It is clear that we have forgotten that our nation is a Republic. There are so many examples of this that I probably could write about nothing else in this column for the next year. But one of the most glaring examples is the kowtowing that we do to minority groups. We have become a nation that goes beyond protecting the rights of minority groups to letting them control not only the narrative but also the way we act as a society.

Now some of you reading this will think that I am going to be bigoted or advocate for discriminating against minority groups. You could not be further from the truth, but I would imagine that nothing I will say would change your opinion. That's fine because my actions throughout my life have proven otherwise.

The University of New Mexico has agreed to scrap their seal, which includes a depiction of a Spanish Conquistador and a white frontiersman. The group that has put pressure on the University to take this action is known as Red Nation, an advocacy group for the rights of Native Americans. The founder, Nick Estes, a professor at the University, believes the symbol is racist and ignores this country's legacy of genocide towards the Native Americans. He has also demanded free tuition for Native Americans, an expanded class offering of Native American studies, and a cluster hire of Native Americans as professors. All because of the white genocide of his people.

I am not ignoring some of the atrocities that were committed by the Spanish or other white settlers and agree that these should be acknowledged in history classes along with all the positive accomplishments of those groups of people. These days the focus by some of these minority advocacy groups is only upon the negative side of any other demographic group that they perceive harmed them in some way. There is never any discussion about the positive aspects of interaction between these demographic groups.

The discussion also ignores other facts about history of the Native American tribes and culture. The warring that went on between the different tribes that resulted in, for example, the Apaches being driven from their native homeland by the Comanche. That resulted in the Apache tribe going to war with other tribes in the New Mexico and Arizona territories. It also ignores the enslavement by the victors of women and children of the losing tribe. These slaves were treated like animals to be used or abused until they died. I would bet dollars to donuts that professor Estes does not teach that part of history in any of his classes.

Those symbols on the seal of the University of New Mexico represent the heritage of Albuquerque and the University. I would argue that there has not been a University more committed to diversity issues than the University of New Mexico yet professor Estes and some of his supporters cannot acknowledge the progress that our society has made towards protecting the rights of minority groups. He cannot acknowledge the university's commitment to not only celebrating the history of many minority groups but their commitment to promoting many of the social programs designed to protect those groups.

By putting those symbols on the seal of the University, no one is advocating or promoting the negative aspects of history. It seems to me that a truly tolerant group would not be offended by such a symbol as the seal of the University of New Mexico. A truly self-aware group would understand that their ancestors also committed atrocities that were very often related to self-preservation more than a generic hatred for those who were different from them. And they would tolerate other demographic groups whose ancestors we're much more alike than many liberals want to admit.