Comparison with Indians was offensive

To the editor:

What on earth were you thinking when you printed the Speak Out comment about the solution for the American Indians? It is biased and offensive. Whoever did this needs to have his head examined. Our solution to the Indian problem was to rob them of their way of life and force them into our way of life and basically destroy a whole culture. And now we shake our heads because our image of the Native Americans is that they are drunks and druggies who don't know how to do anything else. They were doing just fine until the white settlers decided they wanted their land. Now we call them shiftless and lazy, living off the government. This is something I care about very deeply. Whoever allowed this comment ought to be ashamed.

JODI THOMPSON

Jackson, Mo.