Letters

Letters may be edited for clarity and length. E-mail to letters@ocweekly.com, or send to Letters to the Editor, c/o OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Or fax to (714) 550-5908.

CARRY THAT WEIGHT
The following letter is in response to Gustavo Arellano's Jan. 13, 2005, ¡Ask a Mexican! column, in which he addresses a letter asking why "Mexican girls are so beautiful when they are teenagers, then over the years, they become fat, old bags?"

Has 'Tavo been to Mexico lately? If so, he'd see that the obesity problem en querido Mexico is almost as bad as the one in the United States.
La Brini
via e-mail

NEVER MIND
This next letter is in regards to Gustavo Arellano's June 7, 2006, ¡Ask a Mexican! glossary.

What a stupid article. WHO or WHAT raised you? I would like to see you stand up and read that in public—oh, let's say at the East Los Angeles College, where all the Chicano and Chicanas are furthering their education, which is what I suggest this so-called writer/author of this stupid article does!
Jenny
via e-mail

'TAVO THANKSGIVING
This letter is in regards to Gustavo Arellano's ¡Ask a Mexican! column.

Thank you for doing your part to put racists and bigots in their place with your witty writing and humor. I really appreciate it and hope that your column teaches people a little bit of tolerance.
M.C.
via e-mail

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP DAFFODILS
The following letter is in response to Gustavo Arellano's This Hole-in-the-Wall Life review of El Pupusódromo (May 25), in which he referred to his dining companion as "The Guatemalan."

So I've been given my ethnic moniker—with no say in the matter, eh!? And snort? Did I really snort?! I challenge your interpretation of my delicate laugh. And alas, dear Mexican, it's pan CON chumpe, not pan DE chumpe. This Guatemalan is requesting a correction.
Daffodil J. Altan, staff writer
via internal e-mail

Editor's note: Daffodil is right about the pan con chumpe. And the snorting. Now you two knock it off this instant, or I swear to God, I'll turn this car around, and nobody gets to go to Knott's Berry Farm. Is that what you want? No? Entonces, ¡ya con esta pendejada!

THIS AIN'T NO PICNIC
These next letters are in regard to Daffodil J. Altan's May 24 "'What's Illegal?'"—in which Altan reports on a video of elementary schoolkids chanting on May Day becoming a YouTube hit as immigration-debate propaganda.

My daughter attends Orange County Educational Arts Academy, is in the second grade and participated in this little demonstration. On that day in May, I could not protect my daughter from others displaying their intolerance of Latinos. Which, when you think about it, is what this is all about, right? The Minutemen weren't protesting in front of the Canadian, Chinese or the Vietnamese consulates. So I feel it was unfortunate that this happened across the street from the school. To my amazement, though, the children did not take this rhetoric passively and shot back a volley of defiance. I didn't need to be there that day to protect my daughter; she made my wife and I and the rest of our family on both sides very proud.

My daughter the activist (as I introduce her now) knows who she is, and nobody is going to change or discourage that. My daughter was not coaxed into doing what she did with the other kids. They understood in an elementary way (no pun intended) what was happening. They might not know all the politics of what it is all about, but they know when someone is saying something bad about you and your heritage. We only pray that our children will remain safe at the school. It is a great school that has taken a beating for this. But to their credit, they have not penalized anyone for their actions. Bravo to them. Thank you for the story, and I hope to read more of your writings in the future. One day, I will share this article with my daughter and explain the impact she and her friends had.
Anthony Galindo
Anaheim

I received a link to this article from my son, who just happens to be the father of one of the second-graders in the video. My granddaughter was born HERE, and so was her father. I myself am a third-generation Californian, and I would bet none of those "redneck" protesters can match that! I resent morons such as the "anti-whatever" people who automatically assume that you must be an illegal if you are Latino. Future lawn mower, hotel maid? I have a few choice names for you, but I would probably be wasting my time. Name calling to second-grade children is not going to help anything and proves that they are, indeed, morons. This problem is totally economic and can only be resolved when BOTH governments sit down together and work it out.
Angie Galindo
via e-mail

SPARROW SONG
The following letter is in regards to Luke Y. Thompson's May 24 review of the thirdPirates of the Caribbean film, "Bootylicious."

Great review—I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End last night but missed some of the things you mention here; I'll look for them when I go to see AWE again his weekend. Last night, the people at the theater gave applause at the end. I don't think this film is better than the first, but it's at least as good as the second. Thanks for giving it a chance, unlike so many pro critics who seem to have just printed the reviews they wrote before seeing the movie.
Anonymous
via e-mail