BATTLE OF THE GREASY GRASS

On June 25, 1876,  Lakota Native Americans, along with members of the Arapaho and Northern Cheyenne tribes, were defending their land at a site in the then Montana Territory now known as the the Battle of The Little Big Horn.  To the Lakota and other Plains tribes, the subsequent encounter there is known as the Battle of The Greasy Grass.   The battle was the most significant action of the Great Sioux War of 1876.

Back in the Dark Ages, when I was a fifth grader, my teacher Mrs. Mossbarger actually said that Custer was a hero.  I spoke up and said that Sitting Bull was the real hero of the Battle Of The Little Big Horn because Sitting Bull was defending HIS land.  We had never been exposed to other Native American heroes such as Crazy Horse and Chief Gall.

I was taken to the Principal's office, where the Principal telephoned my mother and told her that the teacher thought that I should be expelled for being "disrespectful";  Mother defended my right to have my own opinion and that she agreed with me.  Albeit mortified, I was allowed to return to class.  For the remainder of the year, I suffered retribution of various kinds from the mean-spirited teacher.

When I went home that afternoon I felt especially triumphant, only to be met with my mother's remonstrances:  "Why are you always getting into trouble?  What do you know from Indians?" I wailed, "But you told them I was RIGHT and that you AGREED with me!"  She answered, "Of course I would tell THEM that you're right!"

That tells everything you need to know about my mother and loyalty.