Geronimo

Alternative Column: As I write this, we ap-proach Veteran's Day on Sun-day. Ever since learning the history of Veteran's Day, I've found it tragic. In the same way that Christmas has become about presents, Veteran's Day has become a backdoor way to perpetuate and even glorify war for most people who have not been in those shoes. How could that happen when it began as Armistice Day, cele-brating the end of WWI?
We just got done picking corn in what was more of a struggle than usual. Break-downs of equipment, wet weather, and bad knees con-tributed to the difficulty, alt-hough 37 years of experience softened those blows consider-ably. Neighbors who climbed the bins and our son, Karl, and his family were lifesavers as well.
What is notable here is that we had a goal, reached it, and went on to fixing fence. The underlying theme in changing Armistice Day to Veteran's Day has to be summed up by these words: “Cui Bono.” Cui Bono is Latin, meaning, “For whose benefit.”
On my mudroom wall for the last four years, has been an article about Geronimo. He was a veteran of this country be-fore it was cool. I'm reminded often of Geronimo when I hear about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one culture displaced by another by force. I wonder how the proponents of the 1948 decision to install a Jew-ish state would feel if their home was given to the Apach-es.
By today's standards, Ge-ronimo and the Apaches had almost superhuman capacity. The Apaches were not saints. They robbed and pillaged other tribes. But to illustrate what people can do under a real imminent threat as opposed to the overblown economic devel-opment schemes called national security today, Apache men, women, and children could carry all their belongings 45 miles in a day. Geronimo could run 95 miles in 24 hours when he was in his sixties. These feats were necessary as they were fleeing armed troops.
Geronimo was not just ath-letic (an awfully mundane word, considering). He was an intellectual as well. These quotes stick with me:
“Have a purpose in every-thing you do.”
“Avoid dealing with people who have proven to be treach-erous and dishonest.”
“If you sense a double cross while negotiating, don't make the deal.”
Karl is a duck hunter and I can hardly wait to hear about when he hunts ducks like an Apache. Step one: Float empty gourds toward ducks until the ducks become accustomed to their presence. Step two: Insert head into empty gourd and drift to within arm's length. Step three: Grab the duck's feet and pull it under water.
Geronimo finally gave him-self up and lived on a reserva-tion until death. He even taught Sunday school in the Dutch Reformed Church for a time. He rode in Teddy Roose-velt's inaugural parade, yet TR refused his wish as an old man to return to his native land.
But...by Proxy, Geronimo was not done. In 2009 Geron-imo's great-grandson sued Yale's Skull and Bones Socie-ty for the return of the Chief's remains, which were stolen by grave robbers led by Prescott Bush (George W. Bush's grandfather). The suit was dismissed on technicalities.
Great veteran, Geronimo, was actually defending his country. A model veteran. Our veterans deserve to have a goal.
Any opinions on this col-umn are welcome at 4selfgovernment@gmail.com or through a letter to the editor. The blog is updated almost daily at www.alternativebyfritz.com. Try it. You’ll like it.