Hispanic Homesteaders on the
Pajarito Plateau:
An Unconstitutional Taking of Property at
Los Alamos 1942-1945
Messrs Pinky and the Brain,For the historians in your audience, perhaps this hidden account of how the Los Alamos National Laboratory came to be situated would be of interest. This shameful part of history has never been effectively chronicled by either academia or the media. Worse yet, this part of history has been actively hidden from public view not just by those in authority, but by those we elect to protect us from such abuses. Finally "the rest of the story" can be told thanks to the courage of the two individuals authoring this account, and to the courage of those who maintain this web site such that it remains an open forum for all points of view.
--anonymous
69 comments:
LANS, like its predessor UC, is just the modern day reincarnation of the leadership arrogance that gave rise to the abuses documented in this amazing report. Perhaps we can't change the past, but we can learn from it and change our behaviors if we choose. But it doesn't appear we choose to. The nature of dominance is the kind of attitudes and behaviors documented in this report, which unfortunately remain deeply engrained in the Lab culture to this very day.
Just another sad attempt for some easy money
It's really lame when you get a front page post on the blog and then are the first to praise it as an "anonymous" commentor, like 12:28 PM. Congress recently passed a bill to compensate those families moved off their land during the war years. They were paid well. It's over, so move on to other things. Most people suffered far worse than the Hispanic settlers living on the Hill during WWII. Think Jews, Russians, Gypsies, etc. Heck, even the rich white boys of the Ranch School had their Alma Mater taken right out from underneath them. And I don't see the poor white famers who lived around Oak Ridge and had their land taken away petitioning Congress.
Some perspective is in order. I have sympathy for oppressed people like Blacks in America. They are truly discriminated against, even to this day. I have little sympathy for the Hispanics. In fact, by about 2050, they'll be the new majority in America. Then I guess I'll be able to join in the pity party of indignation of those who feel they are somehow being "oppressed", when in fact they have it good.
What does this have to do with LANL? Why should current LANL employees care about an action taken by the federal government in the middle of a World War, when as previously posted, so many paid a much higher price? Generations later, the descendents want compensation? Give me a break. "Something for nothing" - the real New Mexico state motto.
This "hidden account" has no letterhead, no academic or institutional affiliation, no author credentials or affiliation, no indication of funding source, and no publication data. And we're supposed to take it seriously? It is sprinkled, even in the first couple of pages, which was all I could stomach, with unsubstantiated subjective judgements of motive and declarations of guilt, bssed on nothing more than references to someone else who said the same thing somewhere else. This is pseudo-intellectual garbage of the first (stinkiest) degree, and degrades the quality of even this blog.
Excellent. This is just like the inane repatriation for slavery movement. What a bunch of crap. This blog gets less relevant by the day. Good riddance.
A few comments:
1. what does this have to do with LANL?
2. I agree with anonymous at 8/10/07 5:48 PM, this is just another sad attempt for some easy money.
3. Anonymous at 8/10/07 9:05 PM does have a point. 400 years of Hispanic domination in Northern New Mexico has really not produced much other than more Hispanics.
I pray that Congress shuts down the Lab so the Nazi wannabees who posted above can get the holy hell out of here. People like you poison everything you come in contact with. And you're the people we count on for our national security? That's scary!
10:27am:
You've just met a representation of the 'bad' citizens of Los Alamos and the LANL work force. You won't meet the 'good' citizens, because they don't have it within themselves to look beyond their own self-centered existences long enough to contribute to any dialog that isn't discussing their salaries and benefits.
I guess there's good and bad in every segment of society. But sometimes you've got to wonder.
You should not assume that the people making these crude postings are from LANL. I know a lot of people at LANL, but none who speak this way. Anonymous posters are just that -- anonymous.
Going back to the original post, I too think it's a shame that the residents were forced off the plateau. I can only say that, in context, an awful lot of people all over the world were getting pushed out of their houses in the years 1939-1945; and many Americans were dying each day that the War continued. That may not justify what happened at Los Alamos, but it might help explain the urgency and secrecy with which it was done. Each day saved in the War meant lives saved -- it was a pretty simple equation.
