Winona LaDuke on Use of "Geronimo" as Code for Bin Laden & US Military's Native Nomenclature

DemocracyNow.org - The Obama administration has sparked outrage in the Native American community following the revelation it used the name of the legendary Apache leader Geronimo as a secret code word during the raid that killed of Osama bin Laden. Geronimo was an Apache leader who fought to preserve tribal lands against U.S. and Mexican forces in the 19th century. For comment, Democracy Now! interviews Native American activist and writer, Winona LaDuke. "The reality is that the military is full of native nomenclature," says LaDuke. "You've got Black Hawk helicopters, Apache LongBow helicopters, you've got Tomahawk missiles. The term used when you leave a military base in a foreign country is 'off the reservation into Indian Country.'" So what is that messaging that's being passed on? Basically, it is the continuation of the wars against indigenous people."

Winona LaDuke, Native American activist and writer. She lives and works on the White Earth Nation in northern Minnesota. She is the executive director of Honor The Earth. She has just published a new book, "The Militarization of Indian Country."

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