McDonald's Custer toy angers Indian Country

Source: missoulian

RAPID CITY, S.D. - Custer rides again, although he's atop a plastic motorcycle and in a McDonald's Happy Meal box.

And that doesn't sit well with some in the Native American community.

Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer was killed in 1876 along the Little Big Horn River by Native Americans he aimed to destroy.
*
But Hollywood brought him back to life as a character in the Ben Stiller comedy “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,” which opened in theaters May 22. McDonald's included characters from the movie as toys in its kid-sized Happy Meals.

The fast food chain's decision to circulate the toy in Indian Country is akin to circulating a Hitler figure in Israel, according to Laurette Pourier, executive director for the Society for the Advancement of Native Interests-Today. “It's insensitive and disrespectful.”

...

The majority of the U.S. Army's victims were friendly Native Americans who would not run, Long Fox said. The military campaigns against Native Americans were driven by the government's desire to acquire land without any consideration for Native Americans as human beings, she said.

Read more: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/06/18/news/local/news05.txt

---

:evilgrin:

looks like an old Indian.

"Oh I know...a hero for the ages the kids will love it..General Custer!"

OH its from the movie...and that, folks, is how your children learn about history...from a bad movie. they will only know who Custer is because they saw Night at the Museum

nt

That has to be one of the dumbest toys I have seen in a while.

...............the next generation of retards. What a fucking country!!!

Right now I'm angry with everyone involved in the movie.

And at least one of the guys with the Winchester's is his son.

Then neither is Geronimo, unless you're willing to talk about him scalping women and children and slaughtering Mexicans.

Please include some (credible) background information as to why people were killed by both these men. Don't forget (or be afraid) to include the Spanish conquest as well. Also some geographic locations of the slaughters done would help.
By the way, your use of the word "scalping" along with the always universal phrase of condemnation (except when it applies to the U.S.), the "slaughter of women and children" loses strength when you consider their very extensive anglo-saxon history. Especially when you consider the motivation: wealth, power, wealth, power...
And please respect history and cite your "facts"...from facts. Otherwise comment on something you know, and leave history to those that know history.
Knowing your response will be as constuctive as the one I'm commenting on , you need not bother.

All sides took scalps and slaughtered women and children. Both Geronimo and Custer were "heroes" to their nations because they were fighting for them.

I just don't like canonizing men like Geronimo and Custer because it makes them less then what they were. Why should we be afraid to admit that everyone's hand's were dirty?

If you want a google facts, be a gentleman and go first. Show me were it says that Geronimo or any man in that conflict was a stainless saint beyond reproach?

And insertable arrows and tomahawks.

Most portrayals and even historical accounts of the man show him to be an arrogant pompous self-centered and self righteous moron.

He can't lead or make decisions.

He's obsessed with his appearance and his hair.

And Sakajawaya has to point out to him that you'll lose the element of surprise if you yell, "Attack!" first.

Custer's big plan is to trick the enemy by yelling, "Don't Attack!"

It's more akin to "Springtime for Hitler" in "The Producers."

But since I'm not Native American, it's really not my call, so I will defer the the sensitivities of those who actually have a dog in this fight.

Night at the Museum 2 is full of stereotypes and Turbo Custer is one of the worst. (I haven't seen Night at the Museum 1)

- General George A. Custer.

I think they're getting angry over the wrong things

since you seem so concerned why don't you elucidate.

Luke (or was it Owen?) Wilson plays him.

The movie is about a museum where the exhibitions come alive. So this Gen Custer isn't REALLY Gen Custer, but a toy based on an animated statue of him.

"Holy shit! Where'd all them Injuns come from?"

Not to mention the motorcycle he's riding is an Indian.

:D

"Custer had it coming"

by Vine Deloria, Jr.

http://www.brotherhooddays.com/HEROES.html#GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER:

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER:
After graduating last in his class at West Point and setting a record for demerits and reprimands Custer quickly proved his willingness to please his superiors and to succeed at any cost. Rising quickly through the ranks, Custer became the youngest man ever to attain the rank of General. His reckless bravado resulted in many Civil War victories but at the cost of troops under his command suffering the highest casualty rate in the war. 35). 23).

