Try to imagine the shoe on other foot

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, November 26, 2006

In response to the Nov. 20 letter, “Treaty must change with changing times”:

The Native Americans didn’t approach the U.S. government with a treaty offer that would confine our grandchildren’s grandchildren to one set hunting ground, fishing area, berry picking area and root gathering area. The U.S. put together an itemized treaty and presented this treaty to the Native Americans. Why? In order to claim free 160-acre homestead allotments per male, which was still the Natives’ land, these homesteads needed to be filed by sunset Dec. 1, 1855. Thus, the offer from the U.S. that couldn’t or wouldn’t or shouldn’t be ignored. Gov. Isaac Stevens wanted and waited for days for the different bands to arrive at Mukilteo to sign The Point Elliott Treaty because the U.S. needed homestead land.

Now let’s turn the picture around. The heirs of the homesteaders still reside on their land. Why? The homesteads were signed in the 1800s, yet this is not open for debate. But the writer offers up my treaty rights with such ease. Break another treaty. I say, same line of crap, just a different year. Being kind people, we gave you corn instead of earthworms. Happy Thanksgiving.

Dolores Reyes-Johnson

Tulalip