WaPo Claims 'Geronimo' Code Name in bin Laden Operation 'Left a Sour Taste Among Many Native Americans'
A headline in The Washington Post's Wednesday Style section declared: "American Indians object to ‘Geronimo’ as code for bin Laden raid." Writer Neely Tucker goes on to lament: "In a triumphant moment for the United States, the moniker has left a sour taste among many Native Americans."
Tucker explained: "It was his [Geronimo's] 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." He later remarked: "It isn’t clear yet which branch of the military came up with the nickname — the Army, Navy, CIA or any of the anti-terror special forces groups involved in planning the raid — but it apparently wasn’t bin Laden’s nickname for very long."
Actually, it was never bin Laden's nickname in the operation. In a report on Tuesday's NBC Today, correspondent Jim Miklaszewski specifically noted: "For a successful kill or capture, the code word was simply 'Geronimo'....From the beginning, the U.S. operation was aimed more at killing, not capturing, bin Laden, whose code name itself was 'jackpot.'" The code name "Geronimo" referred to success or mission accomplished, not to bin Laden.
Wednesday's Today also picked up on the political correctness, as news reader Natalie Morales reported: "Native American leaders are criticizing the use of code name 'Geronimo' for Osama bin Laden's killing. Many see him as a hero, an Apache leader who fought the U.S. in the late 1800s. Thursday, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will convene on the topic."
At the end of the Post article, Tucker cited one critic on the code name, Washington D.C. attorney and member of the Cherokee Nation, Keith Harper, who proclaimed: "There is little doubt [the] use of a leader like Geronimo to refer to bin Laden is ill-advised....No one would find acceptable calling this arch-terrorist by code name Mandela, Revere or Ben-Gurion. An extraordinary Native leader and American hero deserves no less."
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Comments
PC to the rescue
Submitted by QMCS on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:57pm.
Just when you thought you had seen it all, the PC crowd has to chime in.
Since when is Geronimo an American hero, Legend yes, hero no, some of these idiots might want to go study exactly what thier native american hero was doing.
Answer this...
What did apaches do to male prisoners?
What did apaches do to female prisoners?
And before our resident lib trolls jump on this with all the "white man stole their land" crap, if that is a justification then any victim of a crime now should have the right to go murder, rape and torture anyone of the same race as their antagonist.
Answer; anything they wanted to.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:30pm.
Geronimo and the Apache would make Osama and Al Cootie look like a LUGBUTT convention!
Rename the helicoptors
Submitted by OuttaMyWay on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 9:14am.
Speaking of Apache, lets rename the helicopters from apache to something that is not offensive.
"many Native
Submitted by Beukeboom on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:58pm.
"many Native Americans"
Specifically who?
He should change that
Submitted by Bob K on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:06pm.
to "many paternalistic white liberal douchebags like me, who feel we are entitled to speak on behalf of a minority" LOL. That would fix it.
That's nothing.
Submitted by HockeyKid on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:04pm.
The Secret Service's codename for the president is Sitting Bull.
Or is it Slinging Bull? I can never remember.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
"The Secret Service's
Submitted by Beukeboom on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:45pm.
"The Secret Service's codename for the president is Sitting Bull."
Sitting? You forgot the "h".
And reversed---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:26pm.
the two words.
MD
Which Geronimo?
Submitted by Ed Gregory on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:09pm.
Did anybody ask Cesar Geronimo from the Big Red Machine if he was offended? What about Seal, that singer who's married to Heidi Klum -- did anybody ask if he was offended that the guy who took the kill shot was a SEAL? Or that the group who took Bin Laden down were all SEALs from Navy Black Ops? I ask, where's the outrage?!?
Now you've done it, Ed.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:32pm.
You said BLACK Ops. Sharpton and Jesse are going to be all over you.
Bingo is his name-o
Submitted by CobraMan on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:19pm.
