. He is currently immersed in several writing projects,
including his biography that he hopes to have published before the end of
2010. <br><br>
<br><br>
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