"Squaw"king over a peak

Jewish World Review ^ | 4/22/03 | Marianne M. Jennings

[MNnice]

Sorry, I'm a conservative. I'm also an Indian. "Squaw" is a word that means female genitalia and has been such a source of humiliation in the Indian people for years. Anyone who would oppose this name change is on the wrong side of the issue and it bothers me that republicans continually fall into these embarrassing traps by their knee-jerk reaction to oppose these kinds of name changes. I worked my ass off last election cycle trying to convince Indians to vote republican, and that the racist tag is an old stereotype invented by the democrats. Republicans and conservatives who oppose this sort of no-brainer issue make my task a hell of a lot more difficult.

[sharktrager]

I am not convinced that the name squaw is offensive beyond deliberate misrepresentations of its origin.

But I may be in the minority in that I do not see a compelling reason to name the peak after this woman. I am sorry for her family's loss, and grateful for her sacrifice. But her loss is no greater than that of any of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died for our country. Singling her out for such an honor is simply a cheap political ploy to capitalize on the death of a soldier.

[sharktrager]

Actually, the story that squaw means a certain body part is untrue. The word in question is a Mohawk word, while squaw was not actually derived from the Mohawk nation.

The legitimate linguists trace the entemology to a word meaning young girl.

It is political interests who have spread the story that you are referring to, not linguists.

[sharktrager]

Here is an interesting article from a Cherokee woman who takes issue with your definition.

[Luna]

I love Marianne Jennings! She's hilarious and usually hits the nail right on the head. I miss reading her column in Mesa's paper. Glad to see her column is available online.

[B Knotts]

"Squaw" is a word that means female genitalia and has been such a source of humiliation in the Indian people for years.

No, it isn't. That's a revisionist lie from the "deconstructionalist" crowd. It is an Algonquin word which means "young woman."

[saminfl]

The legitimate linguists trace the entemology to a word meaning young girl.

I am 65 years old, and until a couple of years ago, had never heard that "Squaw" meant a woman's genitalia. I'll bet this is another made up "fact" by liberals to get a minotiry group fired up.

[sharktrager]

It is. If you look at the research on the matter, the "genetalia" claim was based on someone noticing that the word for vagina in Mohawk has an ending that remotely sounds like squaw.

Unfortunately for those who prech this, the word is from Algonkwin (sp?), and meant young girl.

Some will say that, regardless of meaning, its usage has been derogatory. But the same could be said of the world "girl" when used to refer to any woman over 18, as well as "boy" for men over 18. Most nouns have at some point been used in a derogatory way by someone somewhere, whether it made sense or not.

[MNnice]

You all may be right about the linguist origins, but it doesn't matter. Sheesh. If the Indians I'me trying to convert think it means female genitalia, that's all that matters. I may win the technical argument with them but I would lose their vote regardless. Look, I'm as anti-PC as you can get, but I'm also pragmatic. If you think the republican party can win elections in the future with just white people, just take a look around you next time you go to the mall. We have to start getting people of other races to vote for us and you start by giving them little issues like this one. Opposing this name change when 4 million Indians are for it on an emotional level, isn't going to win you many converts on the other issues.

[Question_Assumptions]

If the Indians I'me trying to convert think it means female genitalia, that's all that matters.

Actually, if they don't care about the truth and want to be offended over a lie, I've got to say that matters quite a bit. If the Indians you are trying to convert are that disinterested in facts, they are already a lost cause. Emotional responses are the Left's strong suit. The Right competes on facts.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

This is a cheap politcal ploy, nothing more, nothing less. I deeply regret her and others taking a wrong turn and getting and killed, but to go to these PC lengths is also regretable.

If you and other Indians wanted to change the name of Squaw peak after a true Arizona Indian hero, why did you not fight to have it renamed after Ira Hayes, he was a true hero from Iwo Jima, and more than one in PC name only.

[Political Junkie Too]

I've also heard that "fanny" is a slang for female genitalia in England, but Americans all run around with fanny packs strapped to their waists. Words come and go, and mean different things to different people.

What can you do?

-PJ

[lawdude]

""Squaw" is a word that means female genitalia and has been such a source of humiliation in the Indian people for years"

I have never seen an authoritative source to confirm this statement. In addition, I have been told by Indians (Apache) that it is NOT true. Please tell me what indian language this term is from.

[Andiceman]

This hasty action derogates the memory of Pfc. Piestewa. As a soldier in a company, she would take offense at being singled out for glory. As a soldier in the U.S. Army, she would protest the disregard of rules. As a patriot she would note that she gave her life in a battle against imperialism in Iraq only to be "honored" by imperialists who wave the rules and impose their will on the people. What an unfitting tribute to an honorable soldier.

I believe that the author meant to use the word waive...

[Andiceman]

Nevemind, I mis-read it!

That's what I get for being persnickity...

D'oh!

[Andiceman]

Ok, I quit. waive, wave, whatever

[Arkinsaw]

Personally, I could care less about the term or the current name of that mountain. Change it, keep it, it doesn't matter to me.

What does matter to me is the memory of this soldier. If this peak is the only one that can be named for her, fine, do it. If another is available, fine, do it. But it was unseemly to put this up for political considerations and its unseemly to oppose it for political considerations. Waive the 5 year rule, find another peak or use that one, just do it.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

What next in the PC warped brains agenda?

Time to change the name of the "Grand Tetons" Mountains in Wyoming? After all, in French the name means what so many males admire, large breasts. Now that is the PC French translation, the trappers used the name in the same context as us Bubbas do today.

[Stultis]

Amen! The Democrat Party is being replaced by the Republicans as a majority party for two reasons (IMHO):

1) The 'Rats have lost control of their extremists, while Pubbies have visably marginalized theirs. Recall the "don't let the door hit ya'" attitude when Buchanan stalked off, compared to the 'Rats kneejerk shielding of even the most extreme socialists.

2) Generally speaking the Republicans build their coalition around their ideology while the Democrats do exactly the opposite, and because their coalition is riven with mutual conflicts of interest, the 'Rats cannot therefore govern with a coherent and effect orchestration of policy, nor, because of reason number one, would the public trust them to do so.

I appreciate your efforts, MNnice, but they are quixotic if they only make us like the 'Rats. In the end we will get more votes from respect for honesty and consistency than from pandering.