Bin Laden Code-name “Geronimo”

[czech]

The death of bin Laden is arguably the most important news story of the year, and embedded within it is a message that an Indian warrior, a symbol of Native American survival in the face of racial annihilation, is associated with modern terrorism and the attacks on 9/11.

The "bin Laden is dead" news story will make thousands of impressions on the minds of people around the globe, and the name Geronimo will now be irrevocably linked with the world's most reviled terrorist.

Potentially the most disturbing fact is what this says to American Indian children. It equates being Native American with being hated, an enemy to the world, and someone to be hunted down and killed, and re-casts one of their heroes into a villainous role.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/ict_sbc/bin-laden-code-name-%E2%80%9Cgeronimo%E2%80%9D-is-a-bomb-in-indian-country/

[Laurel]

More here:

http://newspaperrock.bluecorncomics.com/2011/05/bin-laden-codenamed-geronimo.html

[Autumn]

Here is another link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bin_laden_geronimo

It is so sad.  I wonder what they were thinking (or if they were thinking)?

[Defend the Sacred]

It is so sad.  I wonder what they were thinking (or if they were thinking)?

I think they were operating out of ignorance, and the casual racism of those who live lives isolated from Indigenous people. Maybe for some of them the racism is not ignorance, but overt and calculated. I don't know. I'm not going to waste our time analyzing Obama's role in this, and his various promises and disappointments to NDN country. He's a politician. He said what he needed to say to get elected. I prefer him to his Republican predecessors, but I don't expect anything out of him anymore. During his campaign I hoped this president would, for a change, have some realistic understanding and involvement with NDN country. Nope. The man he wanted us to think he was would not have allowed that code name to be used.

[Freija]

It is so sad.  I wonder what they were thinking (or if they were thinking)?

Obviously they weren´t thinking.
The combat helicopters made for the US Army were named Apache.
The enemy number one was named Geronimo.
Errr....??   ???  Does anyone get that kind of logic??

Osama should have been named "Custer".

[Defend the Sacred]

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/05/apache-chairman-houser-geronimo-no.html

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Letter from Jeff Houser, Chairman of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, to President Barack Obama.

http://www.rense.com/general42/held.htm

Geronimo's Remains Still
Held By Skull And Bones?
By Brenda Norrell
9-30-3

[Defend the Sacred]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/54572799/Geronimo

Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs, on behalf of the Haudenosaunee

Press Statement, May 3, 2011

[Epiphany]

Geronimo Going Viral http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/05/geronimo-going-viral/

To honor the true spirit of an incredible warrior and Native icon, we ask that for the next two days everyone change their Facebook profile picture to that of Geronimo. Thank you to Alicia Adams for posting the idea behind this campaign

.

Ongoing discussion and links here: FAIL: Codename for Osama bin Laden? "Geronimo" http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2011/05/fail-codename-for-osama-bin-laden.html

[ska]

Statement from Harlyn Geronimo regarding his Great-Grandfather, Geronimo

This following statement is being submitted to the official record of the United States Senate Commission on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing on "Stolen Identities: The Impact of Racist Stereotypes on Indigenous People," taking place Thursday, May 5, 2011, at 2:15pm in Dirksen-628.

http://indiglit.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/statement-from-harlyn-geronimo-regarding-his-great-grandfather-geronimo/

Statement from Harlyn Geronimo
on behalf of himself and other surviving lineal descendants
of the Historic Apache Leader Geronimo

Whether it was intended only to name the military operation to kill or capture Osama Bin Laden or to give Osama Bin Laden himself the code name Geronimo, either was an outrageous insult and mistake. And it is clear from the military records released that the name Geronimo was used at times by military personnel involved for both the military operation and for Osama Bin Laden himself . . .

[E.P. Grondine]

Everyone seems to be making the assumption that the Obama administration chose the code name "Geronimo", and I have to include you in this too, Kathryn. (Based on a bbc news report I did it myself for a while.)

But consider, the US has been after Osama since 2001, with Osama slipping across the border from Tora Bora then. Isn't it far more likely that the DIA or CIA cam up with the code name "Geronimo" then, and that after 6 years of the use of the code name "Geronimo", it would simply have been impossible for Obama or anyone else in his administration to change it?

What was the Bush Administration's code name for Osama? "Gore"?

That said, the consequences of the use of that code word are being minimized by those speaking up about it. And thanks to those efforts, more people are learning about the real Geronimo.

[MsWilma]

Hi from Australia.
This issue is making our news, and its not even a 'slow news day':
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/apache-warrior-tribe-wants-barack-obama-apology-for-osama-bin-ladens-geronimo-moniker/story-e6frf7lf-1226050719515

[Autumn]

Very good point, E. P. Grondine.  I can understand the outrage of the descendants of Geronimo and think that the letter that his descendants wrote is very moving and touching.  I can understand how terrible it may be to associate his name with a hated terrorist, but are we really placing blame on the right person?  I do pray that President Obama will offer up some kind of apology or explanation to assuage hurt feelings, but if he does say nothing can we perhaps change our perspective?  Nothing will change the honorable heritage of Geronimo and associating his name to Osama bin Laden will not change that.  To me, personally, I will always associate the noble name of Geronimo to something very heroic and something that wins against all odds, and that includes the murder of Osama bin Laden as well.

[Defend the Sacred]

Assuming Generals chose the name, the responsibility for that initial choice lies with them. But as Commander in Chief of the US military, the responsibility to provide oversight and correction when needed lies with the President.

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi Kathryn -

It is more likely it was not generals that chose the code name "Geronimo", but more likely the choice was made by an intelligence analyst. And once chosen, there is nothing that Obama could have done to change that. Nothing.

And you can be sure that anyone from the W. Bush administration would just set back and let Obama take the heat.

You're disappointed that Obama has not done more, but is there any Republican who could or would do better, in your opinion? In what ways?

[Defend the Sacred]

I'm not saying Republicans would have done better. I'm saying a bunch of non-NDNs once again did something appalling that showed disrespect for NDNs.