Next stop: Spain

Dear Editor:It's always nice to hear from someone who took notes in his Ethnic Studies class at Cal State L.A. ("Deport to Europe," Letters to the Editor, 1/6/11) We have heard from Mr. Gutierrez before. His theme always seems to be the same. We Anglos are encroaching on somebody's homeland. Article 73 and 74 of the Iroquois Constitution is a myth. Leave that for another discussion. The East Coast Native Americans were set upon by a group or several groups who were mostly farmers, trappers, traders and plain old explorers. The Native Americans of South America, Mexico and California were set upon by a group that was determined to plunder the country. The Seven Cities of Gold was a ploy to get the Spaniards out of the neighborhood. I am sure that the Northern Indians did not appreciate the trick. De Leon was tricked out of the neighborhood by the fountain of youth. I am sure that the alligators did appreciate the trick. When you speak of the California Native Americans of 1492 you are speaking of a total population of about 130,000. This is a little more than the population of Downey today. They were broken up into groups of around 500 individuals spread over the entire state. They had no written language, practiced no agriculture and lived by hunting, gathering and fishing. Mr. Gutierrez and I agree upon one thing (no, not that silly constitution myth). The Native Americans of both North and South America have been treated badly. Mr. Gutierrez, judging by his surname, is a descendent of the Spanish conquerors. I am sure that he can start the exit of non-Native Americans for Europe by getting everybody with a Spanish surname in both South America and North America to pack up and go to Spain. -- Kenneth Stallcup, Downey

********** Published: January 13, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 39