It seems we are hearing much about Jessica Lynch, but nothing about Lori Piestewa, Jessica's fellow-soldier and friend. Two young American women of vastly different backgrounds, who both entered the military to get a "leg-up" in the world and help in paying for their education.

Jessica is becoming the "poster girl" for this war, with a tv movie in the works already.

I respect Lori's family and her people for maintaining dignity through this trying time. I wish them peace of mind, and better times to come.

Private Lori

Thanks Wlydflower, I have friends from the Tuba City area, it is a vast waste land with nothing to do but get drunk and fight.
The goverment put the Hopi and Navajo together knowing that they had been fighting each other for hundreds of years, it is a sad place, little hope finds it's way so far off the trail, but there is family and there is love and maybe that is enough.

Perhaps we should do something to free these folks from living off goverment handouts, maybe give them jobs, but perhaps that is to radical a concept for the goverment to try.

I think the government is afraid they'll be held responsible for all they did to the Native Peoples if they give in in one small thing, and the Hopi/Navajo area and issues are not small. Even acknowledging Lori Piestewa is political.

The state of Arizona has renamed Squaw Peak near Phoenix Piestewa Peak in Lori's honor. (although not without some controversy, there is a five year federal and state waiting period after a person's death before a landmark can be named after them. That this was waived did not sit well with some politicians) The state comission in charge of such things had decided the name squaw was offensive five years ago but had not found a suitable replacement til now.

Story here:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0418piestewa18.html

I do think it's unfortunate that for many in both rural and inner-city areas of this country that the military offers the best hope for improving your lot in life. There must be a better way.

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It's so sad what happened to her. May God be with the family at this time... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>

I recall the song Johnny Cash done regarding Ira Hayes, another indian who gave his service to the US Goverment, a US Marine who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, but who died in a roadside gutter, drunk, he passed out in a few inchs of water and died.

Todd and I use to discuss this case, and somehow it seems to fit in here, "Call him, drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer any more"
if one reads the list of those who have won the Medal, one will find lots of indians on it, they more then any other group have given so much, and yet they get so little in return, the one thing that has been stolen from them that hurts so much is repect, it means so much and it would cost nothing.
Even if they should leave the reservation and make it on the outside, they risk becoming an "apple" among the tribe, an "apple" is someone who is red on the outside but white in the middle, I guess we can only hope that someday, the civil rights bus will make it out west.

I just hope her children can grow up in a world where they will not be judged by the color of their skin.