I wonder how many people objected to the use of the code word "Bingo" when Elián González was seized by the Clinton Administration? The objection to any code word based upon PCism is asinine. Those words are carefully chosen because they are easy to remember and, most importantly, easy to decipher in noisy, chaotic environments like a battle field. As Geronimo is a well know name in America culture, especially in our military, the use of that name, even in a noisy environment like a battle field, would be quickly recognized by any American SEAL. Anyone suggesting that it is obscene, or degrading, to use any given code word is similarly asinine.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
what about the deck of cards
Submitted by OuttaMyWay on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 9:15am.
that they used in Iraq for the leaders, i think that offended some Baptists! :)
As an American with Indian
Submitted by tobiasdog on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:10pm.
As an American with Indian blood on both sides I for one am honored by this.
The Chief of the Ft. Sill Apaches
Submitted by NL207 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:16pm.
is reported to have objected. His reason : He did not want the name of any native-American connected with a murderer like bin Laden. I can understand his position on this.
It is more normal for Americans to use Indian names for things and institutions to be admired. We don't call one of our local high schools 'Powhatan High School' because we disrespect Chief Powhatan.
about that name...
Submitted by Rackie on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:17pm.
"Geronimo was the name given to him by the Mexicans but his real name was Goyaałé from the Chiricahua language meaning "one who yawns"; often spelled Goyathlay or Goyahkla in English."
He died when he was thrown from hos horse.
from Wiki
The next time I go skydiving I'm going to yell "Goyaałé" as I am pushed out of the airplane.
Flotus like a butterfly, sting like a bee-ach.
Rackie
Submitted by hydrodynDM on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:39pm.
For some reason I was reminded of this.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Good one, hydro.
Submitted by QueenMum on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:29pm.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Good one, hydro.
“If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed." - Mark Twain
Huh?
Submitted by Utherpend on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:32pm.
I was going to make the comment about Geronimo being a Chiricahua Apache as well Rackie since I am half myself but the bigger question is why is a Cherokee making this statement? He should mind his own business and look to his tribes concerns and stop white washing anything "Indian" that comes along.
Not to mention that Geronimo evaded the US Army for over 16 years so he was much better at staying in the wind longer than an amatuer like OBL.
What's next? The phonetic alphabetic?
Submitted by CobraMan on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:34pm.
To get this started on the next PC attack against our military, I suggest that the following entries of the phonetic alphabet are also unacceptable:
Charlie: Too personal
Golf: Why denigrate an entire sport by using it's name in military communications?
India: Many Buddhists in India object to the use of that name in military situations. Buddhists are pacifists, remember?
Juliett: Too personal again
Mike: Ditto
Oscar: Sean Penn's head just exploded!
Papa: Madonna will soon be filing a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Quebec: Slandering an entire Canadian Provence!
Whiskey: Why promote alcoholism in the ranks?
Zulu: Talk about a racist term!
Ok, that was fun. Idiotic, just like the objection to "Geronimo," but fun nonetheless.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Love it, CM.
Submitted by QueenMum on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:26pm.
Love it, CM.
“If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed." - Mark Twain
Cobra
Submitted by Model850 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:49pm.
You left out a few:
Geronimo
Submitted by QueenMum on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:26pm.
Native Americans with any sense of pride should be getting sick and tired of the left seeing them as permanent"victims". Saw the piece John Stossel did in which he showed the differences between Native Americans who've been coddled by the U.S. government to the point that they no longer know how to fend for themselves and a tribe that decided they could take care of themselves. Guess which group is still poor and hopeless?
Of course, the oh-so-enlightened left also has no idea of the history of the term "geronimo" as it was used in the 1940's.
“If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed." - Mark Twain
Maybe
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 9:41am.
Issues you do not find offensive others may. In this case without an actual consensus from the Indian nation there is little evidence the group is outraged, yet much like telling each other how we should act and feel about bin Laden's death, it makes as much sense to insist American Indians should not be offended.
This aside, the rest of your post is utter crap. Walk in the shoes of a Native American and see exactly how fairly they are treated. Then I'll tell you about the $14 my in-law received in profits for the government mining her land for the past 35 years.
