Native Americans and the flag
The Associated Press has a fairly good article today in regards to Native Americans and the debate over “taking a knee” that is raging in the country. They highlight the point that because of their strong warrior tradition, as well as their participation in our nations’ war, the American flag holds a revered place in Native Americans’ ceremonies.
“I’ll stand. I’ll do whatever I think is appropriate to honor them first, and then over there, I can debate about whether the country is living up to its side of the deal when it comes to treaty rights, water rights, social issues that affect a lot of the tribes,” said Erny Zah, a singer, powwow emcee and dancer from the Navajo Nation in the Southwest. “Very rarely do I hear anything that negates the veterans’ services, or the country’s disparagement of whatever social issues might be happening at the time.”
American Indians have served in the U.S. military at higher rates per capita than any other ethnic group despite a history of suffering at the hands of Europeans, and even in times when they were denied U.S. citizenship and the right to vote. Serving in the military and protecting one’s homeland is considered a continuation of warrior traditions.
Even though most tribes replace the National Anthem with their own “flag songs” the reverence for the flag remains the same;
The reverence on display is almost sacred, [Dennis Zotigh of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian] said. Warriors are blessed through ceremonies before they encounter enemies, and welcomed back with parades, giveaways, eagle feathers, cleansing ceremonies and songs. Powwows often have a grand entry solely for veterans, who line up and can take hours to introduce themselves by name, military affiliation and years served.
Singers sit around a drum, starting a melody and slow beat before the words of flag songs repeat.
“The president’s flag will stand forever,” reads a portion of a Sioux song.
“Our country, our land is the most powerful country in the world,” says a Hidatsa song.
“Under the nation’s flag, generations will stand forever. So do I,” says another composed on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota and first sung in a World War II victory celebration.
Despite the fact that Indians were mistreated by European Americans, in general, they still honor and respect the flag and our patriotic traditions.
William Runsabove, a singer and enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe of Montana, said the pride Native veterans have for serving the U.S. eclipses any feelings about the U.S. president, politics or social injustice.
“You can’t take away from pride a Native American has for service,” he said. “And, of course, the tough times … a big percentage of people aren’t happy with the way things are going now, but you can’t take away that pride.”
Category: Society
Micmacs and Maliseets in the service clubs around here. Pick a war.
Take note, SJW types.
If the Native American population isn’t offended by our flag, what’s your problem?
Just more proof that SJWs are attention whores, not real activists.
Yep.
Attention-whoring hypocrite snowflakes, thy name is SJW.
It’s the same SJWs that are upset over the name “Redskins” when most native folks don’t find it offensive. Just like with most minority communities, the SJW-types are so superior that they can tell these groups when they should be offended, because they can’t decide that for themselves.
Just look at FSU whose mascot is the Seminoles, a tribe that repeatedly unabashedly says they have NO problem with that and YES, they still begin every home game with Chief Osceola riding onto the field and planting his spear.
Knew some Indians in the Marine Corps- good Marines, good Americans.
I have always said Native Americans were the only minority group in this country that has a valid complaint. The rest of you whinners can go to hell!
I’d also throw in Black people, the LGBT community, and the disabled.
But yeah…we really do have too many whiners and special snowflakes. This especially applies to newly made-up groups (think otherkin, therian, transracial, etc) that I suspect were just created to give whiners an outlet.
You are a brother bunghole!!!
Black people? Why?
Absolutely everyone alive today has ancestors that have been slaves at one point or another. Slavery has been an equal opportunity offender throughout human history. Don’t let recent developments color your perception.
Damn Yef! You are no longer a brother bunghole!! Suddenly, I do believe you know or are at least suddenly passingly familiar with, Jack Shit!!
I disagree.
All human groups have conquered each other at some point or another.
Choose any country in the world and when you dig in you will find land changed hands with an scary frequency.
Had the native Americans have the technological developments necessary to reach Europe first, they would have done exactly the same thing Europeans did.
But, they did’nt and their land was taken from them and they were pushed down into small areas called reservations. Where some still live today. So, no, all human groups have not conquered each other.
Wanna bet? Dollar to a doughnut.
Dig deep into American Indian history, and their tribal wars. Indians took slaves also.
Including the whites they captured and chose not to murder.
So proud of my tribal nation brothers and sisters. Just as I stand with them for their customs and ceremonies, they stand with me for our national customs and ceremonies.
As others have said, they are the only humans with a legitimate historic beef with this nation. Still, they recognize that they are part of this nation and by dishonoring it they dishonor themselves. In other words, they are adults, not whining, spoiled children.
Spot on, OWB…
Ditto.
It is this attitude that instill the true meaning of being an American.
Back to that story earlier on TAH, “America is worth dying for, even when she is wrong”…
I knew some USMC FR types who were full blown Native American.
When it came to tracking and counter tracking, they couldn’t be touched.
They had it ‘in the bone’ basically. Growing up as kids, they’d play ‘hide and seek’ all day, in the wilderness, on the mountainside, etc.
As stated above, great Marines, etc.
Once upon a time, I saw a flyer for a Powwow being held just up the road from my home. Curious, I attended. (Early 1990s)
Veterans, reservists, and active service folks were called out. It wasn’t a trivial thing, either.
I can’t imagine those folks “taking a knee”. ever.
My husband and I, both veterans, attended the Santa Rosa Creek pow wow last weekend in Milton, FL. As you stated, military veterans, active duty, and reservists were honored. It was a very solemn experience, to say the least. What made it even more special, my 6 year old grandson witnessed the honor.
