Reply #20: Native Americans Change Profile Pictures To Protest Use of “Geronimo” in Bin Laden Mission

[Zorra]

Geronimo managed to never be captured. He died a prisoner of war, after surrendering to the U.S. when a general promised to reunite him with his tribe.

“When people representing the U.S. reach back a century to take a gratuitous swipe at Geronimo as an enemy and to equate him with a terrorist, they are insulting all Native American nations and people,” Suzan Shown Harjo, president of the Morning Star Institute, told a senate committee hearing Thursday. The hearing had been scheduled before bin Laden’s death to address racist names of sports teams.

On Thursday, Indian Country Today asked its Twitter and Facebook followers to change their pics for the next two days. (Some of the Facebook fans asked if they could extend or change the time frame, because they had photos of their mothers up for Mother’s Day. ICT consented.)

Native American leaders, including those from the tribe that descended from Geronimo’s tribe, and descendants of the Apache leader have asked President Barack Obama to issue a formal apology and explanation.

http://mashable.com/2011/05/06/operation-geronimo/

Indian Country Responds to Geronimo, bin Laden Connection

The National Congress of American Indians: In a statement released May 3, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) responded to the death of Osama bin Laden and reports that the American Indian name “Geronimo” was used as the code name for the operation to kill the al-Qaeda leader.

“Our understanding is that bin Laden’s actual code name was ‘Jackpot’ and the operation name was ‘Geronimo’,” said Keel. “To associate a Native warrior with bin Laden is not an accurate reflection of history and it undermines the military service of Native people. It’s critical that military leaders and operational standards honor the service of those who protect our freedom.”

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/05/indian-country-responds-to-geronimo-bin-laden-connection/

Indian Country

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/