Controversy & Personal ~ Current Events Wrap Up

Ok, it’s Thursday, and you know what that means… It’s time for The Current Events Wrap Up meme, hosted by the amazing Julie Arduini at her The Surrendered Scribe blog. The Current Events Wrap Up meme is the vision God gave Julie for discussing what is going on in the world, nation and even our own lives. This is really a fantastic meme and we would love to see it grow. There is so much happening these days and it would be amazing to have a team of conservative commentators discussing their thoughts. Please go and check out Julie’s blog, and if you like current events or news, think about joining in and/or spreading the word!

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There is something that I just have to vent about. Once again on this last Monday, all day long, I heard about one thing. It is a story that most people really don’t know, or could care less about, but for me, it is appalling. On March 23, 2003, PFC Lori Piestewa, along with the rest of her convoy, including best friend Jessica Lynch, made a wrong turn in the Iraq desert and drove into an enemy town, where they were attacked. Everyone except Lynch, who was taken as a POW, was killed. Lori had been a single mom of two children, who are now left in the care of her parents.


The story is sad. All of the fallen soldiers are heroes, simply because they laid down their lives in defense of their country. However, for Lori Piestewa, that is not the end of the story. She was the first known Native American woman to die in combat. And for that distinction, she has been revered, honored and I might even say worshiped. Celebrations and memorials are continuous. A Valley mountain and freeway has been renamed for her amid great controversy. Even Extreme Home Makeover has bought into the hype by providing her parents and two children left behind a new home, for no reason other than that she was the first Native American woman to die in combat.


This is a bitter pill for many of us, because while she is only one of the many of Arizonan’s killed in action, she is the only one who gets any recognition for it. When then Gov. Janet Napolitano heard of Lori’s death, she pressured, bullied, and it’s been debate that she even broke laws to force the change of the name of the previously mentioned freeway and mountain. She called for the resignation of someone who challenged her, and had a staff member call and threaten others who fought it. She even had the audacity to rudely dismiss the tearful pleas of the numerous other families who’d recently lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan, to consider changing the names of these sites to honor all of the fallen, rather than just one. She wouldn’t even hear them out. It was a shrewd political move that ensured the reelection of our most liberal governor to date, because people who’d never even voted before, showed up in droves to vote her in for a second term out of gratitude (or manipulation). Make no mistake, Napolitano couldn’t care less for the combat death of Lori or Piestewa family, this was purely political.


Lori Piestewa, a single mom from the reservation in northern Arizona, died a hero serving her country. I believe that. But the way she is now worshiped is a brutal slap in the face to the memory of all of our other fallen heroes. She made a wrong turn and is now revered a hundred times more than any other of our lost sons and daughters. She died without firing a single shot, something her Hopi family (the same family who is calling all Native American’s to return from the war any way they can because this is not their war) is very proud of, and is celebrated and revered more than any decorated soldier. Around here, the only ones who remember any of the other numerous heroes killed in action, are the families. They get no press. They get no ceremonies. They get no memorials. And that to me is unconscionable.


And . . .


The other current event that I’d like to discuss is personal. I am so excited to announce that I have just been offered my first paid writing job! A lovely lady from Train Up Children, found me through FaithWriter’s and contacted me, to have me write lesson plans for preschoolers. I am thrilled at this wonderful opportunity to get paid doing something I love, while helping little children to know and love Jesus. Praise the Lord! By the way, obviously I checked out the site before I agreed and true to the name, it really looks like a fantastic site, with tons of teaching materials for your children.