Comments on: Ariz. Mountain Renamed After Slain Soldier

Army Spc. Lori Piestewa Was First American Indian Woman Killed Serving In U.S. Military

[quetzal0666]

Crawford Texas should also be renamed,
War Criminal Valley, Texas.

[newsjunky5]

I have no problem with renaming the mountain. It seems like a fitting memorial. But they should NOT have waived the State''s 5 year waiting period.
The waiting period for state and federal approval of namechanges not only allows for cooling off of emotions, but helps prevent a single governor from pushing it through themselves (terms are 4 years) This one seems to have done that. Even though she''s had 2 terms, from my figuring, state approval might have fallen after she must leave office (term limits).
But I''m glad it got approval, just not how it was done.

[b-easy63]

"Less than a month after Army Spc. Lori Piestewa was killed in Iraq in 2003, a state panel renamed Squaw Peak, one of the city''s most popular hiking spots, as Piestewa Peak."

I''m glad that they changed the name and for such a worthy reason. Ever since I found out "squaw" is actually a ubiquitous Native American word for ''vaginnnna" or ***--I have cringed whenever I heard anyone use the word. It is far better to rename the mountain than to keep calling it by the pejorative .

[ianlou]

"Piestewa Peak" has a nice ring to it.

I bet most of the opposition is based on the fact that most people don''t like change.
As for the hiking guide, he''s upset cause he has to change the name of his website "squawpeakhiker.org"

[pfd572]

The backing of renaming Squaw Peak was politically risky and most definitely not %u201Cpolitically correct%u201D. Many in AZ are as bigoted against Native Americans or women as anywhere else in the country. Plus, some Arizonans have this misguided belief that suggestions to remove ANY of its narrow-minded, bigoted, and misogynist identity is a crime. Gov. Napolitano ignored the political risk to do the right thing.

RANGER1948: I take a 100 words to say in part what you where able to say in less than 20. Well said and well done.

[ranger1948]

Her family thought it was an honor so that should be enough to satisfy everyone on this web site.

[pfd572]

babykiller: (how sick) Where do you get the idea that the Hopi Nation is not supportive of the name change. "..might not be overjoyed..memorializing a female native" I live here and never heard anything supporting your statement.

shanev137: If that is your opinion I hope you are honest and carry that disgust to the of renaming/naming other public areas: Ronald Reagan, George Bush, John Wayne, O''Hare and Logan airports. Or the Strom Thurmond, Birch Bayh, George C. Wallace, Edgar McWethy buildings. Or how about Jefferson Davis State Park. Kennedy Space Center???? Let''s see how far your pandering outrage reaches. hmmmmm?

[pfd572]

As a citizen of Arizona, who lives in Phoenix and regularly hikes Piestewa Peak: Thank you for doing the honorable thing, that is backed by most of us who live here and hike the Peak. We name buildings, parks, airports after individuals, which is why many of us couldn''t support opponents reasoning. Lori is an excellent symbol of the sacrifices of all military, with the extra advantage of reminding us that women and minorities also make the ultimate sacrifice. ''Squaw Peak'' had no historical significance. It was a name given to a rock formation to help guide settlers and other travelers and was insulting to Native American women. It was simply a ''road sign''. Its a relief to have a positive story out of AZ, instead of the self-promoting media hype of our biggest embarrassment, Sheriff Joe ''McCarthy'' Arpaio.

[shanev137]

Political correctness and pandering at it''s finest.