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.

[narby]

These PC idiots have been looking for an excuse to rename Squaw peak for years. But it's not just a mountian inside the Phoenix area. It's the name of a freeway. It's the name of countless other things, which derive their original name by being in the vicinity of the mountian.

Besides that, it costs money to change all the signs, and the state is broke right now.

And if its that important to name something after this girl, why is it THIS mountian that has to be renamed? Are they calling this soldier a "squaw"? I'd be offended if I were her family.

[Kenton]

I know a Lakota woman who gets very upset over the word, claiming that it's an epithet similar to the word... ummmm... well, it's that acronym created from the first letters of the phrase "Can't Understand Normal Thinking"...

[presidio9]

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.

Senator Kerry disagrees with you.

[presidio9]

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

One thing we know is that she was only part Hopi, and whe was a practicing Roman Catholic, so the whole Native American thing is blown way out of proportion.

[Illbay]

But no one can figure out if he's living or dead.

[chiller]

Montini the weenie should be blasting Gov. Janet. for her political pandering. Voters on the reseration played a key role in getting her elected.

Worse, she's pitted many common sense people in direct opposition to our Native Americans, by labeling us racists....an old Clinton tactic.

Arizona has 5 servicemen/women killed in Iraq. What about them?

Nice work, too, Mr. Montini; "as far as we know" Pfc. Piestewa was the first native american women killed in war. I would have checked before I used the argument, which is weak anyway.

I always liked and respected Native Americans and their Indian names, whether it was sport teams, or Squaw Peak. I'm changing my opinion about both.

[Arkinsaw]

Naming a Peak after her would be a good thing in my mind. Whether or not its this one, I don't care.

[hoyaloya]

Still, if the state Board of Geographic and Historic Names (which meets today) says that its rules require us to wait five years after a person's death to change the name, why not wait?

A: We could, but why?

? Is this Montini character extremely dense? If federal law prohibits renaming landmarks for five years after someone's death, then (a) presumably the law was created for a reason; (b) it is an enforceable law; and (c) if you disagree with the law, get it changed.

The circumstances certainly don't, however, make this some kind of emergency meriting ignoring law. This chomps my bit. I live in Arizona. I am partially Native American. I have no problem with "Squaw" Peak, but if it's bothering people, changing the name is no big deal to me. I kind of like the ring of Piestewa Peak. I can see it out my office window right now rising above the valley.

What really irritates me is that renaming the mountain for Ms. Piestewa is something most people could embrace - but not like this. If we're going to throw the rule of law out the window to simply change a name that's been there for generations a couple of years sooner . . . then this is all about politics and agenda. Trying to divide people. That's not the purpose of honoring someone like Ms. Piestewa. Our government ignoring a perfectly reasonable law to suit a partisan agenda demeans and insults what Ms. Piestewa died for.

[chiller]

The Gov's a Dem. They can ignore rules whenever convenient.

[presidio9]

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.

And quite politically incorrect. Did the squaws who died fighting the white man 100 years ago not serve their nations?

[XJarhead]

I agree. I can't really undertand why anyone would fight this.

[presidio9]

The Gov's a Dem. They can ignore rules whenever convenient.

She's also a squaw in the sense that she thinks the word is pejorative.

[fish hawk]

I cant believe what I am reading here. Half of you on this thread make a big deal out a white girl that was in combat and lived but ridicule the memory of an Indian girl that lost her life doing the same thing. Yes, I am an American Indian but not always proud of the American part. I am a strong conservative but oh, sometimes it is so hard when I take an honest look around. Go ahead and flame me, I'm tough as are most Indians.

[kaktuskid]

RULES are rules!

[Chad Fairbanks]

I cant believe what I am reading here. Half of you on this thread make a big deal out a white girl that was in combat and lived but ridicule the memory of an Indian girl that lost her life doing the same thing. Yes, I am an American Indian but not always proud of the American part. I am a strong conservative but oh, sometimes it is so hard when I take an honest look around. Go ahead and flame me, I'm tough as are most Indians.

I'm an American Indian, too - So spare me the martyr crap, thank you very much...

[KC Burke]

Heck, I'm just an ol' KC boy and I'd applaud the change of a mountain with such a name in a populated area to honor Lori. It should be adopted in the normal fashion.

I hope that other honors are confired for her sacrifice as well, both in her local area and nationally.

[Magic Fingers]

"Half of you on this thread make a big deal out a white girl that was in combat and lived but ridicule the memory of an Indian girl that lost her life doing the same thing."

No one is "ridiculing the memory of an Indian girl" simply because they don't agree with renaming a mountain after her. You're "as tough as most Indians"? Seems a bit more like "finding a reason to be offended when there is none".

Besides, even if the mountain were renamed -- "Squaw Peak", "Squaw Peak Parkway", etc., are so commonly used and so much easier to say (try saying "Piestewa Parkway" fast 3 times) that I expect it would be a generation (or more) before it was used even semi-often. So, we could rename the mountain and virtually everyone would continue to call it "Squaw Peak"; seems like there are better ways to honor Ms. Piestewa's sacrifice.

[KC Burke]

Didn't look at the author or the source but know it is a leftist apologist. Here is what is said about "dishonor" of opposition:

We do this by making complicated that which is simple. By allowing ego to replace common sense. By choosing prejudice over prudence. By foolishly taking our eye off the ball. To resolve this, we only need to ask ourselves a few simple questions. The first is: Should we change the name of Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak?

First let's look at the detail of this explanation made even prior to running out the straw men.

We do this by making complicated that which is simple.

That's not true; following the normal proceedure is simple, a special change to the formula and proceedure is complicated.

By allowing ego to replace common sense.

Ego is what is injected by the politician getting involved with throwing out the rules.

By choosing prejudice over prudence.

Prudence should be ranked higher and that is why following the proceedure is best. Only the slam of racism as trump is being used to over rule prudence here. Typical Democrat.

By foolishly taking our eye off the ball. To resolve this, we only need to ask ourselves a few simple questions. The first is: Should we change the name of Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak?

Yes, in a normal fashion. I hope there are a number of things changed in her home town as well. But you know, that will involve the Feds a lot due to their vast retention of ownership of tribal lands and will probably become a fiasco as well.

God bless this fallen soldier.

[Van Jenerette]

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

We know that SHE DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY...that is all I need to know to have the greatest respect for her!

Van Jenerette, Major, USArmy(ret) www.jenerette.com

[Blue Screen of Death]

Why not name it after one the the Arizona soldiers that either died in Viet Nam or was spit on and called a baby killer when he returned?