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The U.S. military’s ongoing slur of Native Americans
Washington Post ^ | Jun 26th 2014 | Simon Waxman

Posted on 06/27/2014 9:55:16 AM PDT by Second Amendment First

*

In the United States today, the names Apache, Comanche, Chinook, Lakota, Cheyenne and Kiowa apply not only to Indian tribes but also to military helicopters. Add in the Black Hawk, named for a leader of the Sauk tribe. Then there is the Tomahawk, a low-altitude missile, and a drone named for an Indian chief, Gray Eagle. Operation Geronimo was the end of Osama bin Laden.

Why do we name our battles and weapons after people we have vanquished? For the same reason the Washington team is the Redskins and my hometown Red Sox go to Cleveland to play the Indians and to Atlanta to play the Braves: because the myth of the worthy native adversary is more palatable than the reality — the conquered tribes of this land were not rivals but victims, cheated and impossibly outgunned.

The destruction of the Indians was asymmetric war, compounded by deviousness in the name of imperialist manifest destiny. White America shot, imprisoned, lied, swindled, preached, bought, built and voted its way to domination. Identifying our powerful weapons and victorious campaigns with those we subjugated serves to lighten the burden of our guilt. It confuses violation with a fair fight.

It is worse than denial; it is propaganda.

*

Noam Chomsky has clarified the moral stakes in provocative, instructive terms: “We might react differently if the Luftwaffe were to call its fighter planes ‘Jew’ and ‘Gypsy.’ ”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: americanindians; indians; nativeamericans; usmilitary
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Simon Waxman is managing editor of Boston Review.

This is insanity!

1 posted on 06/27/2014 9:55:16 AM PDT by Second Amendment First
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To: Second Amendment First
Let's just outlaw the English language. It offends too many people.
2 posted on 06/27/2014 9:57:21 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government." --Tacitus)
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To: Second Amendment First
It looks like an effort to erase Native Americans from world history. Without a name to remember them by, they will truly become a forgotten people.
3 posted on 06/27/2014 9:59:03 AM PDT by 2001convSVT (Going Galt as fast as I can.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

From the comments: Oh please. Another article that makes me embarrassed to be a liberal.


4 posted on 06/27/2014 10:00:12 AM PDT by Second Amendment First
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To: Second Amendment First
We are surrounded by idiots.

They are called "liberal media".

Not to be confused with just plain old dumb ass liberals.

5 posted on 06/27/2014 10:00:23 AM PDT by OldSmaj (I am an avowed enemy of islam and obama is a damned fool and traitor. Questions?)
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To: Second Amendment First

“Why do we name our battles and weapons after people we have vanquished?”

Kind of a reach there ain’t it simon? Pretty sure it’s done in honor of those folks and not to offend. Get a life will ya?.............GEEZ.


6 posted on 06/27/2014 10:00:26 AM PDT by V_TWIN (white pri)
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To: Second Amendment First

7 posted on 06/27/2014 10:00:33 AM PDT by cuban leaf
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To: 2001convSVT
It looks like an effort to erase Native Americans from world history

I agree. That was my first thought.

8 posted on 06/27/2014 10:00:45 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Second Amendment First

Okay, Mr. Waxman, let’s name the Redskins the Panzers. You oaky wit dat?.........


9 posted on 06/27/2014 10:01:14 AM PDT by Red Badger (I've posted a total of 2,743 threads and 84,837 replies.)
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To: Second Amendment First

“Another article that makes me embarrassed to be a liberal.”

That should occur during every waking moment.


10 posted on 06/27/2014 10:02:07 AM PDT by V_TWIN (white pri)
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To: Second Amendment First

Will Harry Reid Tell This 100% Navajo Indian High School Their ‘Redskins’ Mascot is Racist?
http://www.tpnn.com/2014/06/19/will-harry-reid-tell-this-100-navajo-indian-high-school-their-redskins-mascot-is-racist/


11 posted on 06/27/2014 10:03:15 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Second Amendment First

We name our tanks after great American Generals. I do think we should name the next helicopter The Honkey. We name our ships after states.


12 posted on 06/27/2014 10:04:49 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Second Amendment First

Well, what about all those Army posts named after Confederate Generals? Lee, Hood, etc. Isn’t that ‘racist’?


13 posted on 06/27/2014 10:05:39 AM PDT by DugwayDuke
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To: Second Amendment First

I know some Comanche who were upset that RAH-66 did not go into production; they felt like their tribe was not being honoured with a combat machine.


14 posted on 06/27/2014 10:05:45 AM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Second Amendment First

We did to the Indians what they were trying to do to each other. We are, in sum, the best thing that has ever happened to Mankind period.

Indians WERE often as brave in battle as Men can be and as such are worthy of Tribute in the minds of Men who understand Human nature in battle.


15 posted on 06/27/2014 10:06:27 AM PDT by TalBlack (Evil doesn't have a day job.)
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To: Second Amendment First

So should lots and lots of presidants, admirals, US cities and States be offended at having ship named after them? Should various general be mad that they had tanks named after them? No. It’s a sign of respect. That’s why there is no US helicoper named Hitler.


16 posted on 06/27/2014 10:07:26 AM PDT by thorvaldr
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To: Second Amendment First

could SImon...POSSIBLY be the offsrping of ...Henry Waxman??


17 posted on 06/27/2014 10:07:57 AM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
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To: Second Amendment First

You have got to be kidding. Honoring great warriors is now an insult? Or more likely, a reason for empty headed holier than thou “liberals” to feign offense on behalf of others. Bunch of posers.


18 posted on 06/27/2014 10:09:10 AM PDT by Ray76 (True change requires true change - A Second Party ...or else it's more of the same...)
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To: Second Amendment First

This story is such a... White Lie....

;-)


19 posted on 06/27/2014 10:09:52 AM PDT by navyguy (The National Reset Button is pushed with the trigger finger.)
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To: TalBlack

Excellent post.


20 posted on 06/27/2014 10:10:57 AM PDT by Ray76 (True change requires true change - A Second Party ...or else it's more of the same...)
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