This is in regard to your recently published article "Lost tribe" [September 21]. You are to be commended for exposing a true impostor along with other impostors. Based on the information outlined in your article, it is quite obvious that these gentlemen know very little and could care even less about the truth concerning the legal status of the almost two million bona fide citizens of the over 550 tribes or nations that continue to exist in the U.S.A.
History does not and cannot accurately reflect the exact population of the original inhabitants of this part of the universe, nor does it reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the original people who were here prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus. From that year forward, history begins to unfold the many atrocities which began to occur to the original people and continue to this day.
While tribal governments or citizens cannot undo the historical events, the fact of the matter is had it not been for the treaties, subsequent laws passed based on the international law of treaties, and other legal documentation, tribal identity in terms of spirituality, culture, language, and land base would have disappeared many years ago. Mr. Clayton fails to recognize this most critical issue. If anything, his group is no more than a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with limited powers conferred by federal and state laws. As such, his group must adhere to appropriate laws and regulations, and possesses no government authority.
A personal request is being sent to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Comanche Nations with your article asking them to renounce Mr. Clayton's efforts to be recognized as a tribe or nation. A second letter is also being sent to Ms. Ada Deer, assistant secretary for Indian affairs of the federal government and to the Attorney General's Office of Texas with a similar request. The reason is that these kinds of initiatives highly impede efforts of bona fide groups to deliver health, social, education, employment, training, and communications services as well as in spiritual and cultural developmental activities.
Frank McLemore, President
Council of Trustees
Tribal American Network, Inc.
Mr. Transportation
I'm sorry you chose to belittle the careers of two dedicated, longtime public servants [BeloWatch, September 21] in the process of your ever-persistent campaign to do the same to The Dallas Morning News. Mr. James Huffman and Mr. John Blain, recently retired from the Texas Department of Transportation, have long given their time and considerable engineering talents to furthering transportation mobility in the Dallas area. Their contributions to the quality of life in the Dallas urban area will be evident for the next 50 years. I doubt that anyone would pretend to make that statement about BeloWatch and the Dallas Observer. The Dallas Observer owes Mr. Huffman and Mr. Blain and the other dedicated Texas DOT professionals an apology.
James Carvell, Jr.
Dallas
Picking nits
Jackie Sherrill is just another flea on the sports dog ["Jackie Sherrill's 'example,'" September 7]. No one bent the NCAA rules more than "the great Bear Bryant."
By the way, Ole Miss Coach Billy Brewer lost his job and put Ole Miss on probation. Guess it takes one to know one! I'm just glad A&M cleaned up their act after Sherrill--gad!
Jim Vaughn
Dallas
Corrections
Due to less-than-artful editing, we inadvertently made the food at "Best of" winner 2001 Flavors sound less than delightful. 2001 Flavors, 4400 Greenville Ave., offers yogurt, stuffed potatoes, and rotisserie chicken. The food, as we pointed out, is among the Best.
In our pick for Best New Radio, we misidentified
