Dornan, Sanchez Discord Remains

All the shouted comments and fierce accusations made by the mob of demonstrating Hispanics outside the Santa Ana courthouse on April 19--during the Dornan/Sanchez hearing--were based on racism and bigotry of Anglos, not voter fraud.

The rhetoric, the anger and hatred, the sea of American flags and the hundreds of well-organized, rehearsed demonstrators reflect a scary time for this county.

The many American flags waved was a deft, politically savvy switch from the Mexican flags waved in great number during the demonstration in Los Angeles when loudly protesting Proposition 187 a while back. There is a great deal more to being an American than simply waving Old Glory. Becoming an American citizen requires swearing allegiance to this country, its Constitution, laws, government and ideals.

Once giving up and abandoning one’s native country, the host country--and the citizens therein--deserve respect and singular patriotism. The time-worn, passe excuse of “Well, we’re all immigrants,” is obsolete. All conflicts will cease when we are all Americans. One flag, one country and one language. Our Constitution states exactly that, and it was written by a wise group of assimilated immigrants 221 years ago, Americans all.

W.M. LAWSON

Costa Mesa

* Imagine! So-called election “hearings” that refuse to listen to any of our electorate!

BONNIE COMPTON HANSON

Santa Ana

* Re “Outside, Sanchez Backers Have the Numbers,” April 20:

Latinos’ use of the Virgin of Guadalupe is sacrilegious. How insulting it was to see pictures of Latino activists carrying banners of the Virgin Mary in their rally. How dare they use the holy mother of the Catholic Church to hail a candidate who supports abortion rights!

CHRISTINE NHAN NGUYEN

Huntington Beach

* The Sanchez-Dornan congressional race may have been decided more by “nonvoting citizens” than by “noncitizens voting.”

HAROLD E. HUNT

Costa Mesa