Drugs and the border

Re “Bring order to the border,” editorial, March 26

For years the mantra was “keep out illegal aliens -- they’re stealing our jobs” while corporations were coyote-enablers to keep the unregistered workers coming.

No one wanted to talk about the real horrors -- the drug and gun wars, with thousands being murdered -- even when they spilled over to our side of the border.

Thank God for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s honesty and courage. Now if the United States can just get behind a coordinated security policy to help the Mexican people and our own.

Bonnie C. Hanson

Santa Ana

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As your editorial states, this is a binational problem. Much like the United States’ addiction to drugs created opportunity and demand for Mexico’s drug trade, so has American business’ addiction to cheap labor spiked demand for Mexican labor.

But we need to place the assorted problems and scapegoats into perspective. Rather than demonize illegal immigrants, the greatest reason for increased border patrol and security is the chaotic violence stemming from Mexico’s drug battles and drug exports.

With the initiatives announced by the Obama administration, it appears that the nation is placing its priorities wisely.

Wayne Trujillo

Denver

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I’m disappointed by the same old war talk from the administration and The Times. Decades of wars on drugs have failed miserably. It’s past time to start talking about legalizing, regulating and taxing drugs.

Dick Eiden

Vista, Calif.