Editor:
I would send this to Lo Que Pasa directly, but would they print it? After all, they have a job to do.
Right now, that job is upstaging Steward Observatory's continued suppression of Apache cultural and religious freedoms with feel-good coverage of Buddy Powell's recently donated "beads and trinkets" to the San Carlos High School Library (Oct. 19).
How transparent! What Lo Que Pasa doesn't say is that any donation made by Steward Observatory astronomers to the San Carlos Apache Reservation is blood money. This is the first university to lobby to exempt itself from all cultural laws (an exemption which cost students and taxpayers millions), the first university to litigate against the rights of Native Americans to practice their religion, and the first university to produce a written plan to destroy the religion and culture of a native people.
Most people are aware that the UA is again asking Congress to exempt itself from all cultural and religious protection laws Ÿ laws it broke Ÿ on Mt. Graham. But they may not be aware that when Manuel Pacheco hired the Mercedes of consulting firms Ÿ Booz, Allen and Hamilton Ÿ to deal with the university's "Indian Problem," their final report recommended that the UA get off Mt. Graham and respect Apache religious beliefs. Short of that, the report recommended a "divide and conquer" approach: the UA should assuage young Apaches with educational benefits and viewing opportunities, treating any remaining, unsatisfied traditionals as "isolated outliers."
Lo Que Pasa would do well in reporting that this racist plan, issued in 1991, is still being implemented today via unsuspecting reservation kids by certain UA astronomers at Steward Observatory.
Anne Carl
Education Graduate Student