Immigration as seen by Lou Dobbs
IT’S really a howl when a dedicated left-winger such as Tim Rutten expresses outrage because CNN has balanced its notorious liberalism with a conservative voice, such as Lou Dobbs’ with his take on illegal immigration [“Lou Dobbs: Bile Across the Border,” April 1]. Liberals, already in shock because Fox rose to challenge their absolute rule over the TV media, clearly feel threatened when one of their own, such as CNN, allows a little fresh air to leak in.
ARTHUR HANSL
Santa Monica
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TIM RUTTEN has strong opinions, which he expresses in The Times without diminishing the paper’s journalistic integrity. Likewise, Lou Dobbs has strong opinions, which he expresses on CNN without diminishing the network’s journalistic integrity. The situations are identical.
JEFF SCHULTZ
Los Angeles
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I couldn’t agree more with Tim Rutten. The Republicans and, in particular, the electronic media are at it again. They are manufacturing immigration as a “wedge issue” to distract people from real problems we have in America: health care, for example; the war in Iraq, which is draining resources here at home for job training and rebuilding our broken infrastructure; our underfunded education system; and lack of investment in security from terrorism here at home. While the issue needs some attention, immigration is not the No. 1 issue on people’s minds. It is divisive, meanspirited and again shows the rabble-rousing tactics so typical of right-wing politics that has dominated our country in recent years. Remember Terri Schiavo? The hate-mongers are at it again.
LILLIAN LASKIN
Los Angeles
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TIM RUTTEN spent a lot of time venting a vicious personal attack on Lou Dobbs. He should have spent as much time trying to listen to what Dobbs has been saying for a long time, which is that the middle class in this country is under attack by special interest groups that cater to corporations that outsource jobs, dodge taxes and encourage slave labor wages by employing illegal immigrants. Neither political party has the courage or integrity to address and solve these problems. At least Dobbs is consistent and relentless in standing up for the middle class in this country.
RICK LOCKRIDGE
Aliso Viejo