One specific incident during the Civil War would provide particular insight into Custer's character. In 1864, General U.S. Grant issued an order that stated that any men fighting under the command of Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby that were captured, should be summarily executed. The order, relayed through Union General Phil Sheridan, was ignored by all but one of General Sheridan's subordinates, and that lone exception was General George Custer. Custer captured six of Colonel Mosby's men in September of 1864 and had them shot to death on the streets of Fort Royal, Virginia. 34). Soon after the end of the Civil War Custer's ruthless behavior and naked ambition would be brought to bear against the Plains People.

Anxious to prove himself an "Indian Fighter," Custer was given command of an army with which he scoured the states of Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, hoping to engage any Indians that he might find. During this command Custer had deserters shot without benefit of hearings. This in-spite of the fact that Custer himself on numerous occasions deserted his command to be in the company of his wife or to go off on hunting expeditions. In September of 1867 Custer was court-martialed and convicted of abandoning his command and having deserters executed. He was sentenced to a one year suspension without pay for these crimes. http://leav-www.army.mil/history/custer.htm

Ten months later General Phil Sheridan reinstated Custer to command a campaign against the Southern Cheyenne in Oklahoma. Desperate for action that would redeem his honor, Custer came upon a peaceful camp of Southern Cheyenne camped along the Washita River, on November 28th, 1868.

This encampment was nearby an U.S. army outpost and under the leadership of the "Peace Chief, Black Kettle." The lodge of Black Kettle flew a large U.S. flag identifying the camp as a "friendly village." Black Kettle was given this flag by the United States government and told that as long as it flew over his lodge he and his people would be under the protection of the United States Army.

Custer's scouts identified this small camp circle as a friendly village and warned the general not to attack. Custer ignored his scouts and ordered any man shot that attempted to prevent his plans for attack the next morning. As Custer planned the attack on the village he did not conduct reconnaissance of the village and surrounding area .

The next morning, November 29th 1868, marching to his favorite tune "Gary Owen," Custer and his soldiers attacked the village. The 67 year old Black Kettle and his wife Medicine Women Later, walked toward the attacking cavalry, carrying a white flag and calling out for peace. Black Kettle and Medicine Woman Later were shot down and killed. Their bodies and the white flag were trampled under the hooves of the horses and into the bloody mud, as the Calvary advanced on the village.

Black Kettle, always a voice for peace and accommodation with the Whites, was to be betrayed in his trust a second time. First at the Massacre of Sand Creek when his people were butchered by the Methodist preacher John Chivington and a second and final time along the banks of the river known as the Washita. One-hundred and three Cheyenne people, died there along with Black Kettle and his wife. Ninety-two of the dead were women, children, and old people unable to flee the advance of Custer and his troops.

As the Cheyenne warriors fought a rear-guard action to protect the fleeing villagers, Custer ordered a contingent of 18 men under the command of Lt. Joel Elliot to cut off the escape route of the terrified villagers. The Cheyenne were running in the direction of the rest of the strung-out encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho people. There were, unknown to Custer because of his lack of reconnaissance, over 6000 other Native People camped further downstream on the Washita this day.

Lt. Elliot and his men rode into the face of warriors riding down to investigate the sounds of gunfire coming from Black Kettle's camp. As the sounds from this ensuing battle made its way to Custer's position, Custer realized he was in grave danger. He abandoned his position and left Lt. Elliot and his men without support. Lt. Elliot and his men were all killed.

Custer skillfully manipulated the reporting of these facts and escaped responsibility for abandoning Lt. Elliot and his men. Custer was hailed as a hero for his actions . The fact that he had knowingly attacked a peaceful camp of Indian people and murdered over 100 Cheyenne men, women, and children, did little to tarnish the luster of his growing popularity with the American People. After the massacre at the Washita, Custer was mentioned as a possible candidate for President by the press and many prominent politicians.

In 1873, Colonel D.S. Stanley, Custer's superior officer on a surveying expedition along the Yellowstone, would write to his wife about Custer, " a cold-blooded, untruthful and unprincipled man .... universally despised by all the officers of his regiment." 35).

