Tired of the Apologists for Illegal Immigrants

“Intolerance Drives License Law Repeal” (Opinion, Dec. 28) was full of the usual claptrap about how immensely illegal immigration benefits California and how our tacit acceptance of it makes us culpable in its existence. Obviously Carlos Rajo Ramos has not spoken to the man on the street or he would know how disgusted most are with our government’s inaction on this issue. Ramos misses the point that driving is a privilege that isn’t even guaranteed to citizens of this or any other state.

It is unethical to reward those who have broken our laws and entered our country illegally. Those who enter our country illegally and then have the hubris to clamor for rights and privileges afforded to citizens are an affront to every immigrant who waited his or her turn to come here.

Tom Edwards

Big Bear Lake

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One tires of immigration proponents using Proposition 187 (in Ramos’ words) as a “cheap pinata” to bash every time the majority of Californians speak of the damage illegal immigrants are doing to the California economy. In fact, the courts did not “overturn” Proposition 187, as Ramos and his supporters would have us believe. The courts did not even address the legality of many of its provisions. Instead, a U.S. district judge found that the citizens of California could not make laws governing the treatment of illegal immigrants. That authority rests with the federal government which, of course, is responsible for the illegals being here in the first place. The decision was challenged by former Gov. Pete Wilson, but former Gov. Gray Davis withdrew the challenge.

Mark Dusbabek

La Quinta

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Radically reversing my old view, I now think that settled noncitizen aliens, both legal and illegal, should have the vote. If their kids, who volunteer to put their lives on the line for this country, are good enough to die for it, why shouldn’t their parents have a say in our government? Indeed, why should the Bushes and the Clintons and all the other elite chicken-class draft dodgers be allowed to vote or hold office?

Friends will croak. Some fellow vets will want to scalp me. But I think my American Revolutionary ancestors would find this perfectly reasonable.

Stan Bass

Montrose