Dear Luap,

This is my first written letter to you.

I am so very sorry to say that I've been fearful that such correspondence would be discovered by a few creatures of Earth known as "Humans".

To you and I it is quite appropriate that I share my experiences with you before I return home from this mission of scientific observation. I quickly learned that here, on Earth, I am seen as a "Woman", and, am now just becoming courageous to speak with others rather than simply observe them. Oh, how I appreciate the wisdom and scientific security of Agnostica, where each of our Dars are equally percieved to be intelligent. On Earth they would be separated as "Men" and their inferior "Women". Can you believe that? I have already seen the chaos of religious and gender differences. I fear that the people's values such as their percieved happiness with frivolous things, "skin color", and a belief in one "God" and their "Bible" teachings create a deadly conflict. Their inequality results in mistrust and abuse amongst their communities. The inability to accept beliefs by all of Earth' people keep them from evolving to a level of equality and religious acceptance that would allow for them to live peacefully in their time.

Many of the women I have encountered have been repressed. Recently, I've read a biography written by Ann Woodlief about one such woman called Anne Bradstreet. Anne was said to be a poet; her writings are full of information regarding suppression of Earth women. She said her writing was like "responding to those Puritans who felt women should be silent, modest, living in the private rather than the public sphere" (Bradstreet). Puritans are famously historical. They were reformers of the Catholic religion, as they wanted to perfe t and "purify" it rather than leave it as a separatist might. Woodlief wrote " few other American women were to publish poetry for the next 200 years". Is this not so sad?  Eventually, they may be able to achieve this through some great leaders to come, just as we predict their future could be similar to ours on Agnostica.

I have witnessed much fighting between the explorers from a place called "Europe", including its "French", "Spaniards", and "Native Americans".

Those who spoke up regarding opposing views of a practice of "religion" also had a harsh life. Religion is defined on the Earth people's "internet" as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs"(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion). Wouldn't Agnistica be amazed at the number of varying beliefs! People traveled across great bodies of water to explore, to teach about their religions, and to cause disruption.

People share rather confusing stories with me about the 1600's inlcuding their heroes such as a man named John Smith who had many writings to be interpreted. One serious confrontation included Indian people after he had traveled many months to reach the North American land. His biography states that he endured being treated poorly by Indian natives. The Biography of John Smith- Jamestown Rediscovery states "The Indians, hoping that the settlers would give up and leave, raided their camps, stealing pistols, gunpowder, and other necessary supplies" (http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=25). They seemed to be defending their land against the settlers who tried to take over and introduce other beliefs and religious teachings. A tribal leader one Chief Powhatan was kind enough to give a speech declaring that John Smith could have a chance at happiness, suggesting that if only he were peaceful what a wonderful life all people could have. Powhatan's speech says "if you would come in friendly manner to see us, and not thus with your guns and swords as to invade your foes" (Powhatan 39). One of my fellow students on this mission has said that there are stories of heroes who may need another look such as John Smith. The fellow student, Adam Wick, read an excerpt to me stating "Smith claim[ing] that he strapped his Indian guide to his arm and used him as a shield to fend off 300 attacking tribesman" (Smith 96). Adam elaborated (and I completely agreed with him when he) said "This story is surely embellished, if not completely inaccurate because it is so blatantly preposterous. Smith wanted the people back in England to view him as a hero" (Wick, Week 2, Smith and Powhatan).This seemed to be a pattern through much of the time period. People traveled, they caught and spread diseases, they lost a few friends, and they challenged the native peoples. They never learned a thing from them.

One thing I have noticed about many different native comunities is that they have had a great sense of self until other travelers arrive and began to talk about religion upseting the natural order of others lives.

One of the stories I have been most upsest to have heard was told to me by a new Earth friend verbally using a captivity narrative. My friend also wrote about it so that others may benefit from it, so that it would tell how the Indians lived, and as a sort of "religious confessional" (Mary Rowlandson, King Philip's War, and Captivity Narrative). You can read the story yourself. It is titled "Mary Rowlandson, The Narrative of the Captivity and the Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682)". Rowlandson survived watching her family and friends murdered and she was captured and released. She wrote "Some Puritans tried to spread Christianity to New England's Indians, but most tribes were distrustful of the settlers because they as often spread disease and dissension among tribes as they spread Christianity" (Rowlandson). There is much confusion as to how the Native Americans would have reacted if the travelers would have accepted the religions of other cultures rather than to try to make everyone adapt to theirs.

Here on Earth I feel that religion causes as many problems as people failing to recognize a woman for her intelligence as an equal. Another women who is part of history here is Anne Hutchinson. Not only was Anne a woman, she also stood up for herself in a trial as she defended her right to teach religion and to freely express one's own religious beliefs. How wonderful that would be to allow that on Earth! Another inspiring individual who's mentality would be most welcome in our Agnostica is known as Benjamin Franklin. He is a favorite of mine because he has such a logical mentality to unify people and to use experience over people's ideas of logic. As Franklin put more focus on morality rather than faith in a religion he succeed in writing very good inspirational points such as "the embracing in (human) place of a national identity based on shared ideas are seen by many progressive intellectuals as ways to free the individual from the constricting hand of the repressive past"(Larsen). His scientific and poetic influence could comsume my thoughts in many more letters...

 These letters may not reach you, but I do hope they reach someone before this young "Earth" is destroyed. Women and Men have greatly different opportunities to speak. The climate here on Earth has surprised and frightened me more than I had initially anticipated. Even the elderly and the birds are fleeing. In the future I think more tollerance will allow for a more stable government and lives for the people.