Colonel Custer would, three years later, confirm Stanley's assessment of him. Blinded by ambition he recklessly unleashed an uncoordinated attack on a gathering of Lakota, and Northern Cheyenne People on June 25th, 1876 at the place called the Greasy Grass. Remembering the lessons of Sand Creek and the Washita massacres, the Lakota, and Cheyenne, fought back. Custer's ambition and reckless actions led 267 soldiers, 34 Lakota and 7 Cheyenne People to their deaths that hot day in June.

Colonel Stanley would eventually rise on his merits to the rank of Brigadier General. But history seldom mentions the steady Colonel Stanley and all but forgets his prophetic assessment of Custer's character. Custer would in defeat, rise to mythic status in Western history and folklore of that of a gallant American hero, and defy in death an accounting of his life.

Elizabeth Bacon Custer, the Colonel's widow, devoted the rest of her life, to a largely successful attempt to rehabilitate the image of her late husband. She wrote of her efforts: "There will come a time when tradition and history are so intermingled that no one will be able to separate them." 51).
Mrs. Custer lived until 1933, and died just two days short of her 91st birthday. To quote Robert Paul Jordan, " ....she remained George Custer's greatest admirer, brooking no detractions, singing his praises in three books. She described their military life and adventures simply and clearly and with something less than the whole truth." 54).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To view the 1876 Chicago Tribune's opinion of Colonel Custer and his actions at the Greasy Grass hit on the hyperlink below.


http://www.brotherhooddays.com/chicagotribune1.html

Wicohan / Deeds (14 year old boy, killed while trying to warn the village)
Mahpiya Wicasa / Cloud Man
Mato Hehaka / Elk Bear
Canku Hanska / Long Road (ITAZIPCO BAND)
Sunka Wanjila / Lone Dog
Hehaka Wankata Najin / Elk Stands Above
Ktepila / Kills Him
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pehin Zi Sica / Bad light Hair
Wasicun Sapa / Black White Man
Hala Ota / Many Lice ( OGLALA BAND)
Wanbli Ska / White Eagle
Maka Cincala / Young Skunk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miyapahe / Breech Cloth
Sunka Heton / Dog with Horns
Sunka Cankohan / Dog's Backbone (MINNECONJOU BAND)
Mato Yamni / Three Bears
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hinhan Okuwa / Chased by Owls (OOHENUPA BAND)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mato Heton / Bear with Horns
Tasupe / Guts
Canska Wicasa / Hawk Man
Ite Luta / Red Face (HUNKPAPA BAND)
Mato Ohanko / Swift Bear
Tatanka Ska / White Buffalo
Hanwi Sapa Cincala / Young Black Moon
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Catka / Left Hand / Noisy Walking
*Sunksa Yuha / Has Sorrel Horse / Open Belly (Cut Belly)
*Mato Cincala / Young Bear / Black Bear
*Putinhin Sina / Full Beard / Lame White Man
*Kinyan Hiyaye / Flying By / Limber Bones
*Sunkmanitu Sapa / Black Coyote / Roman Nose
*Maypiya Ohanko / Swift Cloud / Whirlwind

* Cheyenne warriors, Their Lakota names are listed in bold type in the left-hand column. The English translation of their Cheyenne names are listed on the far right.

if they haven't already: the great book is by Dee Brown; the good movie stars Dustin Hoffman.

Now, We do know what Mosby thought of Custer, but Mosby became a "Grant Man" (i.e a follow of US Grant) after the Civil War. Mosby became a close friend to Grant after the war, raising to various positions in Grant's Administration. Given the General Nature of Grant not surprising, he liked having competent people around him (Grant's biggest problem he believed people were as honest as he was, and people took advantage of this view, including Grant's own Father and Brother).

More on John Mosby:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Mosby

His 1909 letter to the Eppa Hunton calling Football Murder:
http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/hoos/hunton.html

The cavalry leader everyone wanted to outdo from the Civil War onward, Benjamin Henry Grierson:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Grierson

Grierson's Raid (The raid every cavalryman wanted to outdo till WWII when Cavalry was finally replaced, and people still want to outdo this raid):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grierson%27s_Raid

His defeat of the Victorio, the Apache leader later killed in Mexico (Grierson defeated Victorio the only way he could, he put men on every water hole in West Texas and forced Victorio to try to strom the water holes or cross back into Mexico, Victoria first attacked and then had to retreat)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorio

