Zedillo’s Visit

* Re “Zedillo Urges Humane U.S. Border Policy,” May 21:

I find it interesting that President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico has insinuated that he couldn’t work with Gov. Pete Wilson because of Wilson’s support of Props. 187 and 209 and insistence that the federal government patrol the Mexican border better. I think it is a big mistake that Gov. Gray Davis would sit and listen to Zedillo make speeches about how we should conduct our government. Also, I find it very amusing that Zedillo is now calling for a more humane U.S. border policy. This coming from the leader of an oppressive regime that is the primary cause of the flow of immigrants. Is the U.S Border Patrol in Chiapas?

MIKE TRUMAN

Orange

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Re “Davis Won’t Follow Prop. 187 on Schools,” May 21: Davis and Cruz Bustamante should resign! They are violating their oaths of office. They consider U.S. citizens and constituents unimportant, and they are working for foreign entities!

PRISCILLA MONTANEZ

Nuevo

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I find it absurd that Glenn Spencer and his Voice of Citizens Together find the threat of “Mexican expansionism” in Zedillo’s visit to California (May 20), when the original inhabitants of California (many of whose descendants are a large part of the state population) were victims of the United States’ “Manifest Destiny” expansionist policies.

Please, enough of divisive political sentiments--get global already!

REUBEN M. QUESADA

Santa Ana

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There is no relationship between free trade and democracy, as Denise Dresser suggests (“Zedillo’s Nod to Democracy Could Take Tortuous Twists,” Commentary, May 19). On the contrary, many of the world’s nations most accessible to international capital and trade have abhorrent human rights records, Mexico under Zedillo included. Since free-trade policies so often override local citizens’ concerns for labor and environmental protections, free trade actually is more commonly associated with oppressive regimes.

Take the state of Chiapas, Mexico, for example. Zedillo has one soldier for every 50 people in most indigenous communities of the state, while there is only one doctor for every 40,000 people. Does this sound like efficient economics or democracy?

MICHELE WEBER, Dir.

Witness for Peace, Southwest

Los Angeles

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Re “Strengthen Ties Between California and Mexico,” Commentary, May 18: So far as economic and social investment go, Mexico has got to educate all of its people and must teach them English. The majority of the people who come here from that country do not speak English and do not think it is necessary, as they are catered to by government and the business community. But the Mexican government and economy are very dependent upon these people, whose incomes would be increased immeasurably, were they capable of speaking English, and there would be fewer misunderstandings among the Hispanics and the Anglos.

Also, all children in California schools should be taught Spanish.

CHARLES J. THOMAS

North Hollywood