[xmca] Native responses to bin Laden = Geronimo (fwd)

[Tony Whitson <twhitson@UDel.Edu>]

not on topic, but surely of interest to some.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 18:59:44 -0400
From: Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe@gmail.com>
To: ncss-l@wiu.edu
Subject: Native responses to bin Laden = Geronimo

Posts to teacher listservs are asking for information on how to talk with
students about what happened to Osama bin Laden. Please consider adding
Native perspective, and historical context, too, for why Native people
across the U.S. are angry that the military used "Geronimo" as the code name
for the operation by which bin Laden was killed.

Some media sources are saying it was the operation, not bin Laden, but
statement made by Leon Panetta indicate otherwise. He said, in his
minute-by-minute narrative to the White House, that "We have a visual on
Geronimo."

At some point we may learn why the military used that name (Geronimo). It is
an affront and insult to Native people to equate one of our leaders who
fought to protect his people and their lands with Osama bin Laden.

I wrote about this yesterday on my site and am, through the day, posting
additional links about it as updates.
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2011/05/fail-codename-for-osama-bin-laden.html

This moment provides all of us with an opportunity to reflect on language,
word choice, and, develop critical media literacy skills.

Debbie
_____________________________________

Debbie Reese, Ph.D.
Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo

Publisher of American Indians in Children's Literature
<http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net>
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/debreese
Email: dreese.nambe@gmail.com
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