October 22, 2007 archive

In last Monday’s Washington Post, Thomas E. Ricks and Karen DeYoung wrote, “The U.S. military believes it has dealt devastating and perhaps irreversible blows to al-Qaeda in Iraq in recent months, leading some generals to advocate a declaration of victory over the group, which the Bush administration has long described as the most lethal U.S. adversary in Iraq.” 

One of the funnier little episodes of the past week has been watching the right decide whether or not they should take this advice; decide whether or not they should declare victory over al Qaeda.

That the US cannot declare victory over al Qaeda is generally agreed.  The reasons vary; Democrats, journalists, and even, tangetially, al Qaeda itself are cited.  Out of this confusion, it takes Dick Cheney to provide the right a real lesson in rhetorical consistency.

A friend from Taos Pueblo invited me out for a drink the other night.  Turns out she had something on her mind.  “I hardly ever ask you to do anything.  You have to write a blog about the Cleveland Indians mascot because of the World series.” It’s a big issue in Indian Country.  And so, I am carrying out my friend’s wishes.

And, as it happens, Vernon Bellecourt, a leader of the American Indian Movement, was buried last week, so this story serves as a memorial to him, too.  The depiction of native peoples by teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins, and countless college and high school teams around the country is unconscionable.

(I put this in for the music only – and a reminder that no matter who thinks sports mascot protests are too serious and “PC”, there’s always lots of laughter in Indian country):

Cross-posted at Daily Kos