Mexican Immigrants

I was deeply disturbed by Michael Ramirez’s Aug. 5 cartoon and its racist and stereotypical portrayal of immigrants from Mexico and their role here in the U.S. The cartoon, while critical of the Mexican government’s inability or unwillingness to improve the economic conditions for the majority of its citizens, unfairly casts those who come to this country from Mexico as undocumented workers seeking to take resources from the “legal citizens.”

First, most immigrants from Mexico and other countries arrive here legally and only a portion are undocumented. Second, immigrants--both legal and undocumented--contribute much more to our state and economy than they take. Immigrant labor and businesses have revitalized whole areas of Los Angeles and immigrants seldom take jobs away from local workers. Instead, they take work vital to our economy but often not filled by local workers. Indeed, the contributions of immigrants far outweigh the benefits they receive from our public services.

As a Filipino American I am particularly offended by this cartoon because many hard-working Asian immigrants come to this country with the same hopes and dreams as those from Mexico.

DENNIS G. ARGUELLES

Exec. Dir., Asian Pacific Policy

and Planning Council, L.A.

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Re Aug. 8 letters on Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa’s comments on Prop. 187: How dare Villaraigosa thwart the will of voters by helping kill the popular Prop. 187. For years, Californians have sent a clear message to illegal immigrants--we don’t want you here (except to clean our houses, blow our leaves, care for our children, pick our fruit, valet our cars and wait on us in restaurants), and we certainly don’t want to pay to educate your kids.

STEVEN PETRARCA

Los Angeles

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Marian Sunabe’s letter (Aug. 5), wherein she fails to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, epitomizes my main frustration concerning the recent Prop. 187 issue. She’s in a dither because Harald Martin [Anaheim Union High School District board president] supports the assimilation of various groups (i.e., those who have legally immigrated) into our society but is against the support of illegal aliens. She calls this ironic?

Where does it say that we must pay for the education of anyone who runs into town? Don’t answer that--I can’t afford the answer!

JOSEPH READ

Anaheim

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Re “Villaraigosa Urges Mexico and California to Join in Creating Jobs,” Aug. 7: It is hopeless to keep trying to create jobs instead of addressing the “fuel” of the problem--stemming the Latin American wellspring of overpopulation.

PERRY BEZANIS

San Pedro