If you're offended...tough!
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:08am.
If you're offended...tough! Wear a cup. Get over it. There is no constitutional right to not be offended.
A perfect display
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:10am.
"No, this is how you should feel because I say so!"
Was that the message as I described in my previous post?
"If you're offended...tough!
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:46am.
"If you're offended...tough! Wear a cup. Get over it. There is no constitutional right to not be offended."
This was the message I presented in my post. Address it and not an erroneous and inaccurate paraphrase you created.
Your political correctness of which you cleave is absurd and has run amuck. Time for those offended to grow a pair and stop whining like babies. You included.
Now who here would believe you have an Indian relative, Zippers?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:13am.
LOL.
Why is that?
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:16am.
Are we all supposed to be white here?
It's just that you've been
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:49am.
It's just that you've been caught lying so often that most everyone finds it hard to believe anything you claim.
And just as you've done before you tried to put your liberal spin on things in a dishonest fashion.
At least you're consistent.
Poor little angry black Zippers
Submitted by The Vet on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:32am.
Say, how come you don't associate jpegs with your new accounts any more? Is the little angry black man still angry at us?
Oh, now you're white again, Zippers?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:53am.
It's so hard to keep up with your multiple identities.
Irishman, my grandmother,
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:18am.
Irishman, my grandmother, (fathers side) happened to be from the Chihuahua Apache tribe at Ft Sill. After doing some checking, I don't know of any around the area that I know that are offended by that. I am not. They don't care. It was a code word confirming the death of OBL. Not the code word for OBL.
Geronimo, in my view, would have been proud to have been associated with the death of OBL.
It is just the Chief of the tribe down there is the only one I have head say anything. He just wants his 15 minutes of fame, as far as I can tell.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Like I said
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:22am.
We don't know the natives feel about this, but telling them they shouldn't take offense is just bratty.
My part-native wife takes no offense. She sees it as a hero's mission and an honor to use Geronimo as the code name for the mission.
And like I said, the Apache's
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:31am.
And like I said, the Apache's at Ft Sill do not take offense. My relatives that still live there think the Chief is just looking for some attention. I do not take offense. It's all about attention.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Partly
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 10:36am.
But you just can't tell people how they should feel.
Feelings...whoa...whoa...whoa...feeeeelings....
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:46am.
Yes, they can be told how to feel. That's what liberals have been doing all along. It doesn't guarantee that will feel the way they are told but they can be told.
And we can also tell them to get over it and stop whining like a child.
You can set an example and stop whining.
BTW, care to show us where in the constitution the right to not have one's feelings hurt?
Keep that up
Submitted by mandrake on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:53am.
And I'm going to start singing Macarthur Park..and you really don't want that!!
Oh please. Like a cake would actually melt in the snow.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:56am.
.
Well, the Hollywoodache Tribe has been always been more
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 11:51am.
sensitive than the others.
They're also really bad businessmen. Instead of opening casinos or selling cigs, they open gourmet pizza restaurants, all of which fail miserably.
Racism, racism, investigate
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:04pm.
Racism, racism, investigate now, send in the special prosecutors, call the justice brothers. we cannot let this hate speech continue.
Big Chief Little Heart
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:34pm.
Do you think anyone in the Obama administration had reservations about the code name Geronimo?
Grandma Sarah: What's all that paint about?
Lone Watie: It's my death face.
Grandma Sarah: You know, we're sure gonna show them redskins somethin' tomorrow. No offense meant.
Lone Watie: None taken.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
"Outlaw Josie Wales" Great
Submitted by Beukeboom on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:50pm.
"Outlaw Josie Wales"
Great movie!
Beuke -- agreed. Probably my
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:10pm.
Beuke -- agreed. Probably my fave Clint opus.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Jack
Submitted by hydrodynDM on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:25pm.
"I reckon so."
It's a tie for me between
Submitted by Beukeboom on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:31pm.
