Immigration politics

In his immigration Q&A; with The Times (April 15), L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa states that public opinion on his stance on illegal immigration is about 500 to 1 against, but that he thinks he was “elected to do what’s right, not necessarily what’s popular.”

Does he not realize that he was elected to represent his constituents, not his personal ideology? Perhaps Villaraigosa should remember what happened to former Gov. Gray Davis, another California politician with national political aspirations. We fired him because he pandered to illegal aliens who cannot vote legally by trying to give them driver’s licenses. Maybe Davis can help Villaraigosa get a job in the private sector when his term as mayor is up.

JOHN STIMSON

Sherman Oaks

*

The mayor revealed where he stands (or kneels) when he attended the Mass celebrated by Cardinal Roger Mahony. The Mass was a platform for Mahony not only to encourage breaking immigration laws but to provide priests with information on how to do so. That is the day Villaraigosa lost my support.

LINDA MANN

Hollywood

*

Re “One more job for immigrants,” Opinion, April 14

Rosa Brooks is right about one thing -- most Americans don’t like to take their gripes to street protests. As for the flag-waving hordes changing GOP minds, Brooks employs selective amnesia. She forgets that House Republicans before the demonstrations offered an amendment to change being in the country illegally from a felony to a misdemeanor, and a huge majority of Democrats voted it down.

She also dismisses the fact that most Americans have a better way to voice our displeasure. She’ll see us “demonstrating” against amnesty for illegals and for border security in November at the polls. The silent majority, the most powerful voice in America, will speak volumes soon. And we don’t have to skip work or leave our neighborhoods to do it.

SUSAN BOYER

Brevard, N.C.