Letters
Dos and don'ts of dealing with illegal migration into the US
In response to the May 18 Opinion piece by G. Jefferson Price III, "Tighter borders won't help the desperate": I question that the way to stop the flow of illegals into the US is to improve other countries' economies. I'm not sure that's in our power, and it isn't the "quick fix" that we need today. Since poverty is often due to corruption, how do we in the US ensure that assistance (particularly monetary aid) trickles down to the poor in other countries? How many years would the trickle-down effect take, even if it were feasible?
Are we, who are not taking enough steps to solve our own epidemic of poverty and homelessness, in a position to advise other countries? One doesn't need to tour foreign countries to find poverty. Street people, once a big-city problem, are overwhelming nearly every small community in America today. I wonder how many people in high places are aware of the depth of our problem?
I believe a more immediate solution to the illegal-immigration problem is to withdraw the "welcome mat" of jobs and free medical care and education that grows larger for illegals every year. What a "mixed message" of carrots and sticks the US gives to illegal immigrants. Take away the carrots, and we won't need to use the sticks. No one should be above the law, including illegals. We welcome them to come legally as our guests. No one welcomes people who break down the door to enter and then demand privileges.
Laurie Husselbee
Jamul, Calif.
Regarding the May 15 article, "Patronage roils Iraqi unity": With the reported withdrawal of one Shiite political group from the coalition, the prospects for the creation of a unity government of Shiites, Kurds, and Sunnis anytime soon do not appear good.
If the Shiites cannot agree on the proper allocation of government seats among themselves, it would be quite sanguine to expect the three major ethnic groups to reach agreement on the allocation of parliamentary, ministerial, and other important posts among them. Here seems to be a classic case of men driven by greed and other base passions to override considerations of the broader common good.
Iraq is now in chaos. Those elected to govern the country still have to prove that they are worthy of the Iraqi people's trust.
Mariano Patalinjug
Yonkers, N.Y.
Regarding the May 19 article, "The last picture show?": People who are now retired or close to retirement were once the most avid moviegoing generation. Why not cater more to this population?
Offer specials during daylight hours when we are more comfortable driving; stock some of the candies we remember from the 1950s; give us captions and hearing devices; run old cartoons and historic news clips before the movie; and play premovie music that is meaningful to us.
Amelia Seiler
Rochester, N.Y.
What seemed to be missing from the May 19 article was the responsibility of film studios for the poor situation at theaters. Movie studios should share more of the revenue from ticket sales with the theaters. This would lead to a moderation in prices for tickets and refreshments, and people might start thinking of going out to a movie as a normal activity again. People are not going to take chances on films when a single night out is $20, including refreshments.
Walter Clayton
Portland, Ore.
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