It Had to Happen
Bill McGurn ·
May 4, 2011 at 8:41am
Someone objects to the way our Navy SEALs got Osama bin Laden. And no, I don't mean Hamas or the Taliban or Pakistan:
[T]he Apache born near the Gila River in present-day Arizona with the not-very-impressive name of Goyahkla (“One Who Yawns”) rode into history as the legendary Geronimo.
It was his name that the U.S. military chose as the code for the raid, and perhaps for Osama bin Laden himself, during the operation that killed the al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan. That led to the iconic transmission from the raid: “Geronimo EKIA.” Geronimo, Enemy Killed in Action.
In a triumphant moment for the United States, the moniker has left a sour taste among many Native Americans.
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Comments :
Oct '10
Re: It Had to Happen
The local radio show host was talking about this issue and played a clip of judge napolitano on fox criticizing the action. The judge believed the president doesn't have the constitutionally authority; that he can't kill civilians; and that there was no declaration of war.
May '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I think we all knew this would happen as soon as we heard "Geronimo" was the code word. I think it was in the Brothers Karamazov that Dostoevsky said, "It sometimes feels very good to take offense, doesn't it?" America has taken offense to its furthest extent; we have created an entire political-entertainment industry out of being offended.
Jun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
There will always be someone who objects to something, and someone else who will broadcast that objection, no matter how trivial, far and wide.
Re: It Had to Happen
I have to admit considering the left's view of themselves as keepers of sensitivity and poltical correctness concerning minorities, the use of the name Geronimo surprised me.
The Senate will now include this issue in a previously scheduled hearing on negative native American stereotypes.
The administration is saying Geronimo was not the code name for bin Laden, but the code name for capturing him or killing him.
If so, that's not an insult. In fact, I'd have been honored if they named killing America's #1 enemy "a Tommy."
Also, while he may be a hero to Indians, to me he is still a guy who fought against my country.
May '10
Re: It Had to Happen
Interesting. Can any historians correct my impression? I thought that, at the time of his capture, Geronimo was a renegade Apache, refusing to abide by a treaty Cochise had agreed to. As a result, he was sought by both US and Apache. Maybe I got this from movies and it is false, but in my mind it puts a different spin on things.
Dec '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I thought "Geronimo!!!" was what Americans in old movies used to yell before they leaped from a great height. I knew Geronimo was the name of a Native American, I just had no idea how his name ended up being the pop culture catch phrase for leaping from a high place.
Yeah here it is
Why is everyone in these news stories acting like the phrase "Geronimo!!!" wasn't a huge part of American history and pop culture? They don't even mention it.
Jun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I have to side with the Native Americans on this one. It really was a poor choice. Considering there is no shortage of truly evil people in history for whom OBL or the mission could have been named, why chose Geronimo? How about Che? How about Hitler? How about Cromwell?
Unlike Osama, his fight with the US (and Mexico) was a defensive one. He was reportedly brave, ferocious, & daring. He also admired and adopted Christianity in his later years & I know that Teddy Roosevelt admired him. He is an iconic Native American figure & it's a shame that this incredible mission the SEALS pulled off now has a taint because someone was not thinking quite clearly.
"Also, while he may be a hero to Indians, to me he is still a guy who fought against my country."
Really, Tommy? You can't have some empathy for Indians and understand why they'd fight when being forced off their land?
Feb '11
Re: It Had to Happen
I'm with you on this. I was surprised when I first heard that code name.
May '10
Re: It Had to Happen
This was my thought, too. They're complaining about a compliment. "Geronimo!" is common vernacular for throwing caution into the wind and taking action.
Some complaints should be ignored entirely.
Jun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
Aaron, then that was not made clear. The way that it was reported, the SEAL appeared to be calling Osama by the codename Geronimo. I guess it's just one more piece of the sloppy information release.
I would hope the White House clarifies that, and explains the name was chosen, as you point out, because Geronimo was known for brave and decisive action against incredible odds.
Nov '10
Re: It Had to Happen
My understanding is that those codenames are assigned randomly from a list.
Nov '10
Re: It Had to Happen
Are Amerindians (I adamantly refuse to use "Native" as a racial descriptor) offended, or are Amerindian activists offended?
There is a difference.
Apr '11
Re: It Had to Happen
Aaron Miller
Some complaints should be ignored entirely. · May 4 at 10:37am
My thoughts exactly. By the way, for some excellent commentary on the subject I suggest you take a look at today's Three Martini Lunch. (http://www.nationalreview.com/)
Sep '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I guess they were thinking, "Hey, we just take the scalp. These guys cut off the whole head."
Next time it will be "Operation Fluffy Bunny". . . but then PETA will complain.
Sep '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I thought the code name Geronimo was apt for the occasion and chuckled when I heard it. Geronimo kept the US cavalry on the run by ducking into Mexico whenever they were hot on his trail for years. I think the parallels with Osama bin Laden are obvious. .
Jun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
I have to wonder that the "Native Americans" haven't protested the use if Anglicized tribal names for their helicopters?
As an aside, I was born in this country, as was my father before me and his father before him and so on. How many generations will people have to be here before they become "natives?" I'm also 1/4 Cherokee as well as half a dozen other origins including English, German, Scot, Irish and Spanish. So when do I get to be a native?
Edited on May 4, 2011 at 8:18pmJun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
The term "native" doesn't bother me. It's less clunky than idigenous peoples. If Indians don't want to be called Indians anymore, they should be able to chose what they prefer. Blacks have made it clear when they objected to negro, colored, etc.as racial designations.
Amerindians is what I would like to see become the standard. It's accurate.
I also think there is no question that it is a great honor to be named in weaponry of the US military. Whether named for a person, cultural symbols, tribal names, or desirable characteristics such as "intrepid," the names all put forth images of strength and bravery.
Edited on May 5, 2011 at 5:08amOct '10
Re: It Had to Happen
As another noted, has anyone heard of a tribal spokesman complaining about this? Why is such a esoteric concern as Amerind stereotyping in civillian life supposed to weigh at all on military operations?
The most devastating result of suffering a major defeat, ever since history was recorded, was for the name of your people to be wiped from history, to be forgotten utterly. By using Amerind names and references in things mundane, military, or anywhere else respectfully is to honor the history and heritage of Amerind peoples.
To banish any use of their names or any references to them is to scrub them from our consciousness and shroud them in mystery. Doing so invites stereotyping and ignorance.
Dec '10
Re: It Had to Happen
If you do a web search on "dead outlaw photos," you will see a number of pictures of people in their final repose: the Clanton gang, Dillinger, Jesse James. The simple truth is that ever since M. Daguerre's fabulous invention reached our shores, Americans have been eager to see visual evidence that notorious bad guys have met their ignominious ends.
Obama is, as is so often the case, badly out of touch with the American cultural norm on this matter.
Jun '10
Re: It Had to Happen
Like you say, it had to happen. Is anyone really surprised?