Mickey Conroy Also Has a Hyphen

I was most impressed when I began reading the special election article on the 67th Assembly District candidates (“Background in Military Is All Foes Share in Assembly Race,” Sept.8). Finally, I could read about the two candidates and how they stand on issues.

But then I came to the quotes by Mickey Conroy, where he says there are “no such things as hyphenated Americans like Korean-Americans or Hispanic-Americans.” How is it that such uneducated, bigoted extremists can become the “favorite to win” such an important political race? This man is the worst thing that could happen to our community.

Perhaps the next time Mr. Conroy wants to deny opportunity to hyphenated Americans (what else is there?), he should take a trip to New York and read Emma Lazarus’ poem on the Statue of Liberty. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . . “

“Hyphenated Americans” made America the greatest country on Earth. In fact, it is because “hyphenated Americans” chose to revolt against tyrannical leaders in Europe that Conroy is even free to make such statements to all hyphenated Americans.

Mickey Conroy has offended every American, and he owes us all an apology, especially the Latino population of this great country, to whom he said, “You want to be Mexican, go back to Mexico.”

What Mickey Conroy apparently does not understand is that he, too, is a hyphenated American. The only difference is that Mickey Conroy is “un-American.”

AMIN DAVID

President, Los Amigos of Orange County