United States and Mexico

John Zavesky’s “Chicken Little” view of California’s Mexican population (Voices, June 3) would be laughable if it weren’t so offensive. What he fails to recognize is that our Latino population is a transnational community. Many immigrants from Latin America and Mexico maintain close familial and economic ties with their homelands because of our geographical proximity and our mutually beneficial interests in global trade and development.

The majority (64%) of Latino households are bilingual, using Spanish and English in their daily lives with equal ease and comfort. There is no incentive for these families to abandon their Spanish, because it is an important resource for both sentimental and material enrichment. In no way is the use of Spanish a threat to our national unity or our commonly held democratic values. Until we Californians accept and embrace the value and richness of our linguistic and cultural diversity, the American Dream will remain elusive for all of us.

JILL KERPER MORA

San Diego

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Zavesky’s article should be a wake-up call for Americans; unfortunately, as he notes, his views will be denigrated as racist.

Millions of people have overrun this country’s borders with impunity and, when the average citizen demands that the government stop this influx, nothing happens. The bottom line is that, if a person enters this country illegally, then that person’s presence in this country is illegal.

The government has the right and the exigency to deport those people, not to cater to their needs.

ARCH MILLER

Arcadia