I would guess that the many brave New Mexicans -- many if not most of them of Hispanic descent -- who suffered in Japanese prison camps, some starting in 1942, would be less quick to condemn the US for doing what it did to set up Los Alamos in 1943.
Is it any wonder Los Alamos has the reputation it has? The anti Hispanic venom that spews out into the open whenever an issue like this appears on this bolgg only serves to confirm the fears of many. Among those fears is that Los Alamos has always been and still is a hotbed of intolerance. Many of the posts to this thread are absolutely disgusting, but revealing nonethtless. What's sad is that an entire. community gets tainted tainted by the stupidity and prejudice of a handful. But as always, the silence of the majority is what empowers the fringes.
Fiction. All fiction. Just like the hollocust. Whiners all!
click heals... Sighiel!
What a disgusting display. The point being made is the disparity in the level of compensation and years later the Welch study confirmed that same type of compensation disparity, hence the lawsuit by females (white and minority) and minority males which no one knows when it will be settled but I can bet that those male attorneys will get the lion's share of the money. And before some males get their whitey tighties up in a knot, just remember that your WOMAN will be bringing home some of that bacon. Oh and just so that you know, the new Bechtel boys are just as racist and fit right in - why, at a meeting, I was told that a division leader stated "I can't believe how e-d-c-a-t-e-d all you people are - somehow I don't believe he was referring to the scientists in the group. Yep, he probably was told that we were just a bunch of Hispanic uneducated losers and knocked up teenagers toting our guns and out of our poor uneducated minds with all of those drugs, just as described from the 9:05 pm poster. Hey, 9:05, I would call you out for what you are but hey I'm just a stupid uneducated pregnant teenager too strung out to put together a sentence that YOU can understand. You obviously are not a Christian person - you will reside in hell with the likes of Hitler. As for myself, I hope to just waddle into the pearly gates, just big old dumb me, if I can pray hard enough to obtain forgiveness for the hatred in my heart for you.
8/11/07 1:24 PM
Equality for all even if all parties do not contribute the same amount? Are you serious?
Again, here we go being devisive! It saddens me to see people that should be on the same side hurling racial slurs. Didn't your parents teach you anything?
I was sitting at my computer, sifting through various articles on grief when I tried to distract myself with this blog. You see, my beautiful son died a few weeks ago as I held him in my arms so you cannot begin to imagine my disgust of what of a waste of precious time and energy to post such vicious items on this blog. Lamenting about the loss of a great institution is one thing but racism is another. Do yourselves a favor - get our of your homes and do something for someone who needs it - is there someone in your life who needs a hug or an elderly neighbor who needs a few weeds pulled or needs groceries? Do something with your LIFE!!!! I would give anything to get my son back and your lack of humanity just makes no sense at all. And I am sure I am not the only one hurting out there today. People like you make it hard for a grieving parent to understand why I lost such a good, kind wonderful person when ..
8/11/07 2:02 PM,
We will keep you and your son in our thoughts. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Pinky
Anonymous 8/11/07 11:15 AM said...
"funny how every 'hispanic' town is a shithole.... poverty pockets of crime and drugs and violence and knocked up girls.... quite the 'culture.'"
Like it or not, these are the fact! As long as the Hispanics of Northern New Mexico continue to denigrate education, continue an entitlement mentality, etc. they will continue to be on the short end of compensation. The drop out rate in the Santa Fe Public High Schools is presently 50%. It is mostly the Hispanics who drop out. That tells the whole story.
2:02PM is right. We dwell on such petty stuff and ignore what's important until it's too late. Hating is what we do best on this earth it seems. The way those poor people were removed from their lands, and now the way they're still being hated by the few who can't seem to find any hint of pity in their hearts is truly disheartening. Los Alamos needs to wake up to the reality that it has these hateful attitudes in its midst and do something about it. Life is just too short to keep such hatred thriving in our communities and in our homes. Enough is enough!
5:31PM is probably one of the perverts that plays with himself as he hungers for the opportunity to dominate another minority he thinks is drooling to peck away has his freckles. Think again!
