The American Spectator

KIT CARSON AT 200
Re: Bill Croke’s Western Renaissance Man: Kit Carson at 200:

My thanks to Mr. Croke for his article on Kit Carson. One correction, Kit’s father was more likely 55 and not 64 years old when Kit was born. Lindsey Carson was probably 64 when he died. While Sides’ recent book is an interesting and well written work, I consider him more of a journalist and story teller than historian. The best Carson biography is Kit Carson, A Pattern for Heroes by Thelma S. Guild and Harvey L. Carter. Carter’s Dear Old Kit is the best academic study. Marc Simmons is the best current historian on Carson.

In regard to the Navajo campaign several elements should be kept in mind. It was during a time of war while the Union was very vulnerable. At the beginning of the Civil War the army was very small and much of it was scattered across the west. When the solders were withdrawn to fight the Civil War the native tribes not surprisingly tried to take advantage of the situation, the Dakota in the north, the Comanche in Texas, and the Apache/Navajo in the Southwest. Many today would confuse the Navajo with the Pueblo peoples. The Navajo were then much more like their linguistic kin, the Apache, than they were the Pueblo. The Pueblo and Spanish more or less lived together for about two and a half centuries up to that time. The Navajo, Apache, Ute and others were their near neighbors. The ethic the more nomadic people lived under was living by the right of conquest. The Navajo among others raided and killed the Pueblos and Spanish/New Mexicans for corn, horses, slaves and sheep. The Pueblos and New Mexicans retaliated when they could, including taking slaves. Carson’s campaign made the Navajo a subject people and ended their raiding.

Secondly, Carson refused to follow the harshest orders from his Army superiors. He several times tried to resign.

Thirdly, he clearly saw Native Americans and the various tribes as people. He had two Indian wives before his Spanish wife. He learned their languages. He raised a Navajo boy in his home as a son. He and his wife Josefa Jaramillo knew the boy would die if they had not taken him into their home and family. He saw how contact with Americans was destroying the Natives and how important it was for that time to separate them for the Natives to survive. Carson spoke out publicly about this and traveled from Colorado to Washington and back when his health was very poor just before his death.

Kit’s father was not the only Carson to have children late in life. Many people would be surprised that Kit and Josefa have one granddaughter alive, living in Colorado, and fifteen great grandchildren around the country. Although not a Mason, I very proudly wore his Masonic ring on December 24, 2009 to honor him on the 200th Anniversary of his birth.
— Will Lange
(William Carson Lange, great grandson)

SICK LEAVE
Re: The Prowler’s Abdulmutallab and the Obama Mindset:

Wow. So some government employees were “uncomfortable” with the Bush administration policies that might profile Muslims and “were relieved to not have to live under them anymore.” I can only assume they don’t have to worry about their family members being on flights from Amsterdam.

We have, apparently, a number of government employees who either need to immediately quit or, if they don’t, be immediately fired. What kind of person puts their comfort with a policy ahead of protecting American lives? Only someone who is sick.
— Garry
Gearhart, Oregon

I stared at my television screen incomprehensibly when I heard Janet Napolitano say, “the system worked.” The next little bit I heard was that a new directive was being made, “That all passengers must stay seated until landing.” Then I sat back and realized, not only does the Obama administration not care one wit about terrorism, but they likely were disappointed the attack failed. And why, well, my old Daddy said it best a few months back when he observed, “That fella is looking for an excuse to declare martial law.” He went on to add, “Then he has us tightly in a bear hug with no chance of us getting free.” And I reckon Daddy’s right. Once B.O. declares martial law, over some event, either real or imagined, there will be a suspension of laws like we have never seen before, and I figure likely all elections will be suspended as well. It is the only way he can actually clamp down on the American public, who are fed up with his Marxist practices.

Thank God for lively passengers who derailed the attack through brute force. But what will happen when the next attack happens? Will the passengers hear a flight attendant remind them to stay seated? I think not. 

Just the thoughts from an East Texas Rancher who has seen terrorism first hand in Europe.
— B. Gunn

Governor Ed Rendell insulted Janet Napolitano at the time of her appointment by saying that she would do a fine job, since she has no social life and so would devote herself completely to the job. Maybe he was wrong about the deduction. Two things for which she made headlines after her appointment: 1) After a big raid on a factory to catch illegal immigrants angered her, she saw to it that such raids stopped. 2) She took away Sheriff Joe’s participation in the federal program regarding illegal immigrants and then ordered an investigation of Sheriff Joe for profiling. Those two items might suggest that she both does little or nothing and then tries to stop others from doing anything either.
— Richard L.A. Schaefer
Dubuque, Iowa

TREASURING THAT MOMENT
Re: Ben Stein’s A Ron Paul Moment:

Ben Stein is so full of crap he needs to carry around a roll of toilet paper in his briefcase. Instead of being a man and admitting he screwed up in his remark to Ron Paul, he attempts to rationalize his remark, further destroying his credibility and embarrassing himself. I could find more intelligent words in an elementary school. If I had a talk show I would distance myself from this lunatic. A wise man thinks twice before speaking once. Ben showed no wisdom.
— David A. Ricks
Miami, Florida