Berkeley declares Native American code names offensive

November 17, 2011 12:36 pm by Frances Dinkelspiel

Goyathlay, who was named Geronimo by Mexicans in the 19th century

Berkeley city officials adopted a resolution this week honoring the Native American leader Geronimo, but decided against asking President Obama to apologize for using his name in the May mission to kill Osama bin Laden.

Instead, the city council asked the President to retroactively change the code name of the operation from “Operation Geronimo” to “Operation bin Laden” and pledge not to use Native American names in future military actions.

The Peace and Justice Commission had sent a resolution to the city council requesting that it ask Obama to apologize for naming the raid on bin Laden “Operation Geronimo.”

“The use of the name Geronimo for the country’s most wanted terrorist is offensive, particularly to Native Americans and negatively impacts the identity and social position of Native American youth,” read part of the resolution the commission wants the city council to adopt.

On Tuesday night, councilmember Linda Maio amended the resolution on the floor to remove the language asking the city council to “send a letter to President Barack Obama calling on the United States to issue a formal apology to the Chiricahua Apache people and to the indigenous peoples of these lands of the United States for the misuse of the name Geronimo in the military operation that killed the terrorist Osama bin Laden.”

Instead, Maio suggested the letter just point out how using the name was inappropriate.

“It points out that using the name as a code name for military operations is troubling to the Native American community and requests that Obama change the title to something else,” said Maio.

Councilmember Jesse Arreguìn requested that the letter ask Obama to stop using any Native American name as a code name for a military operation.

Wendy Kenin, the Peace and Justice Commissioner who put forward the resolution, said she was satisfied with the word changes.

“Linda Maio said that ‘we don’t want the headline to ‘be Berkeley tells Obama to apologize’,” said Kenin. “She wants it to be about the content. What’s the change we are looking for? It’s about racism. That we don’t want to stand for racism. It leaves the apology up to Obama.”

The resolution also encourages the Berkeley Unified School District to use Geronimo’s autobiography in school.

The city council adopted the resolution on its consent calendar.

Related:
Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission to Obama: Apologize [10.17.11]

28 Comments

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  • Guest

    Thanks for embarrassing my home town again, Berkeley City Council (sarcasm).

  • Completely Serious

    I find the Peace and Justice (“Just us”) Commission offense.

  • BerkeleyCommonSense

    The Berkeley Bubble strikes again?  Aren’t there potholes to fix?  The fact that the Berk City Council thinks the President gives 2 sh!t$ about this shows their complete lack of understanding of public service.

  • Guest

    Dear City Council: 

    The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs already has heard from Geronimo’s great grandson, and others, on this issue.  Your resolution and proposed letter to President Obama adds nothing of substance and deflects time and attention from the mundane but critical issues you are elected to address.  Please scroll down a few stories in Berkeleyside so that you can read and address the following:

    According to a report from the City Auditor presented to the City Council last night, the average Berkeley street is in “at risk” condition. As the report, Failing Streets, details, as street condition deteriorates, the cost of paving increases rapidly. “Berkeley streets are in a serious state of disrepair, with the average street at risk of failing,” said City Auditor Ann-Marie Hogan. “Our audit shows how to use available data to decide how much to invest, when, and where, to stop the skyrocketing future cost of failed streets.”

  • Lhasa7

    I think I’d rather “stand for racism” than endorse any more of this Terminal Nincompoopery…

  • Anonymous

    I think demanding the apology would have been going too far and that this isn’t really a City issue, but I have to say, I can see why this is offensive and I do agree that the military should stop doing it.

    How do you think people would feel if we were using Anglo helicopters to launch Shroud of Turin missles  for Operation John the Baptist?

    Or perhaps an even better analogy would be: How would people feel in the Germans started naming military operations for famous Jews? Might seem a bit unseemly, no?

  • David

    It’s disappointing that the council spends time discussing issues over which they have little influence, and while this one may have been obvious to every one of them, there are many similar issues where they must either decline to give any input or spend their valuable time researching something rather than focus on what they can do for the city (or just choose the populist point of view).  

    When I voted for my councilmember, I did it because I thought he’d be good for our City, not because I thought his understanding of international issues, chemistry, or whatever the next random topic might be was aligned with me.

  • Anonymous

    FIX THE DAMN STREETS!

  • Anonymous

    I’m part American Indian and it doesn’t offend me!

  • Anonymous

    How about our council discussing ways to fix our streets that use the tax dollars we are already paying?  In other words, find a way to fix our streets by cutting waste and costs in the city budget, not by raising our taxes. 

  • Anonymous

    To reiterate what I said, I agree that it’s not a City issue.

    Nonetheless, I was at the Council meeting where this was discussed and a great many people got up to speak in its favor. I’ve yet to be at a Council Meeting where all the people who feel as you do show up and ask the City to focus on other issues, to ignore resolutions from P&J, or to change/eliminate the role of the P&J Commission.

