Controversial Issues

Obama for Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Wow, something I actually agree with Obama on: allowing gays to serve openly in the military. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a barely adequate transitory policy towards ending discrimination against gays in the military but it’s time to eliminate it entirely. The policy is now far too often used to retaliate against military personnel for a variety of reasons ranging from professional jealousy to sexual harassment.

Feds OK Naming Phoenix Peak for Soldier I’m pleased that the Feds and Arizona have decided to permanently rename ‘Squaw Peak’ to “Piestewa Peak’ in honor of the Tuba City resident and Native American soldier, Lori Piestewa, killed during the invasion of Iraq. Most Americans don’t know Lori Piestewa as anything other than a person who died serving alongside the more famous Private Jessica Lynch. Ms. Piestewa’s death, and a number of events that were spiritually significant to the Tribes, forged a number of significant bonds amongst not only the usually divided Tribes in Arizona but to all Arizonans that otherwise would never have occurred. The renaming also solves the problem of those who viewed ‘Squaw Peak” as racist and sexist and honors our oft forgotten women and Native American heroes. There are some who argue that it should be named after all Iraqi war veterans but I disagree with them noting all the assorted monuments that already exist in the State and the fact the peak was named for the fact that the peak resembles that of a kneeling or seated woman.

The only thing about the naming I did not like was with respect to Governor Napolitano who has chosen to use Piestewa Peak to further her politically correct agenda to erase Arizona history and culture she deems offensive. She ignores the fact that the term was made racist by the lily white Easterners in the first place and doesn’t understand the difference in meaning or context certain words have in Arizona and the Southwest. But then this is the same women who claims she made Arizona better while the state is considered one of the worst for crime, pollution, and education as well as accrued a massive government debt.

Really, I’m just tired of traditional State names being erased by ignorant “do-gooders” who perceive the designations as racist when they are in fact not. For example, Spook Hill (in Mesa) is said to be a racist and offensive reference to black people according to the NAACP when in fact at this location it references the stories of ghosts that haunt the area and spook animals. Of course I shouldn’t be surprised given there are morons now trying to say Arizona’s name is derived from Basque origins. Basque, for crying out loud! Arizona came about from the Spanish mispronouncing the native peoples name for the region, chiefly the Aztec arizuma (silver bearing) and the Tohono O’ohdom/Pima ali shonak (little spring place). Ironically Ali-Shonak isn’t even on the Arizona side of the U.S.-Mexico border.