Winona LaDuke on Use of "Geronimo" as Code for Bin Laden & US Military's Native Nomenclature. 1 of 2

Summary

The transcript highlights the controversy surrounding the use of "Geronimo," a revered Apache leader's name, as a code name for Osama Bin Laden during a U.S. military operation. Native American communities, activists, and leaders like Winona LaDuke and Suzanne Shan Harjo express outrage, viewing it as a slander against Geronimo's legacy and Native history. The discussion broadens to address the U.S. military's frequent use of Native American names and imagery, which is seen as disrespectful and disregarding the painful historical context.

Highlights

• Winona LaDuke criticizes the use of "Geronimo" for Bin Laden, highlighting the insult to Native American history. 🤬
• Suzanne Shan Harjo testifies before the Senate, stressing the slander against a revered Native leader. 📣
• The military's historical insensitivity is evident in its frequent use of Native American nomenclatures. 🙅‍♂️
• Historical injustices and suppression of Native cultures were linked to the current misuse of Native names. 📜
• The narrative discusses the need for acknowledgment and respect for Native American struggles and bravery. ✊

Key Takeaways

• The use of "Geronimo" as a code for Bin Laden is a profound insult to Native Americans, especially given Geronimo's heroic legacy. 😡
• Native leaders and activists are calling for a reevaluation of the military's practice of using Native American names disrespectfully. 🚫
• The controversy has sparked significant discussion on the historical and ongoing misuse of Native imagery and names by the U.S. military. 🌐
• Winona LaDuke and others emphasize the need for greater respect and understanding of Native history and contributions. 🙌
• The use of Native names like "Apache," "Blackhawk," and "Tomahawk" perpetuates historical injustices and cultural insensitivity. 🍃

Overview

The transcript reveals a controversial issue regarding the U.S. military's use of "Geronimo" as a code name during the mission to capture Osama Bin Laden. Native American leaders, including activist Winona LaDuke, express outrage at this choice, viewing it as a deep insult to the Apache leader's legacy. This event has sparked broader discussions on the respectful use of Native American identities and historical figures.

Winona LaDuke and other Native American voices like Suzanne Shan Harjo argue passionately for a re-evaluation of how Native names and symbols are used, particularly by the military. They highlight that names like "Geronimo" and military technology named after Native figures perpetuate cultural insensitivity and historical injustices, echoing patterns of past disrespect and oppression.

The demands for apologies and changes reflect a desire to correct historical narratives and acknowledge the profound struggles and contributions of Native peoples. Activists argue for a deeper understanding and respect within American society and its institutions, aiming for reconciliation and recognition of the rich cultural legacies and rights of Native communities.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 03:00: Introduction to the Controversy The chapter "Introduction to the Controversy" discusses the backlash following the U.S. Obama Administration's use of the name 'Geronimo' as a secret code word during the raid that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. This decision led to significant outrage within the Native American community. CIA Director Leon Panetta's interview with PBS NewsHour revealed details of the operation and how the code name was communicated once teams entered bin Laden's compound.
• 03:00 - 08:00: Testimony and Historical Context The chapter titled 'Testimony and Historical Context' discusses the intense moments leading up to the confirmation of Osama Bin Laden's apprehension. It highlights the uncertainty and tension before Admiral McCraven confirmed receiving the code word 'gono,' indicating they had successfully captured Bin Laden. Additionally, Jono's great-grandson, Harland Jono, expresses outrage over equating Jono with Osama Bin Laden, describing it as an 'unpardonable slander' against Native American identity and heritage.
• 08:00 - 15:00: Interview with Winona LaDuke The chapter revolves around a formal apology requested by Jeff Hower from the Fort Sill Apache tribe, regarding a historical equating of Gono, an Apache leader, with a mass murderer. Gono was known for his efforts to preserve tribal lands against United States and Mexican forces during the 19th century. Renowned for evading capture for several years, he eventually surrendered in 1886 and lived as a prisoner of war until his death in 1909. The chapter delves into the cultural and historical implications of this narrative, as discussed by Winona LaDuke.

