Thank you for jumping in! I didn't feel comfortable as a gringo in Texas but even I knew enough that the statement about the Spanish conquest raised my hackles. I didn't know enough about how the Nahua (Aztec) treated the various conquered and vassal states in the region to know if they suppressed language and religion as well as the slaves and tribute, but I didn't think so, which is not something that could be said for the Spanish. And the Encomiendas were serfdom if not outright slavery (and to go into Texan history- Mexico finally winning its independence from Spain and outlawing slavery was what kicked off that particular war).