Well, as long as we're all letting our hair down with our true racist feelings, let's bring our good friends the Mormons into the conversation. You're all aware, no doubt, that Joe Smith taught his flock that *all* dark-skinned races were sub-human, right?
Oh sure, they don't believe that now. Wink Wink. But go up to BYU and count all the black students (not counting the basketball team: they may be sub-human, but they sure can play ball!)
Then head on up north a bit further and count all of the black bishops in the LDS churches there in Salt Lake.
The Mormons make the pissy-ant LANL blog posters look like pikers when the topic turns to racism.
2:02pm, if I can be of any help to you, please feel free to contact me (via my blog by clicking my name link).
I lost an infant daughter a number of years ago and know the pain of a parent who has lost a beloved child.
Your concerns and comment are a very good reminder that there are more important things going on. I learned that there are more important things in life than a job or a car or what you wear, etc. It's the people you connect with that matter.
Anonymous 8/11/07 5:51 PM is in denial. As long as education is denigrated in Northern New Mexico, we will have what we have up there.
Look folks, the old saw that it isn't paranoia if they're really out to get you applies here as well. It isn't racism to point out the problems that plague northern NM: drugs, school dropouts (driven by a general lack of respect for education), teen (and usually unwed) pregnancy, lack of job skills, and the general, pervasive, generationally-progressive poverty that results from these. It is also not racism to point out that the problems predominantly exist in the Hispanic and Native American communities, not the Anglos, Asians, or even the Blacks. It is what it is. The sad part is that it ISN'T somebody else's fault.
Sorry, 8:34, this is a post for racists. There's no room for reason here.
Anonymous 8/11/07 8:34 PM said...
"The sad part is that it ISN'T somebody else's fault."
S/he is WRONG! It is somebody's fault and that is the parents. If the parents don't give a damn about their children bettering themselves, then the kids will do what they do: dropping out of school, getting pregnant at age 12, etc.
400, 500 years and the parents wanting their kids to better themselves hasn't kicked in yet.... maybe it's genetic...
8:37 pm:
"Sorry, 8:34, this is a post for racists. There's no room for reason here."
Must not be, since you didn't try any. Unlike the poster, who was trying to be reasonable, if politically incorrect. So, do you have an argument refuting 8:34? If so, let's hear it. If not, stop with the mindless "racism" charges in the face of pure facts.
8:34 pm: You are absolutely correct. As always, failures in child-raising rest with the parents. However, once a "child" decides to drop out, or do drugs, or get involved with a gang, after the age of 12 or so, the parents are off the hook - it is the kid who made a bad decision and who needs to pay society for it. Unfortunately, society will likely be paying HIM, in the form of welfare, food stamps, and medicaid, for the rest of his (hopefully short) life.
"Oh sure, they don't believe that now. Wink Wink. But go up to BYU and count all the black students (not counting the basketball team: they may be sub-human, but they sure can play ball!) - 8/11/07 6:40 PM"
Yeah, and check out the dorms at BYU where the minority athlete-students live...out of the way, far corner of campus, out of sight!
Except for a few good posts, what a lot of nonsense. Stress is bringing out the worst in people. This whole thread should be put out of its misery
There is continual complaining from individuals such as the Mayor of Espanola and some business people that LANL has not brought economic prosperity to Northern New Mexico.
That is not really correct. There are many residents of Espanola plus surrounding towns and Pueblos who work at LANL. Most of these individuals are not PhD-level scientists. They are mostly technicians and administrative staff along with some engineers. By the standards of those communities, these individuals make very good salaries, in the mid-$40K for Group Office Administrators and up to $85K for Senior Technicians. Many families have both spouses working at LANL with resulting family incomes approaching $150K. I think that would qualify as economic prosperity.
As far as the business people, if they really expect to create and operate a business that depends solely on LANL, they are making a serious strategic error. For a business to be basically captive to a single customer is a recipe for failure.
The premise is we're supposed to feel sorry for the hispanics who were well paid for the land they stole from the indians they murdered, who stole it from other indians, who stole it from the native animals they wiped out?
News flash from informed sources in DC: Congressional staffers have confidentially informed DOE there will be a continuing resolution and it will be at the House level.