Winona LaDuke on Use of "Geronimo" as Code for Bin Laden & US Military's Native Nomenclature. 1 of 2 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 the country and around the world we begin Today's Show with more on the death of Osama bin Laden specifically the controversy over how the Obama Administration used the name of the legendary Apache leader jono as a secret code word for bin Laden during the raid the decision has sparked outrage in the Native American community in an interview with PBS NewsHour CIA director Leon Panetta described how the name jono was used once those teams went into the compound I can tell you that there was a a time period perod of almost 20 or 25
• 00:30 - 01:00 minutes where we we you know we really didn't know just exactly what was going on and there were some very tense moments uh as we were waiting for information but finally uh Admiral mccraven came back and said that uh he had picked up uh uh the the word gono uh which was the code word that represented that they got Ben Laden jono's great-grandson Harland jono said quote to equate jono with Osama Bin Laden is an pardonable slander of Native America
• 01:00 - 01:30 and its most famous leader in history Jeff Hower of the fort Sil Apache tribe requested a formal apology for equating gono with the mass murderer gono was an Apache leader who fought to preserve tribal lands against the United States and Mexican forces in the 19th century he evaded capture for many years before he surrendered in 1886 he was held as a prisoner of war until his death in 1909 on Thursday the the issue became
• 01:30 - 02:00 the focus of a previously scheduled Senate hearing on racist Native American stereotypes Suzanne Shan harjo president of the Morning Star Institute testified yes we must start with gono the man and the leader and the person who has become a fine role model for our children all over Indian country and for him to be compared to a terrorist
• 02:00 - 02:30 and to be called an enemy is shocking really shocking that uh this this happened and it wasn't just that his name was used although that would be bad enough uh because that's what happens in America is that our names are not our own they're stolen our tribal names our personal names and then we're renamed in order to control us very frankly and that's
• 02:30 - 03:00 been going on for a very long time and was made official through the civilization regulations from the 1880s to the 1930s which banned religious ceremonies banned the Sundance and other so-called religious ceremonies as they say um banned any Act of a medicine man they said a so-called Medicine Man confined
• 03:00 - 03:30 native people to reservations this was 50 years of generational religious suppression that forced a lot of the Native languages and religions underground and most of them never reemerged certainly not as full as they had been in the past it was in this time that Geronimo was captured and his people were prisoners of War on the fort Sil Apache
• 03:30 - 04:00 reservation and were never permitted to go back to their territory in New Mexico so for all that he went through and his people went through [Music] being having every native action criminalized to now be called an enemy gono eek Kia a that's the stunning thing en killed in
• 04:00 - 04:30 action gono enemy killed in action our history is very complicated but this is our country in a way that it is no one else's country because no one brought any land here with them this will always be our country and so when we are slurred in public in this way we all take offense Suzanne Shan harjo of the Morning Star Institute testifying before the senate committee on Indian Affairs we're joined
• 04:30 - 05:00 Now by Winona luk Native American activist writer she lives and works on the white Earth reservation in northern Minnesota she's executive director of the group honor the Earth she was Ralph nater's running maid in 1996 and 200000 presidential elections and her new book is called the militarization of Indian Country she's joining us from Minneapolis Winona thank you so much for being with us let's start off by talking about who gono was
• 05:00 - 05:30 and the significance of his name being used let me see how the New York Times described the mo the moment the code name for bin Laden was jono the president and his advisers watched Leon Panetta the CIA director on a video screen narrating from his agency's headquarters across the pomac river what was happening in Far Away Pakistan they've reached the target he said minutes passed we have a visual on gono he said a few minutes later Gano ekia
• 05:30 - 06:00 enemy killed in action there was silence in The Situation Room Winona luk your response Anin um you know the reality is is the military looks at it from its own perspective this was uh one of the most expensive single campaigns to find somebody uh Bin Laden and uh the reality was is that the gono campaign the campaign against the Apache people was one of the most expens expensive Wars
• 06:00 - 06:30 ever waged by the United States government you know for 13 years they they they spent millions of dollars essentially 5,000 soldiers and uh additional went after these people for relentlessly for that long period of time so from the military's perspective that's a little of how they were looking at it um you know from our perspective of course and from I think all Americans perspective gono is a hero he's a national Patriot for our peoples and in that it is indeed a a a GRE an egregious slander uh for indigenous peoples
• 06:30 - 07:00 everywhere and and to all Americans I believe to equate Osama Bin Laden with uh jonal well we know in terms of the military this seems to be a a constant historical inability to grasp uh the the relationship of the government to Native American people I I was struck particularly by uh during the uh the the wars in uh in in uh in kovo uh when the United States uh used uh constantly talked about Apache helicopters that
• 07:00 - 07:30 were leading the fight against ethnic cleansing uh or the the the new helicopter that supposedly was going to be the stealth helicopter that the that the military developed but then had to scrap the commande helicopter and uh and there seems to be a constant uh insensitivity uh to the the long struggle for uh freedom and defense of their land by the Native American peoples and a part of the US military the reality is is that the military is full of uh Native nomenclature that's what we would call
• 07:30 - 08:00 it you got Blackhawk helicopters Apache Longbow helicopters you got tomahawk missiles the term used when you leave a military base in a foreign country is to go off the reservation into Indian Country so what is that messaging that is passed on you know it is basically the continuation of the wars against indigenous people Donald Rumsfeld when he went to Fort Carson named after the infamous Kit Carson who you know is responsible for the deaths of thousands of of Navajo people and and their forc relocation UR people in you know in
• 08:00 - 08:30 speaking to the Troops that in the global war on terror US forces from this base have lived up to the legend of Kit Carson fighting terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan to help secure Victory and every one of you is like Kit Carson the reality is is that the US military still has you know um individuals dressed the seventh Cavalry that went in and shock and awe is the same Cavalry that massacred indigenous people the Lakota people at Wounded Knee in 1890 at you know that is the reality
• 08:30 - 09:00 of military nomenclature and how the military basically uses native people and Native imagery to continue its its global war and it his Global Empire practices