Posted on 03/28/2003 7:52:36 PM PST by Bad Eagle
By David Yeagley
PFC Lori Piestewa, 22, was among the first United States military personnel to be missing in action. As of March 28, there’s no sure word whether she’s held captive or was killed.
The first report, March 23, gave little identity of the American soldiers captured, but only the facts of their predicament. Part of a supply convoy, the 507th Maintenance Division, made a wrong turn near An Nasiriyah, and was attacked.
The next day, March 24, a report in the Arizona Sun pictured Lori, but didn’t note her obvious ethnicity.
“It’s an Indian girl!” I shouted, when I saw her picture. I was enflamed with pride, but wondered why she wasn’t fully identified. Were they afraid of offending some Left wing Indian activists somewhere?
The following day, finally, the Arizona Sun told the whole story. It featured Lori’s family and relatives, and made a special point out of her Hopi Indian identity. In fact, the story was about Lori’s fortuitous role in uniting the Hope and Navajo tribes in a rally for her safe return. These tribes are traditionally adverse, the paper said.
So have a victory dance! Lori’s doing what American Indians do. Lori walks the warrior’s path, and put her life up as a ransom for American land, and American values. Let the spirits rejoice and honor her.
And what about those other Indians, in the American Indian Movement, who protest the war effort? What about veterans whose skewed valor makes it a duty to protest the use of American Indian warrior images by athletic teams, and now even by the U.S. military?
The famous Billy Mills, a model of courage, a heroic athlete, and above all, a retired 1st Lieutenant of the United States Marine Corps, speaks against using Indian names. This is the hero who complained when a friendly airline steward referred to him as “Chief.” (Sports Illustrated, March 4, 2002). This is the warrior who will denounce the “Fighting Sioux,” the name and character of his own people, at another five-day marathon conference at the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks). It’s UND’s annual imbalance, when professional protesters meet to support each other’s fanaticism. Mills is scheduled to speak this Tuesday night, April 1, on “Global Unity Through Global Diversity.”
What irony. A young Indian soldier girl over in Iraq fights for the freedom of another ex-Marine to cry over the use of American Indian warrior names. How can it be? His “diversity” apparently doesn’t include Lori Piestewa.
I understand why some white women, and even some Indian women protest. Man-hating women and professional (Communist) anti-Americans, want to remove any vestige of masculinity. The Indian warrior image is their special target, since it represents everything they hate.
But I don’t understand the protest from Indian men. I noted the failure of Indian men in a past article. Is this protesting another failure? Many Indian women are angry at Indian men, for sure.
I recently complained to my elderly Comanche mother that Indian women were the meanest, most vicious breed of human beings I’d even known.
“We’ve had to be that way,” she immediately defended them. “There were never any men around. They were always out hunting, or fighting. Who do you think was left to run the camps?”
Well, there’s one Indian warrior woman running a fine camp up in the Northern Plains. And, wouldn’t you know it, it’s a “fighting Sioux:” Betty Ann Gross, of the Sisseton-Wahpetan.
Sunday, March 30, Betty will honor all our American Indian warriors in Iraq, and especially Lori Piestewa. Betty Ann and a small group of Indian women have decided now to publicly offer prayers and praise for our Indian people in the military.
Let’s hope some Indian men show up. Let’s hope they’re not so duped by anti-American political rhetoric that they fail their own people again. Activists are a small minority. Real Indians fight for the land. Real warriors fight for the country. Real Indians are patriots.
This has been my message since the first article on me in FrontPageMagazine.com, January 15, 2001, before the September 11 attacks, and before the war in Iraq. This is what my website BadEagle.com is all about.
American Patriotism is the best future for Indians. Our highest honor is in preserving what we have left, through preserving America. It’s our duty to defend the country, and our privilege to rise above history.
Don’t cry for Lori. Shout to heaven for the triumph of her values, and for all Indians like her.
A truly lovely tribute to Lori. It's a shame left-wing thinking is denying the American Indian community the joyous aspect of pride -- shouting this from the rooftops. It would so help their grief. Thank you for being different, and writing about Lori so beautifully.
Yes...;^) Great Spirit bless 'em.
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