Clarence Wolf Guts

Last night I watched a C-Span II rerun of a Committee Hearing of the Bureau of Indian Affairs headed by Senator Ben Nighthorse-Campbell. I have only seen the Senator from Colorado once in person. He was on a Harly surrounded by a group of bikers in Sturgis, SD and he was a half block down a street filled with motorcycles. It was obvious that he was well regarded in that setting.

Clarence Wolf Guts was speaking in the Committee Hearing when I tuned in. He was very old, toothless, Lakota, wise and revered. He spoke in his Lakota/English accent of his love for America. "We love America. Nobody can take that from us...We love our country so we will do anything we can to protect us. We want America to be free. We didn't want the enemy to come here. I sang for my wounded buddies when they came home. We are proud to be Lakota. We are happy."

Clarence is the last surviving Lakota code talkers of the 11 who enlisted during WWII. Code takers from 18 American Indian tribes assisted the war effort. The link is to Heidi Bell Grease's article in the Rapid City Journal.

His only wish was to be able to see the World War II memorial and to talk to President Bush. He added that he didn't think he would ever get back to Washington DC again. Nighthorse told him that the visit to the Memorial would be arranged. I saw on the news this morning that Pres. Bush spoke to the Indian delegation this morning, before he and Ayad Allawi's press conference.

What a dichotomy today to hear this man, Clarence Wolf Guts, so depressed historically, speak with such deep and moving conviction regarding his love of country and honor upon serving during war time.