Those Ill-Served

Not only did the Constitution exclude Indians (Native Americans) "flat out," but that exclusion made it possible for the Indians to be killed and their land taken from them. You are right when you say of the American Indians that their "suffering has merely slowed, not stopped." Some Constitution.

Jeanne Craig

El Paso, Ill.

As a citizen of the Seneca nation, I am moved to comment on your presentation of Native Americans. The Iroquois Confederacy, of which the Seneca is a member, is among the world's oldest continuously functioning democracies. In 1784 and 1794 our government concluded treaties with your government that recognize the political integrity and separateness of our nations and that grant the U.S. land on which to live. These treaties formed the political basis of the Indian nations' relationship to the U.S. But beyond the political reasons for our steadfast refusal to be integrated are spiritual reasons. It is not a mistake that the creator of life put our people on the earth, gave us our languages and beliefs, and provided a model for our political organization that endures to this day. We are very clear about who we are and why we exist as part of the universe. Can Americans say the same?

Mike Myers, Executive Director

Network for Native Futures

Onondaga Nation

Nedrow, N.Y.

It was good to see your article on the Native Americans, some of whom have made progress by participating in the economy of their regions. The Passamaquoddy own several businesses in northern Maine, including the largest cement plant in New England. The Cherokee in North Carolina have bought a factory for making mirrors. This strategy enables the American Indians to address their unemployment problem and become less dependent on federal subsidies.

Daniel A. Zilkha, President

Tribal Assets Management

Portland, Me.