A Wounded Knee Remembrance

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Today is a very solemn day of remembrance.  120 years ago today, the U.S. 7th Calvary Regiment, commanded by Colonel James W. Forsyth, massacred perhaps 300 Lakota Sioux men, women and children, near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.  It was clearly one of the darkest days in U.S. history.

There are conflicting stories as to how the massacre unfolded.  The 7th Calvary had surrounded the encampment of the Lakota Sioux, for the purpose of disarming them.  Some say, during the process of “disarming” the Lakota, a deaf tribesman resisted having his prized possession – his rifle – taken from him.  There was a scuffle, and somehow a shot rang out.  From here the 7th Calvary opened fire on the entire surrounded encampment, killing just about anyone, and anything, in the line of fire, including a number of soldiers.  A few warriors, who hadn’t yet been disarmed, fought back in defense of their people.  But, they were quickly killed, and likely heightened the chaos and mayhem on the part of the troopers.  There were some who initially survived the “battle”, but as they attempted to flee the troopers pursued and killed many of them.  The vast majority of the Lakota who were killed that day were unarmed.

Regardless of how the events that day unfolded, it demonstrated a total lack of respect and compassion – on the part of representatives of the U.S. government – for the lives of Native American people.  This will live on as truly one of the darkest days . . . of infamy, in all of American history.

YUR

Related Articles

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• Todd Wilkinson: To Fox: Custer Did Himself In At Battle Of Little Bighorn (huffingtonpost.com)
• Obama to Apologize to Indians! (gunnyg.wordpress.com)

Jumble Spoiler – 12/29/10

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Visual Description:  A Jerry McGuire-type being fitted for a sportcoat.

YARAR  =  ARRAY,  HECKT  =  KETCH,  FACTRY  =  CRAFTY,  CALKAJ  =  JACKAL —   Giving us:  AAKECCFTJKL

Clue/Question:  This will spruce up a press agent’s wardrobe.

Answer:  A “FLACK“ JACKET

(Pretty good clue words, nice scrambling of the answer letters, and a decent little pun.  Today’s cartoon also kind of reminds me of the days when local TV weathermen used to wear loud, plaid, sports-jackets.  This was back in the day before they were all “meteorologists”.  Weather forecasting was much less of a science in those days, so the weather-people had to have a good sense of humor, as they were part newsman and part entertainer.  Show me the barometric pressure! The crazy clothes also helped them stand apart from the serious anchormen, who gave us the more factual, hard news.  Things sure seemed simpler in those days.  Be good, do good, friends!)   — YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/29/10

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“A *fact* merely marks the point where we have agreed to let investigation cease.”   — Bliss Carman

(One shrewd dude, that Bliss!  A late Nineteenth – early Twentieth Century Canadian poet, with a pretty good pedigree.  It kind of flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but many – most? – facts are actually mutable.  All we really know is just what we know.  We have to keep our minds flexible to this reality.)   — YUR