Lets not forget the other "Boy Genera;" of the Civil War, Wesley Merritt, later Commanded the 9th US Cavalry after the Civil War. Please note both Grierson and Merritt were hand picked by Grant to make sure the two "Colored" Cavalry units would be successful, something Grant did not think any other commander (Including Custer) could do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Merritt

Finally Nathan Bedford Forest, considered the greatest "Guerrilla" leader of the Civil War, he had his problems (The massacre of Black Soldiers at Ft Pillow) but again he died even before any of the above and thus could not comment on Custer's defeat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest

Ft Pillow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Pillow

Yes, none of the above made comments that survived to this day, the fear that Mrs Custer will use her political connections (and those were great) and her status as the widow of the "Great Custer" was to much for even the above Generals to fight. Had she died before any of them, we may have had good debate at the time of Custer's tactics, but she outlived all of them.

It was the first motorcycle made in the US and from what I've heard is still an amazing bike and best of all is still made in the US (NC).

Years ago a dear man I dated and became good friends with was very into bikes and had beautifully restored an early model... he absolutely loved the darn thing. It looked a bit like this one but it may have been older. B-)

:fistbump:

I've always loved the lines and looks of most classic vehicles and bikes aren't the exemption for sure. :) It look a second or two but the Custer toy bike actually does look like an old Indian... I haven't see the movie yet to know if it is but if it's in the Smithsonian it would make sense if it were.

Oh and you used past tense.. I was happily surprised to find out that they still make Indians and still in America too. B-) If you appreciate a nice looking vehicle check out this one:
http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/TheMotorcycles1/ChiefVintage/ChiefVintageFeatures/tabid/159/Default.aspx I'll add that to the "if we ever win Publishers Clearing House" list. ;)

Ba-dum-chh

(To understand this joke it helps to know Fort Riley sucks worse than any other Army base.)

Custer and his men were riding toward the Little Big Horn when Custer decided to send out a patrol. Two hours later, the patrol returned.

"Sir, we have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

'I'll take the bad news.'

"Sir, there are thousands of Indians on the other side of that ridge. We're all going to be slaughtered."

'After that, I don't know what the good news could possibly be, but let's have it.'

"The good news is, we won't have to go back to Fort Riley."

The Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding through a canyon in Comanche territory. Suddenly they look ahead and see dozens of braves ready to attack. On the cliffs to the right and the left they see more braves ready to attack. The look behind and discover they are completely surrounded. The Lone Ranger looks at Tonto and says "It looks like we are in a very bad situation here my friend." Tonto replies, "What's this "we" shit, white man."

.
.
.

:thumbsup:

He found out "Kemosabe" is really the Apache word for "motherfucker."

He got a kick out of that.

:rofl:

The reason nothing ever changes at Fort Riley is because General Custer told his rear element, just before he left for the Battle of Little Big Horn, "don't change a thing until I get back."

one: I hate mcdonalds and their faux meat
two: mcdonald corp are morons

that said.

it appears as if the "custer" figure looks like a retread of a Joker batman figure only repainted. Note the hat.

And the motorcycle? what the fuck is that all about?

I figure that it was left over from some other half ass promotion that failed and they were stuck will millions of these things. They had them in storage waiting for a way to re-brand them for their next version of brainwashing happy meals.

They probably called their chinese supplier, "Ming!!! Good news!!! We found a way to unload those 6 million crappy motorcycles!! yeah, yeah!!! slap that old Jack Nicholson joker on it, paint it like custer....custer, sigh, george custer was a racist union soldier from...what's that? yeah, we had a lot of them, from US history. I'll send you the specs. What's that? Sorry, no nothing yet on a use for the 13 million plastic elephants you have back stocked from lord of the rings. Hmmm, interesting idea, but I don't think it would go over very well with Rush. Cheers!"

This is discrimination against Germans.

... against Native Americans, one of the two worst human rights atrocities ever committed by our country (the other being 200 years of enslaving African Americans, IMO).

it's STILL genocide on both counts to this day!

History needs to be rewritten to reflect the truth. By constantly enshrining this homicidal maniac we have rewarded him with exactly what he desired AND encourage others to follow in his footsteps.

Each of which delights in "discovering the truth" about historical events and figures.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.