Geronimo and Osama bin Laden
When I read that the military’s code name for Osama bin Laden was “Geronimo†I had an uncomfortable feeling and immediately went to Wikipedia to read the history of the Native American Apache leader. What I read turned my uncomfortable feeling to disgust.
How insensitive, blind and continually arrogant can we be to perpetuate a false and demeaning stereotype of the wise and spiritual human beings who preceded our very existence on this continent? How ignorant of our government to choose to identify a mass murderer by the code name of one of the, if not the, most celebrated and honored leaders of a nation? A man who is legend to his people for his dedication, bravery and mastery.
To me, this shameful choice exemplifies two controlling principles: 1) History is written by the “victors†and 2) Until each of us is willing to honor all peoples and value their unique contributions as part of the “human family†we will continue to be led by those who favor some at the expense of others.
I think the United States government, from our President to the Joint Chiefs, owes a public apology to all Native Americans. Failure to do so will be yet another blight upon our disregard and continued devaluation of a proud and honorable people.
The resulting shame will be ours and, ironically, give unintended credence to some of the rants of Osama bin Laden… that the West and its leaders are concerned with only their own prosperity and care little for the interests or plight of people of color and differing belief systems.
How sad and ironic, for us, should that be the case.
In 200 years he WILL be THE Geronimo for the new world. No need to be offended. Wasn’t the real Geronimo a terrorist of his time? Not for the Indians, but sure was for the settlers. So is Osama.
It’s just a matter of which side of the history you end up on – Losing or Winning.
Hitler would have been the “Alaxander the Great” had he won but now he is a Villain.