From: Miguel Diaz
Re: Joe Guzzardi's Column: Enough Already About The Mexican-American War
I found Guzzardi's column interesting and was surprised to read that his English as a Second Language students are fixated on the Mexican-American War.
The Mexicans I've met over the last two decades, regardless of their educational achievements, never bring it up.
However, Mexican-American Chicano Studies professors have written books on the war and the "stolen land" theme that Guzzardi refers to. His student Gustava may have studied these texts.
Also, I think that Guzzardi argues compellingly enough so that he doesn't have to make nasty remarks like:
"And Mexicans are living a better life in a progressive country instead of a Third World slum where so many are still drying laundry on adobe bricks."
True as it may be, I think Guzzardi could have found a better way to comment on Mexican poverty. Furthermore, his observation was irrelevant to the rest of his original thesis.
Please don't misunderstand me. I am by no means an advocate of censorship. All I'm saying is Guzzardi's writing would be more compelling if he didn't make such unnecessary remarks.
Instead Guzzardi should ask himself (as we all should): "Does ridiculing the poor make us better people?"
Joe Guzzardi comments: As I told Diaz in an e-mail reply, he is 100 percent correct. That so many Mexicans are mired in poverty is not their fault. I'm sure they would love to own washers and dryers. And we at VDARE.COM would be happy too if they had modern conveniences. Our quarrel is not with Mexicans (except the criminal element that comes here to ply its trade) but with the corrupt Mexican government whose idea of helping its citizens is to encourage them to immigrate illegally to the U.S.
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From: Steven Bannister [e-mail him]
Re: Bryanna Bevans Column: Carlos Mencia Can't Even Spell PC And Neither Can VDARE.COM…Thank God!!
It's true that the Hispanic comedian Carlos Mencia might seem non-pc and be occasionally funny but...he's joking about things that are seriously damaging to us.
I've heard him make jokes about drive-bys, gang-bangers and beaners. But somewhere out there, a little kid who was shot by these gang-bangers while sitting on his front porch or a woman that's been raped by an illegal beaner doesn't find it quite so funny.
Mencia's humor has the ultimately PC objective of getting his audience to laugh and say "Hey, guess what, those illegal immigrants aren't so bad after all. I saw this Hispanic guy on TV and he really made me laugh!"
By using his racially tinged humor to weaken our sense of outrage, lower our defenses and make the people who do take immigration seriously to appear uptight and out of step with the times, Mencia is supremely PC.
Comedy has its place. But it's not a substitute for anger. If we are only allowed to laugh at the destruction of our country and not scream at it and resist it, then we are doomed to die a slow death.
Mencia knows this and he's doing his part to chip away at our stubborn defense—one little laugh at a time.
Bannister is a sales and marketing consultant who lives in the Providence area.
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From: Doctor Joseph Leonardi [e-mail him]
I applaud Hazelton Mayor Lou Barletta for his vigorous opposition to illegal immigration. Recently, Mayor Barletta stepped up to the plate again, ensuring that Hazleton's police department will have additional training to properly enforce the city's new ordinance as certified immigration enforcement agents.
Since a section of Hazelton's new ordinance requires the city to conduct its business in English only, critics of Mayor Barletta have tried to degrade his character by using insulting and inflammatory language.
The English only provision provides a side benefit to legal immigrants these same critics have failed to mention.
At a town meeting in Hazleton, Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak said English classes would be offered to non-English speakers. This would include our hard working, deserving legal immigrant community.
I have always been concerned about people who enter this country then choose not to learn English. My father, when he was 30, immigrated to America from Italy.
In time, he learned his new country's language and eventually earned his U.S. citizenship.
The fact that government documents were not translated into Dad's native Italian did not hamper his ability to earn a living, raise a family, develop his own business and exercise his right to vote.
Violation of our borders is a genuine concern. It is a problem that has not been adequately addressed at any government level. Consequently, mayors like Barletta are forced to protect their citizens from criminal violations that compromise U.S. sovereignty.
For this reason, since announcing my candidacy as a Republican for the U.S. House in August 2005, I am extremely outspoken on strengthening both the northern and southern border. The problems created by illegal immigration demand re-enforced border security. I pledge that I am, and will remain, wholeheartedly committed to this cause.
I am a strong believer in legal immigration into the United States. Obviously, had it not been for legal immigration I would not be in the position I am in now—running for the office of U.S. Representative to represent all citizens in the Pennsylvania 11th district.
Leonardi is a U.S. Navy Veteran. Pennsylvania's 11th District includes Hazelton.
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From: David Hamilton [e-mail him]
A Spanish-surname box to check (or not) on every college application?
Dear me, this must present certain difficulties. I can't imagine how the university admissions administrators decide which is a legitimate Hispanic surname and which is not.
How about:
Hamilton is a retired physics teacher. A native Californian, Hamilton says his immigration awakening came on 9/11. Read his blog about immigration here.
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