You know, I have lived in Northern New Mexico for 57 years. The reason my parents left Oklahoma was because they liked New Mexico and the varied cultures who live here. I have worked for the Lab for almost 29 years and I finally gave up and quit a couple of weeks ago. It sure had nothing to do with Hispanics or other minorities, many of whom are very close friends of mine. It just had to do with the Lab and the impossibility of doing any useful work anymore because of its unbelievable bureaucracy. Yes I am of Danish and German descent but I love my Hispanic and Indian and Black friends. My feeling is that if people think that Hispanics are such a low class group of people, then why don't they move out of New Mexico and get F***ed!!!!!!!!!!!
Poster 10:03 AM, lift up that skirt and show us some more leg. We need better proof than what you've just given us to back up the House budget cut rumors.
This thread is embarassing.
Thank you for continuing to solidify the racism that exists in Los Alamos. For years now, I have been a Hispanic advocate for equality and opportunity at LANL. Washington, DC staffers read this blog daily and we (Northern New Mexicans) welcome a dialog with Congress on this anytime!
11:19 AM, DOE appears to want to implement the maximum pain and carnage at LANL for next year. They probably view this as being instructive to the LANL employees.
Just ignore the racist rants. They are coming from race-baitors who are trying to upset people. Don't let them get to you, else their tactic succeeds. The blog editors should have thought long and hard before allowing this post up on the front page.
I grew up in Los Alamos though not a child of a PhD parent(s). I got what I know now was a privileged education in an above-average school system although, by my own admission, I didn't apply myself like I should have. As a result of my own tendencies, I am operating at average performance levels while my potential has been largely underdeveloped. True and sad.
What I have come to understand is that there are many of my co-workers from Espanola and surrounding areas that have far exceeded what I was taught to expect from them - taught as prejudice and snide comments by other NM residents at school, in town, at work and everywhere. I have been blessed and privileged to come to know many of these well-educated, kind and compassionate people while working at the Lab. What I know now is that there are still many LA kids who have wasted their lives by doing the bare minimum or getting by on sheer luck of being hired without much education. Likewise, there are many from surrounding areas who have pushed themselves toward betterment and are making decent money than they might have otherwise.
While the problems described here can be seen in the communities mentioned, don't think for a moment that Los Alamos lacks some of the very same social ills. I ascribe to the philosophy that if you're not addressing the issues and helping to solve them, you're probably part of the problem.
Yes, please back up your rumors with names and dates and times, so that your sources will be willing to come forward again. Could we also get phone numbers so we can call your sources?
8/12/07 9:59 AM
Yes, the premise that the USA respects property rights is just silly and naive. Will you still own your house in 5 years, or will sky high property taxes, the RIFF, hyperinflation and rate hikes take it from you?
8/12/07 10:52 AM
Thank you for your sentiment. On my way out the door too.
most of the security breaches and thievery problems at the lab are by hispanics
8/12/07 4:17 PM
Let me remind you that John Deutch (CIA), Wen Ho Lee (X-Division), John Mitchell (Deputy Director), Harold P. Smith, a LANS board consultant and former Pentagon atomic weapons adviser, Todd Capelli (DX-4), X-Division Staff Members (Remember the disk that was found behind the Xerox machine), Pete Bussolini (ENG), Scott Anderson (ENG), the employee that took his laptop to Ireland while on vacation, and the most recent employee using the yellow network running classified data are NOT Hispanic.
"The blog editors should have thought long and hard before allowing this post up on the front page."
If it helps to destroy LANL faster, it will be on the blog.
there are plenty of OTHER security breaches besides those... those are just the ones that go public...
and LOVE your list on non-hispanic thieves....