The cynical side of me wonders if it’s this great national pride is the reason the SJWs want to remove native themed names from sporting teams.
Always seemed to me that the “Fighting Sioux”, the “Braves”, and like names were chosen to honor natives. Not like they’re naming them the Cowardly Navajo or the Sacramento Scalpers. I’m part Irish and am not offended by Notre Dame’s characterizations of my people. Also part Norwegian and am not offended by the Vikings.
Bingo. The simple fact that the vast majority of SJW’s are white people dictating to brown people what is supposed to offend them is disgusting.
Just how many of the Screeching SJW Flower Monkeys out there have ever finished school, held a real job for any length of time, successfully provided for themselves and/or others or made a real contribution to society? Every time I look at a gaggle of those TARDOs, all I see is a bunch of little shits I wouldn’t even hire to sweep floors!
Come on, I’d be willing to bet the number and percentages of Prestigious Degrees in esoteric disciplines would be truly mind-boggling… it’s just a real pity that Underwater Basket-Weaving degrees have a down unemployment market now.
As taught to me by my dad long ago: Remember Ira Hayes.
Para-Marine/Marine Commando, and a true warrior. He deserved a hell of a lot more.
As the years went on I realized the full lesson my dad was trying to teach, which was to be the guy who never let anyone ‘slip through the cracks’, so to speak.
The military also has named a number of aircraft & weapon systems after Native American tribes or chiefs to honor them.
• AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
• UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter
• UH-72 Lakota utility helicopter
• CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopter
• OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter
• OH-6 Cayuse observation helicopter
• TH-67 Creek trainer helicopter
• C-12 Huron transport aircraft
• RU-21 Ute electronic intelligence aircraft
• BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile
• UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter, retired in 2011
• H-34 Choctaw transport helicopter, retired 1970s
• RU-8 Seminole utility aircraft, 1992
• H-21 Shawnee transport helicopter, 1967
• OV-1 Mohawk twin-engine observation aircraft,1966
• T-41 Mescalero trainer aircraft
Proposed but never fielded:
• SM-64 Navaho experimental cruise missile, canceled in 1957
• AH-56 Cheyenne attack helicopter, abandoned in 1972
• RAH-66 Comanche attack helicopter, 2004
• ARH-70 Arapaho armed recon helicopter, 2008
In accordance with Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA Pam) 70-3, Army Regulation (AR) 70-50, and Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 4210.15, Army helicopters are named for Native American tribes and chiefs whose reputation and image add to the military bearing of the aircraft.
The regulation also requires contacting the tribe in question to ensure that they support using the name.
I don’t recall any tribe objecting. In fact, when the AH-1 Cobra was named back in the 1960s, taking the name of a snake instead of a tribe, Native Americans were offended and the tradition was quickly resumed.
Of course there were/are always some SJW type idiots that were/are offended by the use of Native American names on military equipment, calling it rascist including Simon Waxman of the Boston Review back in 2014.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/simon-waxman-tomahawk-missiles-apache-helicopters-just-as-offensive-as-redskins/2014/06/26/16c18738-fc9a-11e3-932c-0a55b81f48ce_story.html?utm_term=.7c7e002a41f5
Today’s Screeching SJW Floer Monkeys are ALWAYS on their warpath seeking something to get offended and screech about.
Your use of the term “warpath” is both derogatory and offensive. 😉
Let us please not forget the WWII Navajo Code Talkers:
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=75258&cpage=1
A Salute to all those brave Marines. Rest in Peace, Mr. Patterson, USMC.
From the “Midway” movie script, in re Waldron:
Ensign George Gay: Red Fox Leader from Kit 3. Red Fox Leader from Kit 3. Skipper? Either my compass is all fouled up or we’re not headed two-four-zero.
Lieutenant Commander John Waldron: There’s nothing out there but empty ocean. I know where the Japs’ll be, Mister Gay.
Ensign George Gay: Think you might let us in on it, sir?
Lieutenant Commander John Waldron: I figure they moved since we launched. East, heading out, away from Midway. OUT!
Ensign George Gay: Roger.
Huntington: What good’s our orders if the skipper’s gonna lead us off on his own? I don’t like it, sir.
Ensign George Gay: Huntington, now you take it easy, y’hear? If anybody can find the Zekes, Waldron can. He’s part Sioux Indian, for Christ’s sake.
Read ‘A Dawn like Thunder’
Given that most of the surviving Indian tribes were warrior-nomads, it should surprise nobody that they value and honor military service. It’s ingrained into their culture to revere warriors and to disdain those who shirk their duty to protect the group.
The Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Kiowa, Commanche, Apache, Blackfoot, and many other tribes, didn’t get to be the “knights of the plains” (as some romantic writers in the 19th century called them) by holding hands and singing “Kumbayah.” They got to that position by conquering every other group that wanted the same hunting territory, and by being the most ruthless fighters in the old west.
Some people might wonder why Indians value service in the same military that ultimately deprived them of their ancestral land, but conquered people have been fighting on behalf of their conquerors since the beginning of time.
Rome was more than happy to accept the service of the Gauls and Celts after they were subdued. And the same Scottish Highlanders that fought so hard against England were quite content to become some of the best fighters for Great Britain.
Let’s not forget the Gurkhas and Sikhs…two of their better known “martial races”