Villaraigosa on 187

* Re “Zedillo Key to End of Prop. 187, Villaraigosa Says,” Aug. 4:

What am I missing here? Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa thanks Mexico’s President Ernesto Zedillo for helping kill Proposition 187, which denied benefits to Mexicans who broke our laws to live in California illegally. This measure was passed in 1994 by 60% of California’s voters. Real citizens.

We know who Zedillo works for. But who does Villaraigosa work for? Certainly not the bona fide residents of California who pay his salary. Isn’t there anybody else out there who finds it scary to lose his or her vote?

DOREEN HIRSCHFELD

Los Angeles

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* When I opened the paper Wednesday morning, I could not believe what I saw and read. The world must have turned upside down. How can an elected speaker of the California Assembly applaud the president of a foreign country for meddling in our politics and thwarting the will of the people of California? The very same people whom he represents and whose interests he is supposed to protect as speaker of the Assembly.

What he did is absurd, contrary to all reason or common sense. To whom does he owe allegiance? We need to ask him where his loyalty lies--with the Mexican people or the people of California?

I don’t know what drove him to do what he did--stupidity, naivete, ignorance or arrogance.

ROGELIO DE LEON PENA

Montebello

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* Zedillo has no more business interfering with California proposition outcomes than the Chinese army does in trying to influence our national elections. He should be paying attention to his own problems in Mexico and Villaraigosa should be paying attention to the problems of California.

GEORGE R. SUSSEX

Palos Verdes Estates

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* When Villaraigosa runs for mayor of Los Angeles will it be on the Democratic or the PRI ticket?

LARRY BRIGGS

Twentynine Palms

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* Like most Latinos, I do not support the unconstitutional provisions of Prop. 187, but I do support the enforcement of our present federal laws that prohibit illegal immigration into our country.

I am appalled at the hypocrisy that some supporters of Prop. 187 embrace. They demand respect for the law yet outrageously call for the “shooting” until “dead” of all “illegals” at the border (Aug. 2).

It is precisely that kind of racist and inhumane rhetoric and conduct that will creep out of the dark corners of our society as long as Prop. 187 and other similar, unconstitutional measures are promoted by responsible citizens.

FREDERICK P. AGUIRRE

Villa Park

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* Those people who are opposed to the basic concept of Prop. 187 seem to miss the whole point. This bill was never against legal immigration; it has always been against handouts to illegal immigrants (and you’ll notice it doesn’t single out a particular ethnic group).

Sadly, those in opposition to 187 are gravely insulting those immigrants who went to a great deal of trouble to enter this country legally. Opposing Prop. 187 sends the wrong message to those who wish to immigrate to this country.

RICHARD O. BAME

Anaheim