    This shouldn’t be taken as a criticism, it’s a suggestion. I know we all have busy lives outside of Council meetings–while some Berkeley characters seem to live for nothing but Council meetings–but showing up makes a big difference and might help shift some of the focus.

  • laura

    Since the nation’s Native American tribes have presented their concerns and objections plenty well themselves, this action by the P&J feels like pandering and  PC style “culture vulture” activity.

  • http://berkeley.accountableschools.com/ Berkeley Accountable Schools

    Godwin’s Law has been fulfilled: “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”

  • http://berkeley.accountableschools.com/ Berkeley Accountable Schools

    Perhaps the Council could start renaming Berkeley’s “at risk” streets after the pockmarked roads in Afghanistan and Pakistan that the helicopters flew over.   

  • Chris

    Fix the parks too!

  • Anonymous

    I feel embarrassed to tell people all over the USA as well as in Europe that I live here in Berkeley and I truthfully try to hide it just because of this nonsense.  So one time only here now:  Re: OBL, good riddance to bad rubbish as they say in the ghetto!  Now let’s bring all our the troops home and “care” for them for as long as needed as they are going to *need* it. As far as Berkeley is concerned, lets get these damn pot holes fixed along with the it’s notorious sidewalk buckles.  If not your going to have to pay for it in litigation and very expensive lawsuits.

  • Anonymous

    I’d just like to chime in as another Berkeley resident with an opinion similar to David. 

    Those of us exasperated by this kind of Council resolution think we shouldn’t have to use up our time fighting against issues that have no business being considered by the City Council.  It’s not about whether the resolution is wrong or right.  I can understand how some people would be upset by the use of the term Geronimo. 

    But what I think and what I think a lot of other Berkeley residents think, is that passing this resolution does nothing whatsoever to make a difference.  Do you think the US gov’t is going to stop using these terms because of this resolution?   It is wasted time and effort, and I think debating against it in front of the COuncil would be an even bigger waste of time.  Arguing against the resolution just prolongs the debate and probably would upset people who sincerely believe that this resolution needs to be passed but would misinterpret criticism as being pro-”offensive names” rather than as criticism that the Council should not be even dealing with these issues.

    Let me put it this way, does it make sense for me to stand up at my office’s staff meeting and ask that my company not support the US government’s use of offensive terms in military operations?  My job description involves a sphere of responsibilities, none of which includes federal government affairs.  The same applies to the Berkeley City Council.  We have a City that needs attention, if Council members would like to express their opinion regarding federal government activities, why not just organize a rally outside of Council time?

    The real problem is that the cat is out of the bag, so to speak.  First it’s anti-Iraq War resolutions, then anti-torture, then anti-offensive names, and now a small, active group of residents think any controversial issue needs the Council’s attention.  It’s unfortunate, and in some ways I sympathize with the Council, but they are adults and I believe they should be able to simply say (outside of Council sessions), “We agree, but we have no power to change this, so let’s debate the latest zoning regs, public works project, etc.”

    Just my opinion, but I’ve wanted to get this off my chest for a while.

  • Chezcece

    Oh for Pete’s sake!!! (And hoping the use of “Pete” is in no way offensive to Pete Seeger)

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    What a waste of time.

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    I am also embarrassed to be associated with a city that continues to make such a fool of itself on the National stage. Nonsense like this is why Berkeley continues to be a laughing stock, and the butt of Republican jokes.

  • Berkeleytard

    Once again, P&J demonstrating why they need to have their charter revoked and reworked.  I don’t disagree with the position, but there HAS to be some relevance for the city.  How does this affect city business, city policy or city anything?  

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    It doesn’t. And it also doesn’t add anything to the National discussion that’s already being had about the issue.

    This nonsense from the P&J doesn’t shed light on an issue that wasn’t being discussed, it is essentially just the Berkeley City Council saying “ME TOO! ME TOO! LOOK AT HOW PROGRESSIVE I AM!!“

  • Katherinecricket

    This is how our city council members spend their time? Sometimes I’m embarrassed to tell people I live here.

  • Anonymous

    SOMETIMES?

  • Anonymous

    Like Michele Obama I want to say…for the first time, I’m proud of my City…But i haven’t had the opportunity yet.

  • Dmulqueeney

    I would be HONORED to have such a fine operation named after me!

    Other than that, time to abolish P and J Commission. Pure, irrelevant, time suck.

  • Heather W.

    Given how embarrassed are many of our citizens, one would think our City Council is at least cognizant enough to think “Hmmmm, is this a City matter… or should we write our own letters as individual U.S citizens?”

    But no, and apparently my city council thinks it’s a city issue and while I feel the use of Geronimo was insensitive and inappropriate, it is not worth my tax dollars being spent in debate in a city council meeting. Total B.S. in my opinion. 

    Let’s speak to this by way of our votes. 

  • piss_on_berkeley

    these parasites need to do something useful..like maybe do something about the ridiculous train noise.  this city is a bad joke.