La Raza's claims: popped.

This post was prompted by the above cartoon (for April 2, 2006) of Day by Day by Chris Muir.

There is no doubt that there are genetic connections between Latinos and Native Americans. Indeed, Latinos are basically natives (or people with mixed native and European blood) of Central America and South America. This has been brough up repeatedly recently by Latinos who oppose efforts of The Government to limit illegal Latino immigration, claiming The United States are, basically, the land called Aztlan stolen from the Latinos (specifically, Mexicans). Americans are thus characterized as immigrants who came, saw, and conquered (unjustfully, of course).

However, one major fact stands out: everyone present on this landmass (North, Central, and South Americas) is an immigrant, Latinos and Native Americans included. They immigrated from somewhere, whether from across the Bering Strait or by sea from Polynesian areas. Furthermore, the various ethnic groups (Aztec, Maya, Olmec, Lakota, Souix, Algonquin, Navajo, Apache, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera) established themselves in their lands by conquest. So Latinos, of all people, should not accuse later immigrants of establishing themselves on these lands by conquest. This is the nature of humanity; this has been happening for millions of years: conquer or be conquered.

Let Wikipedia speak on these issues.

The scientific significance of the Kennewick Man (section quoted entirely):

The remains were initially given to forensic anthropologists, who studied them until it was determined that they were of a man who lived between 5,000 and 9,500 years ago. He was in his 30s or 40s, had a healed broken arm and a healed broken rib, and a 2.2-inch spear point was lodged in his hip (which did not kill him). Prior to detailed scientific analysis, a digital reconstruction of the skull revealed what some called Caucasoid features, although at least one of the early studies concluded the skull was most like the present-day people of New Guinea. Press coverage frequently noted a similarity in appearance to Shakespearean and Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart.

Further research, however, has shown that Kennewick Man is possibly not Caucasian at all. Rather, some researchers now suggest he most closely resembles Polynesian or Ainu peoples. If confirmed, this would lend support to a theory that an important migration route lay along the North Pacific shoreline from Asia to America during a time when inland routes were blocked by ice. DNA analysis, which some Native American groups oppose, could help resolve this mystery, should there be enough left intact to extract from the bones.

All PaleoIndian remains tested to date have been found to possess the same mitochondrial haplogroups as do modern Native Americans. Craniometric analyses have been somewhat contradictory, with some studies having linked PaleoIndians to modern Native Americans, some to European and Southeast Asian populations, and with some finding no close affinity to any modern peoples.

The history of the colonization of North America by humans, once thought to have occurred solely by migration across the Bering Strait land bridge during the most recent ice age, has become increasingly untenable in view of the confirmation of sites throughout the Americas older than the last ice-free corridor available to migrants.

Regarding Aztlan:

Today most historians believe Aztlán, like Tamoanchan, to be a mythical place.

These puncture the balloons of nativist claims of exclusive aboriginality ("we were here first") and identification with (and subsequent promotion of and attempt to "re-establish") native sovereignty over so-called Aztlan.

As much as We feel sorry that lands run and inhabited by Latinos are not doing well, the solution to Latino problems is not the overthrow of The United States and asserting Latino sovereignty.

For one thing, these claims go against a very basic principle: each state's integrity and legitimacy. To assert that The United States comprise an illegitimate entity is the height of stupidity not to mention acts of treason and possible sedition against The United States. However, it seems that this thought is quite entrenched in Latino paradigms, which is quite a shame. How can various Latino states and The United States cooperate for mutual benefit and progress when one essentially refuses to recognize the integrity, legitimacy, and sovereignty of the other?

These acts and this propaganda will only harm Latino causes for integration and progress. People are usually not wont to deal with others who tend to denigrate one's nation's existence.

inna naHnu-l-a'lam.