Failing to answer question of honor to Pfc. Piestewa

Arizona Republic ^ | Apr. 17, 2003 | Ed Montin

[presidio9]

We dishonor the memory of Lori Piestewa with our pettiness. She put on a uniform and went to war and was killed, leaving behind a loving family and two small children. In return we waste the opportunity to honor her sacrifice and mend a bleeding insult by depreciating her life and pouring salt on the wound.

[presidio9]

We are soon going to have to change the ending of or national anthem. The last word is an insult to Native Americans.

[hsmomx3]

I'm so dang sick of this story. I wish Butch would have the smarts to read the law instead of making a mountain out of a mole hill!!! This is blatant discrimination that she is committing and I hope the committee tells her NO! Sounds like she'd do anything for a few votes.

[hsmomx3]

I forgot to ask. What do we know about this woman other than she served our country?

[trebb]

\Squaw\, n. [Massachusetts Indian squa, eshqua; Narragansett squ[^a]ws; Delaware ochqueu, and khqueu; used also in compound words (as the names of animals) in the sense of female.] A female; a woman; -- in the language of Indian tribes of the Algonquin family, correlative of sannup

Newer definitions are listed as offensive, but the original seems pretty straight-forward...

[Lockbar]

As a veteran, I don't think there is anything wrong with naming something after PFC.Piestewa. Its a easy and appropriate thing to do, as she seems to have been an good person, and she died in action. A better person than Klintoon could very dream of being.

[FourPeas]

Q: Since "squaw" has been used for years, how can you say it's an insult?

A: If it were not, we would use it in conversation. If it were not, someone by now would have used it in reference to Piestewa or to other Native American women. That will never happen.

Insulting? No, simply out of date. Still, it's a silly reason to rename a landmark.

[Cyber Liberty]

This irritating question and answer format is why I refuse to read Montini's crap any more. Geesh, at least he could make an effort to look for a straw man, rather than just creating one out of whole cloth.

At least Royko had a made-up character to knock down, "Slats Grobnik".

[Luna]

Why not just name it after the reason why some people want it changed?

We Don't Want To Offend Anyone So We Must Find A Politically Correct Solution Mountain

[Illbay]

Above all, we need to make sure that the ethnic identity of every single person in the news--living or dead--is accurately identified and reported.

It is important that ethnic minorities be represented fairly in our news and popular culture. More important than anything, in fact.

[aimhigh]

So far as we know, Army Pfc. Piestewa is the first Native American servicewoman to die in combat.

I find this hard to believe, considering all the prior wars.

[Illbay]

"Nigger" was originally a term for a very dark shade of brown, or "off-black."

I doubt you could get away with it now. Heck, you can't even say "niggardly."

[elbucko]

More important than anything, in fact.

More important than the Constitution?

[Under the Radar]

Above all, we need to make sure that the ethnic identity of every single person in the news--living or dead--is accurately identified and reported.

It is important that ethnic minorities be represented fairly in our news and popular culture. More important than anything, in fact.

Did you forget to close your sarcasm tag? You can't be serious.

[adam_az]

PLAY BALL!

[skeeter]

I'm not from Arizona, so I don't have a dog in this particular fight.

However, I'm generally against the practice of renaming significant landmarks, etc. Its a practice too easily abused by revisionists and seems to be a favored tactic of Marxists anxious to erase our heritage & shove their orthodoxy down the public's throat.

I'm still stewing over the SF city counsel renaming 150 year old Army street Cesar Chavez Blvd.

Obviously something should be done to honor Ms Piestewa in a public way, as with all our honored dead. But they should consider another way.

[Lael]

I forgot to ask. What do we know about this woman other than she served our country?

I am not totally opposed, and Squaw to me was always synonamous with "married Indian Woman", as opposed to an Indian "Maiden". But then, I studied the Algonquin in Elementary School, and as pointed out, it is an Algonquin term. I really am ignorant of any secondary meetings.

Squaw is certainly easier to pronounce than that girl's name.

Let us comply with the rules and wait the five years. My intuitive sense is that Lori AND Jessica inflicted the vast bulk of Iraqi casualties with single shot, deliberately aimed fire, as opposed to the "spray and pray" technique employed by the rest.

If that is actually the case, and it is corroborated over said 5 year period, then I would have no objection, even though I, being ignorant of "secondary meanings" have never employed "Squaw" as a slur.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Changing it from 'Squaw Peak' is offensive to me... It is erasing my culture, and quitre frankly me, and my Squaw, are offended ;0)

[teokee]

Some gave a little,..some gave it all..
She has a prould name

[Illbay]

Oh, absolutely!

The Constitution, after all, was written by Dead White Men. And it enshrined and protected slavery!

We'd do better to adopt a new Constitution, one that is not sullied by the class-criminals and racists!

A Constitution like THIS ONE!

[Redcloak]

Why is "young woman" in Massachusett offensive?