Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

GET OUT THE VOTE

Thanks for the hope and inspiration: Great piece! As an old student activist (and former member of the Maricopa County Community College District governing board), I'm proud to see that the movement lives on in the hearts and minds of these outstanding young people ("Brown Wave," Monica Alonzo, January 19).

I'm sad to see our city and [Arizona] in its current state of political bigotry, but this is nothing new. When my parents were young, it was mandatory that they get deloused even when there was no proof of an infestation, all for being Mexican-American.

My grandmother fought and won against this practice in the '40s. She also shared stories of how Mexican-Americans were not allowed to swim in the city's "public" swimming pools, except on Wednesdays, the day before they cleaned and treated the water.

I remember my friends getting punished for speaking Spanish in the first grade, even though they didn't speak English.

So thanks, Ms. Alonzo, for giving me hope and inspiration. If these young people are an indication of our future leadership, then the movement is in good hands.
Abe Garcia, Phoenix

Ignored for too long: These kids beat the system. They noted that much of Phoenix City Council District 5 [had been ignored] by a councilman [failed mayoral candidate Claude Mattox] who believed neighborhoods in his district were ruined by illegals. These kids, many of them illegals themselves, did what they could do legally — register citizens to vote.

Now Councilman Daniel Valenzuela will be looking out for the interests of the people of all races who were ignored at City Hall while Mattox reigned.

Look out, Phoenix and Maricopa County! Because if the most under-registered bloc of voters, Latinos, gets it together around here — as these young people did in West Phoenix — much of the city will be run by Hispanics.
Graham Wilson, Phoenix

Immigration is well out of control: Owing to years of incompetence and intentional neglect, illegal immigration is well out of control.

The open border, special interests, and government bureaucracy have been raining down on the American people, telling us illegal-alien entry has dwindled to a trickle across our progressively dangerous border.

But what about the 20 million-plus illegals already settled here? What about the unfunded mandatory laws and statutes that the courts have forced on taxpayers in supplying public assistance to people who violate the law by crossing borders or overstaying visitors' visas?
Dave Francis, Phoenix

Democracy in action: The same old rants are coming out of Tea Party members since you published this story — that these kids shouldn't have been here in the first place to register voters. Well, tough shit, crackers! This story isn't about illegal immigration.

The people who voted in Daniel Valenzuela are fucking citizens! All these kids did was organize them to go to the polls. This is democracy in action!
Fred Stamos, Tucson

All worthwhile: Thank you for your words; they are inspiring and reaffirm that our work [registering voters in District 5) was worth it.
Aldo Gonzalez, Mesa