8/12/07 4:17 PM you spew pure bullcrap!
most of the security breaches and thievery problems at the lab have come from people with low integrity or unscrupulous motives:
Recent history:
Scott Alexander = non-Hispanic
Pete Bussolini = non-Hispanic
Wen Ho Lee = non-Hispanic
Jessica Quintana = Hispanic
Richard Bastian = non-Hispanic (Publication: Albuquerque Journal: "Former LANL Official To Pay Back $89,000 in Receipts Scam" Date: 11/20/2001)
Past history:
Klaus Fuchs = non-Hispanic
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg = non-Hispanic
This also doesn't include a look at the Lab management who have been responsible for costs incurred due to decisions that were deemed to be illegal or at a minimum, compensible:
Stanley Busboom (Firing of Walp & Doran = $1M settlement) = non-Hispanic
I don't think that it is quite correct to blame Stanley Busboom for the settlement costs of the firing of Walp & Doran. UC crapped up this one. Those guys should have been fired.
Remember, the line between pigs and perps is very narrow.
Trying to correlate race with spying/theft activities (or anything else that is not culture-related) is about as interesting and relevant as correlating hair color with the same. Stop it.
As a previous poster said, this entire thread is just an ugly embarrassment. I would recommend just tossing the entire thing and starting over with a new news story that can be discussed. Like the recent porn thing at Sandia or whatever. Does not matter, but a small handful of PEOPLE (note, not making assumptions about race here) are really stinking up this blog. Which is already pretty putrid anyway if you ask me. Blog owners, please just delete all of this trash and move on.
You should check out the new Sandia story.
That place seems pretty bad. Remember the celebrity stalking story from them a few months ago. Whats up with them?
8:16 pm:
"but a small handful of PEOPLE (note, not making assumptions about race here) are really stinking up this blog."
Small handful? Please present your data. I get it - if the real feeings of people in and concerning Los Alamos come out, we must just shut it down - no honesty is allowed to corrupt your teeny PC sensibilities. Why not embrace true feelings and figure out how to deal with them? Is this how you teach your kids about the real world? I would think you would want to hear, understand, and plan how to deal with your enemies (and yes, we are), BEFORE they come after you.
the Rosenbergs were innocent
spew-meister
I posted the "this thread is embarassing" comment earlier. I don't quite understand how the blog moderators decided that this was worth posting -- first off, it's not an important story given the context of the lab and it's problem, and most of all, any dipshit with a few braincells left would have realized that this would be fodder for the people out there who would like to post vitriolic, racist statements about our neighbors - regardless of if they are lab employees or not. Given the anonymous comment system (of which I know I am partaking), there is no accountability -- so any random idiot can post racist comments and pretent to be a labbie, making all of us look like racist morons. Come on guys -- the blog has hit low points before, but this comment thread is just trolling for crap. Is this just a sign that P&B and Gussie are just looking to post stories to encourage stupid discussion to make us all look like a bunch of dipshits?
8/13/07 1:45 AM,
We received this report by anonymous email Thursday afternoon with the attached note. The report appears to be a final draft although some of the appendices are missing. I don't know if it was one of the authors who sent it, or if they are even aware it is published here.
Few of the comments so far have dealt with the substance of the report. One mentioned recent congressional compensation which you can read about in this Santa Fe New Mexican article.
When the government owes me a paycheck, a tax return, or an expense reimbursement I take it. And why not, when the shoe is on the other foot the government has its hand in my wallet taking what they are owed. If the government took my land and didn't compensate me fairly I'd be making a "sad attempt for some easy money" too. And I'm not even Hispanic!
Will there be a post about racism at LANL? Perhaps, but this wasn't it.
Pinky
Like it or not, these are the fact! As long as the Hispanics of Northern New Mexico continue to denigrate education, continue an entitlement mentality, etc. they will continue to be on the short end of compensation. The drop out rate in the Santa Fe Public High Schools is presently 50%. It is mostly the Hispanics who drop out. That tells the whole story.
There is no hate here. So, we all must pay for the actions of a destructive culture just to avoid the possibility of being labelled a racist?
A similar injustice occurred at Oakridge and White Sands. In both cases the victims were largely Anglo. In both cases, Congress intervened without any hesitation to remedy the situation. And finally, in both cases the remedy was considerably better than what the Hispanic Homesteaders of Los Alamos in the end managed for themselves. With respect to the Oakridge and White Sands folks, Congressional support for a just remedy was overwhelming from the getgo. But not with respect to the Pajarito Plateau homesteaders. The process for them was like pulling teeth, not unlike what we see happening on this blog whenever an issue surfaces having anything to do with Hispanics. Unfortunately the notion that "they," them...those people probably deserved what they got is a recurring theme in this blog. If this is who we really are as an institution, this doesn't bode well for our collective futures.
