The Case Against Junipero Serra
Dear Editors of Alta:
As an occasional contributor to your magazine, and in light of your advertised policy of soliciting advice and commentary from your readers and writers, I thought you should be aware that Father Junipero Serra, listed on your masthead under “Our Inspiration,” has become a figure of some controversy and his inclusion may prove offensive to some readers. Let me explain.
I was in Palma de Mallorca in Spain for a few days in June. As I walked about its ancient narrow streets, paved with millennial flagstones, I came into a plaza and observed a scene that advertised the glory of modern-day Spain. A fountain built in the 15th century constituted the plaza’s center. Two cafes with chairs and tables out front invited one to sit and dawdle.
I watched two Catholic nuns sitting near me smoking and eating ice cream cones. At the next table, three young Muslim women, wearing long dresses and headscarves, laughed and chatted while drinking herbal tea. Behind them, a
