Semper Fi.
That is the United States Marine Corps slogan, which in Latin means, "always faithful."
Many of you get a big "Semper Fi!" salute today.
Forgotten as of Thursday for inclusion in today's Shiprock Navajo Fair parade, a public tidal wave of anger, appreciation, pride and determination all swelled together on Friday and resulted in a last-minute plan for the Code Talkers to be in today's parade.
Look for entry No. 11.
It'll be right behind the Navajo president's float.
If Code Talker organizers were successful in their Friday evening roundup of the famed World War II veterans who could change their plans or be physically able, you'll see anywhere from one to more than a half dozen of them in today's parade.
***
The phone was ringing off the hook and the e-mail inbox was jammed Friday morning.
Friday's column explaining why the Code Talkers were to be left out of today's parade hit home in a bad way with many of you. But, a good thing came from it.
A very good thing.
Just when the Code Talkers were feeling forgotten, that their day in glory was yesterday and today they were put away on a shelf, you put them back where they belong: on hero status.
Friday's column explained how the Navajo Code Talker Association didn't have the money to cover the $250 parade entry fee, and it questioned why heroes such as these men should have to pay to be honored in a parade celebrating Navajo heritage.
"They're just shoved away," an
Malula Sandoval is the wife of Samuel Sandoval, a Code Talker living in Shiprock who serves as a local representative for the association.
"It seems they're only used in political fusses these days, and I tell my husband, don't let them!" she said, angrily referring to politicians and officials who evoke the name of the Code Talkers when trying to win public favor, but then forgetting them when not including them in a place of honor, such as today's parade.
"These men are special," Mrs. Sandoval said. "They should be the grand marshals!
"Sam and I travel throughout the world, to universities and other countries," she said of people outside the Navajo Nation eager to meet surviving Code Talkers. "We go there, and it's the red carpet for us. But here, it's a whole another deal. Here, we all the time see racism and poor treatment, and as sad as it is for me to say it, much of it is from our own people.
"Why?"
***
Mrs. Sandoval should be in a better mood today.
Her "own people" and quite a few others sent a resounding message of agreement with her when they demanded on public forums, in calls, letters and otherwise that the Code Talkers be in today's parade.
Code Talker organizer Etta Arviso got the message, and the help.
"The president's office called me this morning," she said Friday, moments after getting off the phone with staffer Gloria Bowman from Navajo President Joe Shirley's office.
Etta had called the president's office the day before trying to get answers on how to help the Code Talkers.
"I said, do they charge the president to ride in the parade? She said, yes, they do,''' Etta recalled.
"They talked to the fair board and were told they could give us a waiver. They moved the president up to the 10 spot; they were in the 50s. The Code Talkers will be right behind him, at No. 11.
"Now, it's going to be in my hands to see if I can get them together."
She rattled off 7 to 8 names she immediately went about trying to contact and visit, but gathering and featuring the Code Talkers is no easy task these days. The elderly men all are slowed by age and various other ailments, and normally they require assistance like an escort golf cart in case one of the men needs attention during the long parade route.
"We also need other things, like cases of water and lunch for them," she said.
They're accepting donations if you want to drop them off before the parade begins.
***
The list of those offering help and support on Friday was impressive.
First into my own mailbox was the Piedra Vista High School Diné Club, which sent several e-mails and left multiple voicemails.
"We want to help," they said.
The high school students, led by club sponsors Debbie Fowler and Quintina Platero and student leaders such as Logan Sandoval and Carmelita Charley, were excited about the idea of inviting the Code Talkers to ride with them on their float.
Early Friday, it looked like that would be the first option for the Code Talkers, as Etta said that might work for one or two of the veterans if the students could provide all the needed assistance the elders required.
"We really like the idea of them being with the younger generation," she said.
Then, the Navajo Agriculture Products Industry, or NAPI, got involved.
The good folks there, including CEO Tsosie Lewis, wanted to help. They volunteered to pay the parade fee, to invite the Code Talkers to their float, or to help prepare them an entry of their own, which is always the preference of the Code Talkers for various reasons.
Etta was working with NAPI on Friday afternoon trying to arrange a trailer loan to go behind her truck as the Code Talkers' entry, and NAPI volunteers were helping provide banners for decorations.
Heather Martiniz called to say the students of Career Prep Art would share their float.
Davis Salt, a local radio personality who goes by "Bonehead" on KISS Country 98.7 and 92 FM, said the Code Talkers could ride their float, "or we can give up our spot and they can take our place."
Laura Tohe, a professor at Arizona State University in Tempe, offered to send a small financial contribution to help toward the parade fee.
Dorothy Redhorse wrote and said she and her sister would love to have the Code Talkers on the float they were helping to prepare.
Dozens more made similar offers.
***
It is a sad commentary that the Navajo Code Talkers could be forgotten by anyone looking to sponsor an event anywhere on Diné land, let alone at the Navajo Nation's biggest and oldest fair.
It equally is a wonderful and refreshing commentary that the Navajo people themselves stepped up, along with many Anglo and Hispanic neighbors, to show their sincere appreciation for these and all other veterans who have, as so many of you said, already paid the price.
Code Talker organizers made a special request that everyone along the parade route today salute the veterans by waving a flag if you have one.
A quickly dwindling fraternity, Navajo Code Talkers will not be here for too many more parades.
Please, let's salute them while we can.
Troy Turner is the editor of The Daily Times. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 450, Farmington, N.M. 87499; or at tturner@daily-times.com.
Font Resize
