Antonio Villaraigosa

* Re “Villaraigosa Sets a Post-Ethnic Standard for L.A.,” Opinion, April 15: It is absurd to compare Antonio Villaraigosa to Al Smith, New York’s first Irish American assemblyman and governor. The Irish immigrants who created a strong presence and sense of community in that state did so legally; whereas a large percentage of the Latinos supporting Villaraigosa are illegal immigrants. Furthermore, those same Irish immigrants accepted the U.S. as their home and new way of life, in contrast to the thousands of Latino immigrants who resist assimilation and view their stay in the U.S. as a necessity, instead of a desire.

Finally, Villaraigosa should be concerned with more than the alienation of white and black voters as a result of his zealous labor supporters--he also needs to convince “Latinos” such as myself that there is more to that identification than the representation of la raza.

L. MAYRA PINEDA

Los Angeles

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Re “ ‘Latino’ and ‘L.A. Mayor’ May at Last Come Together,” Commentary, April 12: L.A. will not be ready for a Latino mayor until people like Frank del Olmo stop seeing it as an ethnic issue.

PETER HOCHBERG

Los Angeles

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Re “Candidates for Mayor Vow to Set Positive Tone in Runoff,” April 12: I suppose that Mayor Richard Riordan was making an implied comparison to himself when he cast aspersions upon Jim Hahn and Villaraigosa by referring to the two candidates to succeed him as “not strong managers or CEOs.”

Leaving aside the question of whether this is a city or a corporation, has Riordan really been a top-notch CEO during his two terms in office? I don’t think so. His legacy is the Belmont fiasco and the Rampart scandal, as well as resistance to the living wage and a lethargic response to the desperate need for more open space for common people. Go back to your bicycle and your junk bonds, Dick; we won’t miss you.

ROB SULLIVAN

Los Angeles