[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.

[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.

[presidio9]

No disrespect, hawk, but you are missing the point. The liberals in AZ have used racially divisive tactics relating to the moutain for years. The Govenor could care less about Pfc. Piestewa (I sincerely doubt she attended the funeral). This is political opportunism at its slimiest. And I for one have been vocal about saying we have to tone down the beatification of Pfc. Lynch until all the facts are on the table.

[JackelopeBreeder]

I guess you have to have lived here in Arizona for quite a while to understand the rancor. Squaw Peak did not get its name because Indian women lived near it or on it. It got its name because from a distance it looks very much like a big tit -- typical 19th Century cowboy humor. Up close it's just a pile of rocks.

I am Arizonan and retired Army. I would not want to see Squaw Peak named after a fallen soldier regardless of race or gender. I can think of a lot of far more majestic mountains in this state that would be far more fitting as a memorial for PFC Piestewa.