Excuse me, but everyone who is condeming the payment to the displaced settlers better be sure they didn't take something from the government because of the "fire". The valley below Los Alamos ate smoke for days before Los Alamos did and we didn't complain even to this day that we lost something. So STFU about taking free money from the government Los Alamos has taken plenty and still is.
8:01PM is right. The line between Science and Scientology is just as narrow, as is the line between brilliance and stupidity, bigotry and politics, Los Alamos, New Mexico and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Anonymous said...
Excuse me, but everyone who is condeming the payment to the displaced settlers better be sure they didn't take something from the government because of the "fire". The valley below Los Alamos ate smoke for days before Los Alamos did and we didn't complain even to this day that we lost something. So STFU about taking free money from the government Los Alamos has taken plenty and still is.
8/13/07 9:42 AM
Hey dumbass - I'll respond. I did not get any money from the Government after the fire. I received some money from my INSURACE comnpany to cover out of pocket expenses. No, my insurance company did not receive redimbursement from the Government.
Regardless - anyone who received money from the government over the fire received it for an action in the current day (not 70 years ago).
All I heard from our negghbors in the valley - was whining and bitching about the some and fing los alamos this and that.
They do not deserve any $$. It is just typical - whine cry bitch and moan for free money
8/14/07 8:14 PM, said, "... Until management does there job and root out the boneheads LANL will never ever be a world class anything."
The problem with this is the LANL/LANS senior management themselves. Until they (ie Mike and the Board of Govenors) recognize the incompetent and inexperienced PAD-STE (who only got the job because of his momma -Hi Terry, how's mamma doing?) and the ADs under him ... all of whom who were "promoted" into these positions from much lower LANL ranks, we are screwed as a whole. Race has nothing to do with it, incompetence "near" the top does. Lead by example - if you hire shitty ADs and PADs, please don't expect much from the people at the bottom.
"There are some Hispanics that are very hard workers as well as anglos and others. There are a bunch of dumb-ass, overpaid, stupid, lazy, people at LANL across all races. Race has nothing to do with it. Management for years and to this day REFUSE to deal with the turds that populate LANL. That is the biggest problem and a crime. Until management does there job and root out the boneheads LANL will never ever be a world class anything.
8/14/07 8:14 PM "
Good point. Get rid of the worthless idiots at LANL. Of course you have to be honest with yourself 8:14pm. Would you be one of the people we would have to get rid of? I think yes.
A professor of mine in the business dept. believes that the higher in an organization the disfunction occurs the worse the disfunction and organization. I proved him correct and received an A+ on my paper, I want to thank LANL and contributors to this blog for helping me ace my MBA in organizational development. Had to prove that I wasn't writing fiction but once blog was read by prof. I had it made. Thanks again
11:13AM
BS. You are so full of it. Name the school, professor and class and your name.
8/15/07 12:04 PM
Authentic Leadership Development
Professor of Mgt Practice William W. George
Harvard
Can't be full of it I just returned from the restroom.
4:43pm
We will check.
4:35.
This does not look legit to me that class is not offered in the summer term. It is listed for Fall 2007, which
has not happened yet. I think you just got this off the web. Why not list your name?
It would seem that 4:53 poster
is not being honest. I also doubt that 4:53 has any kind of college education. This exemplifies one of the problems of the blog. Anyone can just make up anything and post away.
I'm not surprised by the amount of hate being expressed in this blog. When things start getting tough, people tend to blame one another. Don't worry about the race thing, soon everyone will be part Hispanic, Mexican, African, Oriental, Anglo, you name it... ;) One thing for sure is, if you don't like it in Northern NM, you can leave. We won't miss you. Oh yeah, lets not forget who was there to help when the forest and Los Alamos homes were burning. :P
No Reply 4:53?
You are so full of it.
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