LETTERS

Dear Mr. Joshua Longobardy,

I am not a stupid man and so when I picked up a copy of the free publication Las Vegas Weekly and saw the cover story "Alien Nation" (December 8), I understood without even reading one word that your article would be sympathetic towards the plight of illegal aliens from Mexico and other parts of South America. I attempted to read your article with an open mind and even thought maybe I might learn something about this issue I didn't know before.

After reading your article I have a better understanding of what life is like for illegal aliens here in America. I feel compassion for the difficult situation these people face on a daily basis but I don't think that allowing them to stream into this country like locusts is the proper way to handle their plight. The root cause for this situation existing, as Julio, one of the illegal aliens you interviewed said, sits at the feet of the government of Mexico. President Fox cannot create jobs for his people so he continually beats the drum for open borders to take the pressure off himself by inflaming old tensions between the U.S. and Mexico. He creates a feeling of entitlement amongst his people, which creates another problem, which is the refusal of most illegal immigrants to assimilate into American culture. If Haitian citizens began pouring into Mexico and demanding services in their language and demanding their so-called rights, what do you think would happen? If you think that the Mexican government would comply you would have to be crazy; they would be jailed and deported in short order.

The absolute failure of the United States government to stop the invasion of our country and the blatant refusal by President Bush to do anything of real value to solve this problem is a crime against the people of the United States and hopefully someday they will all be held accountable. I will close my comments by saying that the American people, as you pointed out in your article, are very good and compassionate people that genuinely wish our neighbors in Mexico well. But you must understand one thing about us if you mess with our borders, language and culture: We will, as any sane nation would, fight back to preserve the integrity of these lands bought and bled for by American patriots. No amount of left-wing revisionist brainwashing will ever take away our pride in our nation as the lunatic fringe (A.C.L.U) would wish. God Bless America! and God Bless The Minute Men Project!

Sincerely,

Dear Editor,

A big Thank You to you and your magazine and to Joshua Longobardy for writing such a moving and undeniable story on day laborers ("Alien Nation"). As a fellow immigrant, I wish these men had the same opportunities I have had while living in this great country. I am also glad there are people like Joshua Longobardy who take the time to understand the lives and circumstances that bring these men away from their home and families and to educate the rest of us.

It is bigots like Mark Edwards that hinder any progress in immigration reform; people like him are the ones not needed in this country! Ask Mark Edwards if he is willing to work 14-hour days under an unmerciful sun, with a minimal wage and no benefits, to pick the fruits and vegetables he eats each day; I assure you he would not! Day laborers may not have an easy access to legal avenues to enter this country, but their presence here helps this country function. These laborers do the work that white America does not want to do! These people are not criminals, they just weren't born lucky like most of us; they are only trying to support their families while barely surviving themselves.

I hope Las Vegas will someday have a center for employers and laborers to come together without the hateful and ignorant treatment they get from being out in the public.

Keep up with the great stories!

Sincerely,

Bravo on a great piece of writing of a story that needs to be told. My son recently, on two occasions, hired Mexican day workers from in front of the nursery on Bonanza. He hired workers to help him install a sprinkler system in his back yard. My son does not speak Spanish—but I do—so I went to his house and was able to communicate his ideas to the men. The Mexican laborers, as stated in your story, spoke longingly of their families back in Mexico and their desire to see them again.

The men worked very hard—on an extremely hot day—and did a professional job. I took orders for lunch (my son's treat) and drove to Roberto's restaurant for a splendid meal. The men worked till the job was totally finished and they definitely earned the $10 an hour they were paid. My son drove them back to Bonanza and they were extremely grateful for the lift as one of them had left his bicycle at the nursery.

The next time, a few weeks later, my son hired three other day laborers for tree-planting. Again, these were different men and they worked just as hard and professionally as the prior group. They also were grateful to be treated with respect.

The Irish, the Italians, the Jewish people came to this country and made it a better place for all of us. People like that horrid Mark Edwards, who was quoted in the article, need to be reminded of that.

You might also ask Edwards if his family roots go back to the American Indians. If not, and I suspect not, he is in this country because somebody took the plunge!

I am not Mexican, though I have an Hispanic surname. I know very little about the Mexican culture except that I have found the Mexican people to be an honorable, hard-working and family-orientated race.

To the Editor,

Would the Florida Marlins be safe here? The Las Vegas Marlins?

There has been some talk as of late about the Florida Marlins coming to Las Vegas. I am an avid baseball fan and would enjoy this very much.

Mayor Goodman would fall out of his tree if this were to actually happen! We know how hard he's been working to get a pro team in Vegas.

I can only imagine how great this event would be: The Las Vegas Marlins come to town and Mayor Goodman celebrates with a gin drinking festival on a deserted island. He invites all the Marlins players' children to the island and has them each sit around the campfire while Mayor Goodman roasts marshmallows, guzzles gin, and tells the kids stories about his latest "nude photo shoots."

But watch out Marlins on opening day. Mayor Goodman will be watching for steroid abuse. Anyone caught using steroids will not be threatened by John McCain and Congress, but by Oscar Goodman slicing off their thumbs!

A new baseball team to Vegas would be great! Yet it's not the pro baseball team that scares me; it's the mayor of Las Vegas who sends shivers down my spine.