Mediation for Prop. 187

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante’s opposition to Gov. Gray Davis’ [request] to move Prop. 187 to mediation, instead insisting that the governor drop the appeal, is the principled vision to end Prop. 187. The support for mediation in the April 26 commentary by Gilbert Cedillo and Juan Jose Gutierrez provides Latino cover for a governor who stretches the state Constitution not to provide leadership but to find refuge from his campaign pledge to end wedge-issue politics.

Prop. 187 is a slow form of ethnic cleansing to grind immigrant communities into ignorance, poor health and isolation with the hope of driving them out.

VICTOR MANRIQUE

Los Angeles

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How is it visionary, evenhanded and consensus-promoting to deny advocates for Prop. 187 any seat at the mediation table? The clearly expressed will of the California electorate in 1994 is entitled to standing in the revisiting of the narrowly decided and factually different Plyler vs. Doe case of 1982. Plessy vs. Ferguson was once “the law of the land.”

ALAN BENSON

Newbury Park

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It is ironic that in the April 26 Times were two articles on immigrants’ benefits. One, “Doing Right by Immigrants” (editorial), used the words “legal immigrant” at least three times. The other was the commentary by Cedillo and Gutierrez, in which the subject of illegal immigrants was not even discussed, and the slant of the article was that California is denying benefits to legal immigrants!

I am an immigrant and came here legally 40 years ago, and I have supported America in every way that I can. But the majority of Californians do not support the payment of benefits to people who have no legal right to be in this country. That is not racism, but an economic fact.

STUART MYERS

Los Angeles

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The April 27 commentary by Richard Estrada is the most cogent piece on the subject of illegal immigration that I have ever seen in The Times. Unless honest and open deliberation takes place regarding the issue on the part of politicians, public officials, “advocates,” the media and the American public, there will be more 187s.

STEVEN L. HELLERMAN

Claremont