On second thought about Indigenous Peoples and Iraq

I am quite happy to be challenged on my earlier points, especially as I do
oppose this war and am encouraged that others do as well. In that spirit,
here are some questions to consider regarding these earlier posts:

1. The most we can say, given the lack of any indisputable survey, is that
we simply do not know where most indigenous peoples in the Americas (and I
am purposely restricting myself to that already wide frame of reference)
stand on the war in Iraq. That opinion is divided, and certainly more so
than I intimated in my unfortunately loose and casual remarks made in the
heat of the moment, is something that I accept.

2. As for the "indigenous declaration against the US invasion of war" posted
by Lauderdale, that is not entirely unambiguous or satisfactory evidence.
For one, we do not know how representative it is of indigenous peoples'
opinions on the whole. Secondly, it actually reaffirms some of the things
that I suggested, and misleads in other notable respects.

It starts by saying "The representatives of the Indigenous Peoples of the
Americas"...if you look at the impressive yet slim list of signatories, that
is clearly an overstatement of who was present at the meeting. In addition,
my message explicity spoke of NATIVE AMERICANS and US BASED
ORGANIZATIONS...note that NOT ONE is a signatory to this declaration, so
that was hardly a good piece of counter-evidence. In fact, the suggestion
seems to be that some indigenous persons speak for all, the same mistake
that that Lauderdale faulted me for. In some cases, the signatories are of
notably small or commitee-like organizations (*bless them nonetheless for
speaking out*). Here I refer to groups such as:

"Comisión de Juristas Indígenas de Argentina"
"Canada Resurgimiento Ancestral Indígena Salvadoreño"

While the meeting took place in Canada, which opposed the war, it is odd
that I do not see among the signatories bodies such as the Assembly of First
Nations or most of the large provincial bodies of Canadian First Nations.
Have they made a separate statement? The website for the Assembly of First
Nations www.afn.ca seems to say nothing about the war in Iraq--also one of
my original points.

Native Americans reportedly have a disproportional number of persons serving
in the US armed forces, for all sorts of reasons of course, but this is what
I wanted to address, and the messages I received were from some of the more
sanguine American Indian cheer leaders of the war. Is that more "prattle"
than the declaration posted by Lauderdale? Who gets to decide what is
serious and what is prattle?

3. The American setting, let me repeat, is that which is I originally
referred to. Lauderdale is correct, opinion is divided, and it is hard to
tell which side carries more weight. I would guess that at least in the mass
media, and on the Internet, the side favouring Native American involvement
in the war in Iraq has a louder voice.

Here are some links and examples:

From the Associated Press and reprinted in The Mercury News:
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/5620412.ht
m

"Wyoming Indian students ask Native Americans to honor fallen soldier":

passages I have selected:

"Wyoming Indian High School students have asked tribes across the country to
unite in honoring the first American Indian to die in the war in Iraq by
sending tribal flags or color guards to her funeral. Army Pfc. Lori
Piestewa, 23, a Hopi from Tuba City, Ariz., was killed March 23 with seven
other members of her Fort Bliss, Texas-based 507th Maintenance Company when
their unit was attacked after making a wrong turn near Nasiriyah...."

"We decided that she was such a good role model we wanted to honor her,"
White said. "She stood for something good for our community and for Indian
country. We're hoping to provide solace to her family."

The students sent a letter to tribal offices across the nation on behalf of
the 170-member high school on the Wind River Indian Reservation asking all
American Indians to unite in honoring Piestewa's sacrifice and showing
support for her family.

"Our students and community have been deeply affected by the recent loss of
Pfc. Lori Piestewa during Operation Iraqi Freedom," the letter states. "Her
bravery has given a name and face to those countless Native Warriors who
have upheld the warrior tradition that is valued and honored by our Tribal
Nations."

"We feel that a strong show of support by the Tribal Nations across this
country is needed to recognize and underscore the sacrifice made by Pfc.
Piestewa and our many other Warriors who continue to protect our freedom,
regardless of personal cost," the letter states.


Assorted news items,
http://www.pluralism.org/news/index.php?xref=Statements+on+War+in+Iraq&sort=
DESC

news stories I have selected:

On April 11, 2003 the Indian Country reported that "the Pentagon identified
Pfc. Lori Piestewa as one of the soldiers found dead during the rescue of an
American POW in Iraq....Daschle emphasized the sometimes unrecognized forces
of Native Americans serving the United States military. 'There are more than
12,000 Native Americans serving in our military today - including many from
my state of South Dakota. They, and Pfc. Piestewa, are part of a noble
tradition that too few Americans know much about. Today, Pfc. Piestewa takes
her place alongside them as an American who risked everything to protect her
land and her people.'

On March 28, 2003 the Indian Country issued a statement "from the office of
the President Joe Shirley Jr. and Vice President Frank Dayish Jr. of the
Navajo Nation." It stated, "Our great country is facing war with Iraq and
their leader Saddam Hussein. As your Navajo Nation leaders, we encourage all
our Dine' people to pray for our Navajo military service men and women and
all U.S. soldiers, who are prepared to defend our freedom, democracy, and
patriotism... Whether you support this war or not, now is the time for us to
unify as a Nation and strengthen our beliefs in our Creator. We humbly ask
that you pray for those soldiers on the front lines, overseas, and with
homeland security, as they defend our country against further terrorist
attacks... Let us not forget our Dine' military soldiers and Native American
forefathers who have a long history of fighting for our country and Indian
Nations. Native Americans proudly continue to have the highest rate per
capita of military service men and women enlisted in our country's U.S.
Armed Forces."
(March 28, 2003, Indian Country, Online)


