May 10, 2011, - 3:00 pm
Frickin’ ABSURD: Govt Agency Counsels Indians Over Bin Laden “Geronimo” Code
Everyone in America needs to get a life . . . and a tougher skin. That includes American Indian tribes, especially American Indian Health and Family Services in Detroit. The government-subsidized organization is offering counseling for Indians “offended or hurt” by the use of Geronimo as the code word Navy SEALs used to signal that Osama Bin Laden was killed. I kid you not. Your tax dollars at work:
Ghost of Osama Bin Laden Laughing @ American Dumbassity
A local Native American organization is offering counseling to anyone who feels offended or hurt by the use of “Geronimo” as code name for the recent U.S. operation that killed Osama Bin Laden.
“Geronimo EKIA” (enemy killed in action) was the message that U.S. Navy SEALS sent to Washington officials last week to let them know bin Laden was dead.
But the code name upset many Native Americans since Geronimo is the name of a Native American warrior who many consider a hero, while bin Laden was behind the al-Qaida terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, that killed nearly 3,000 people.
“Geronimo’s name shouldn’t be used in a context like that,” Nickole Fox said Monday. Fox is director of health education at American Indian Health and Family Services, which is offering the service.
“He’s a hero among a lot of Native (American) people. It’s disrespectful to use his name like that.”
After “Geronimo” was revealed as the code name for the operation, Native Americans across the country expressed opposition. Some people changed their Facebook page picture to honor the Apache leader, while others called for a public apology from President Barack Obama.
The American Indian Health and Family Services in Detroit is asking anyone concerned about the continued use of Native American heroes in a negative context to come in. . . .
Michigan has the 10th-largest population of Native Americans in the country, with 55,000 living in Metro Detroit.
The American Indian Health and Family Services agency can be reached at (313) 846-3718.
My late father, an ophthalmologist, had many American Indian patients. Some were poor and couldn’t afford to pay. He treated them for free, and, sometimes, they gave him Indian trinkets and arrowheads, which he gave to us kids. He taught us about them and to respect their heritage, customs, and folklore. I still maintain that respect. But not for this kind of stuff, which is just plain absurd.
We know that American Indian Tribes– despite affirmative action, minority set asides, scholarships, huge government grants and subsidies plus a government agency, and wealth from casinos–consistently have high rates of alcoholism, poverty, high school drop-outs, etc. Well, if American Indian Health and Family Services’ actions are any indication, maybe it’s because they have a warped sense of perspective and priorities.
If the SEALS had used the words “Judah Maccabee,” instead (which they’d never do because–out of respect of the faith of the hijackers and mass murderers of thousands of Americans, we can never mention those evil JOOOO people), I’d have been honored.
Get a clue, people.
By the way, I’m offended by the name of this Indian healthcare agency. Aren’t they supposed to call themselves, “Native Americans?”
With all this political correctness, I’m confused. Er . . . a “being within” is confused. I don’t want to offend myself by using the wrong standard personal pronoun.
Tags: American Indian Health and Family Services, American Indians, Bin Laden death, Bin Laden Killing, counseling, Detroit, Geronimo, Geronimo EKIA, government agency, Michigan, Native Americans, Navy SEALS, Nickole Fox, Osama bin Laden
The only minority in the world not supposed to be offended are Jews.
If they get slapped across the cheek, they don’t make a fuss about it.
Even when they ARE really hurt, like the cowardice displayed by CUNY.
There’s one form of bigotry no one minds.
NormanF on May 10, 2011 at 3:51 pm