Letters: Schwarzenegger’s infidelities and The Times

Re “Ex-gov. discusses affair in interview,” Oct. 1

As former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes a victory lap on his “guilt” tour promoting his book, I couldn’t help but remember the stories that ran in

The Times before his election in 2003. Reporters were able to persuade several very brave women to come forward so The Times could document Schwarzenegger’s history of degrading treatment and sexual misconduct in the workplace.

The women were branded as lying opportunists, the reporters as partisan hacks. The paper itself was denounced as a liberal rag that was trying to influence the outcome of the election. But time has proved your facts to be true.

The Times bravely provided readers with crucial information before we voted for Schwarzenegger. Reporters showed us what he was really like, but we were too thick-headed to listen.

Cheryl Holt

Burbank

In the introduction to his “60 Minutes” interview, Schwarzenegger was described as an immigrant success story.

The real success stories are of those daring, anonymous immigrants who, because of their faithfulness to their spouses and families, were forced to flee the poverty and corruption of their homelands, even at the risk of imprisonment, isolation, exploitation and sometimes death. And yet, living in the shadow of fear, they work tirelessly for their loved ones.

The measure of success is not determined by external achievement but by the inner strength of character. The shackles wielded by Conan the Barbarian may be tough and unyielding, but the hardy chain of Schwarzenegger is only as strong as its weakest link.

Vivian Ben Lima

Woodland Hills

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