An Editor at Indian Country Today, in an otherwise balanced assessment,
titled "Native Americans fight an old war: Biological terror is a scourge
American Indians know well" and reprinted at
http://www.msnbc.com/news/878832.asp?cp1=1, also deems it worthy of stating
that:

"IS THERE a special reason in this war for Native peoples to participate,
beyond continuing a proud military tradition? We believe there is one, and
it hangs on the long series of UN resolutions ordering Saddam to destroy his
weapons of mass destruction. The UN inspectors have consistently found that
Saddam fights the hardest to preserve and conceal his arsenal of biological
weapons, a parade of horrors that most intelligence sources believe could
include smallpox....When U.S. officials accuse Saddam of gassing his own
people, they have it only half right. Saddam has in fact turned these
weapons on Kurds and marsh Arabs, his oppressed indigenous minorities.
Indigenous peoples will have good reason to applaud a war that genuinely
suppresses weapons of mass destruction."


In a balanced collection of statements from American Indians on the war in
Iraq, see
http://www.nativevillage.org/The%20War%20in%20Iraq/Quotes%20from%20leaders.h
tm

where one can find, amongst very contrary view points:

"I really hate the thought of what is going to happen. There is
unfortunately going to be some loss of life. It always happens in war. But I
think Saddam Hussein and his henchmen bear the blame for that more than us."

Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

"The Mohegan Tribe is sovereign nation but sovereign loyal to United States.
Going back to Revolutionary War, the first Native American to die for the
Revolution was a Mohegan, Simon Ashbow. He died at the Battle of Bunker
Hill. I believe that we're doing the right thing and I believe it will be
quick. Of course you're talking to a person whose father put in 25 years in
the military and who has two brothers in the military."

"Whether you support this war or not, now is the time for us to unify as a
nation and strengthen our beliefs in our creator. We humbly ask that you
pray for those soldiers on the front lines, overseas, and with homeland
security, as they prepare to defend our country against further terrorists
attacks. Let us not forget our Din military soldiers and Native American
forefathers who have a long history of fighting for our country and Indian
Nations. Native Americans proudly continue to have the highest rate per
capita of military service men and women enlisted in our country's U.S.
Armed Forces." Frank Dayish Jr., Navajo


In the Navajo Times, at:
http://www.thenavajotimes.com/essay15.html

"Native America's finest: Our veterans and active servicemembers"
By Dave Stephenson
Special to the Times

passages I have selected:

"...once again, Native American soldiers are present in great numbers,
accompanying the greatest military machine the world has ever seen on its
offensive in the arid Middle East.
Native Americans have long had the highest percentage of our population in
the military, indeed, no other ethnicity even comes close. Some estimate
that as many as 40 percent of American Indian men have served or are
serving, and a significant percentage of Native women are veterans or on
active duty....With Operation Iraqi Freedom well underway, the Afghani War
still raging and the prospect of a greater Middle Eastern war looming in the
mists and sands of a mythical land, it is now more important than ever to
exhibit absolute respect and support for Native Americans in uniform,
regardless of one's personal and political sentiments."

The author also acknowledges public opposition to the war from Native
American artists, activists and authors...and then adds:

"And a large percentage of Americans, both Native and non-Native, support
President Bush's campaign in Iraq. They feel that Saddam is a brutal
dictator who must be eliminated. Many feel that Iraqi citizens must be freed
from his oppressive yoke and many blindly support our president and his
government, whatever his motivation."

"Native soldiers currently deployed in the Middle East are following a proud
tradition. The Navajo talkers of the unbroken code who enabled the American
juggernaut to move relentlessly through the Pacific during World War II are
perhaps most deserving of acclaim...."


In The Seattle Times at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134654288_indian16m.html

16 March 2003
"State's Native Americans prepare to serve country"
By Nancy Bartley
Seattle Times staff reporter

passages I have selected:

"Jules will be leaving his wife, Frances, and their three young children,
leaving Northwest Indian College on the Lummi reservation, where he is a
student, leaving the seventh- and eighth-grade tribal members he mentors,
leaving the tranquil life of pulling canoe in the gentle waters of Puget
Sound, leaving the embrace of his tribal family.

He has no qualms about serving a government that put Native Americans on
reservations and has been often at odds with tribes.

"That's old history," Jules said. "We have freedom. We need to fight for
it."

"I support our troops," Warbus said, handing a visitor a yellow ribbon. "I
believe in our president...."

War with Iraq is the only way to curb terrorism, he believes.


4. If my original message was indeed so stupid, then why would you
acknowledge it, especially as the claim was that "most children" know better
than I do?


5. I saw no evidence of 570 North American First Nations denouncing the war.
Show me the evidence, and I will be exceedingly happy to cite it.


So, how do I conclude? First, never make my mistake of writing
generalizations in the heat of the moment. Second, yes, opinion is divided.
SO WHAT if opinion is divided? If opinion is divided, and with some
expressing the kinds of views quoted above, then we should avoid the
ROMANTIC PRIMITIVIST/ noble savage prejudices that treat all indigenous
peoples as peaceful, Mother Earth-loving, sancrosanct objects of our own
Eurocentric admiration. Third, as generalizing as I was, I did focus on the
indigenous groups in the US in my original message--that was ignored, and
instead I had some redundant comments thrown at me about the French and
Sioux that made no sense whatsoever.

I will repeat what I said originally: where groups and persons stand on
global peace is as critical as where they stand on gender, social equity and
democracy. Where American Indian bodies and persons stand on global peace
seems far from certain to me. What can I say, lynch me if you don't like to
hear this and spend your time starting a big e-mail flame war. Lastly, I
would love to hear what lauderdale's bosom pal and chum "Manny" and his
friend "Gunder" have to say.

All the best,

Max.