It's a tie for me between "Outlaw Josie Wales" and "Kelly's Heroes" as my favorite Eastwood film.
Operation Just
Submitted by Vonu on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:56pm.
(be) Cause was already taken.
Poor Manny.
it's a complement!
Submitted by right of way on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:13pm.
if you want to name yourself after a great warrior, geronimo is a great choice. this pc crap has got to stop. it seems that everyone is offended about something or another and they have to let everyone know. well guess what. no one gives a rat's rear! everyone gets upset over something everyday, just keep it to yourself and stop being selfish in thinking that you are so special that people care what you think.
I am offended
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 6:08pm.
that various indigenous tribes call themselves native "Americans", when the word America is derived from an evil, white, European.
Why? I didn't have anything else to be offended by today. I may sue some of the tribes for pain and suffering. The tribes with Casinos, of course.
Hmm. Good point.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 6:16pm.
I think may join the protest by switching brands from those Vespucci Light 100s I've been getting from the Oswegos.
Yeah, I think we all saw this one coming.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:40pm.
As soon as I found out they were using the codename "Geronimo" for the Bin Laden hunt, I just knew it was only a matter of time before some professional whiner came forward to complain.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
Let me just say that I
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:30pm.
Let me just say that I minored in Native American Studies in college and also have practiced tribal law and only a few Native American's give two $#1ts about stuff like this. SOME Native American's are angry over everything but that is true about every group. Therefore, the WaPo article is meaningless, like all of their tripe, in an attempt to create racial and ethnic tension.
I swear, if it wasn't for the American liberal media, race-relations in this country would be fabulously friendly. All the tension is created and stoked by the liberal propaganda machine.
Geronimo
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:50pm.
I don't know about the codename being racist, but Obama did say he didn't want to spike the pigskin. . . OOPS, I mean "football".
I think you are missing something here guys.
Submitted by The Vet on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:06am.
We have an administration that is so sensitive to the feelings of others (mostly Muslims), they have dropped the terms Global War on Terror for Contingency Operations and dropped the term terrorist for man caused human disaster or some such thing. Can't have the word crusade thrown around either or jihad or islamic extremist.
Obama bans terms such as Islam, jihad from U.S. security strategy
Don't forget the name of the Libya operation - Odyssey Dawn - rather be oddball and vague rather than hurt someone's feelings. Yes, Homer's return to his dishwashing soap is an apt name. Homer has beed dead for a few thousand years and won't be upset by it.
So once again, we don't want to hurt the feelings of our enemies, but our friends, the Indian nations in our own country. Pfffft. How cares if they get a little ticked?
Call him Custer
Submitted by nkviking75 on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:09am.
Maybe they should have called him "Custer". Not only would it offend white folks (who deserve it), but it was Osama's last stand.
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
I LOVE IT! Obama has lived
Submitted by Rusty Shackleford on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 1:14am.
I LOVE IT!
Obama has lived an insular life of Leftwing fundamentalism. I find it very funny that it's coming around to bite him in the a**
If I stumble onto any YouTube videos or news articles where I can post my support of the Native Americans in their plight against Obama's racial insensitivity I'm going to do it.
People, stop thinking and start acting like Leftists! We should encourage this cannibalism!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Matthews: The Joy Behar of MSNBC.
Bill Maher: The Joy Behar of HBO.
Paul Krugman: The Joy Behar of The New York Times.
Charlie Sheen should be blacklisted as well
Submitted by gopcongress on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 2:49am.
Charlie Sheen should never be allowed to show his face in liberal Hollywood EVER AGAIN, for this DISGUSTING, racist scene in "Hot Shots Part Duh".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lXiUleCN2w
(Yes, campers, this is what is known as "illustrating absurdity by being absurd")
"The news and truth are not the same thing." -Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
"Indians are offended by the
Submitted by liberalsarefunny on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:10pm.
"Indians are offended by the use of Geronimo".....
And WaPo knows this how???
Blackman speak with forked
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:46pm.
Blackman speak with forked tongue!
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.