Veterans lead a 2007 Crow Fair parade. Photo by Adam Sings In The Timber.
We
modern Crows have honored our modern warriors through a Veteran's Park,
a Veterans Day Pow-Wow, and other important events and programs.
From U.S. army scouts who served in the Great Sioux War to
the soldiers and sailors fighting today in Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Crows have been on the
frontlines in virtually every major military operation the United
States has engaged in since the establishment of the Crow Reservation
in 1868.
But not only have our men and women been in the fight, Crows have made many significant contributions and many have distinguished themselves with military honors.
This
holiday season many Crows and thousands of
American Indians from other tribes will not be home to spend time with
their friends and family. They'll be busy serving our nation in the
armed forces. They are the American soldiers, sailors, and airmen that
represent tribal nations across the country and their selfless service
is deserving of the highest thanks we can possibly give them.
In
addition to those who currently serve, there is a great and
well-documented tradition of service in the military by American
Indians and this is not, of course, the first holiday season where
America has asked them to be away from home.
In the spirit of our gratefulness, I urge everyone to call senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester and ask them to support or co-sponsor
the Senate's counterpart legislation to the bill, which is titled "Recognizing the contributions of Native American
veterans and calling upon the President to issue a proclamation urging
the people of the United States to observe a day in honor of Native
American veterans."
Tell Baucus and Tester it is time to give official
recognition and thanks to our American Indian veterans with a national
day of honor.
When you call or write, perhaps you can share some of your own family stories of military or other national service.
Thinking beyond dinners and pow-wows and a national day of
honor, I believe there is much more than can be done to honor our
veterans each and every day. In order for our military to be truly
honored and for it to be truly honorable we must make sure that the
great sacrifices made during this historic turning point in our history
are always coupled with great civilian leadership founded upon the
notion that armed conflict, while sometimes unavoidable, is the
absolute last resort and peace always our primary objective.
Together, recognizing service and helping to promote a
foreign policy that uses military force wisely is the civilian
embodiment of what I call "Native American Patriotism" – and I would
like to ask all Crows to think about what more can be done to honor
service and sacrifice in the military, especially during the holiday
season.
Tell Baucus and Tester it is time to give official
recognition and thanks to our American Indian veterans with a national
day of honor.
When you call or write, perhaps you can share some of your own family stories of military or other national service.
Thinking beyond dinners and pow-wows and a national day of
honor, I believe there is much more than can be done to honor our
veterans each and every day. In order for our military to be truly
honored and for it to be truly honorable we must make sure that the
great sacrifices made during this historic turning point in our history
are always coupled with great civilian leadership founded upon the
notion that armed conflict, while sometimes unavoidable, is the
absolute last resort and peace always our primary objective.
Together, recognizing service and helping to promote a
foreign policy that uses military force wisely is the civilian
embodiment of what I call "Native American Patriotism" – and I would
like to ask all Crows to think about what more can be done to honor
service and sacrifice in the military, especially during the holiday
season.
No comments:
Post a Comment