Still America

“United 93” is a wonderful portrait of courage. But in the context of America’s current foreign policy, it comes off as a familiar bit of wound-licking. Every nation has a tale of the day the world did them dirt, and “United 93” is America’s.

But what’s more remarkable is that when people abroad see the Michael Moore movie “Fahrenheit 9/11” they are surprised that a person is allowed to do that in America, allowed to be so critical of a sitting president. By being so harsh the movie ends up giving every American something to be proud of: Proving to the world that America is still somewhat free, an unintended effect.

This is why, the world being convinced that our president means to destroy Islam, no one’s come over here and blown us off the map. Face it. We’re an open society; they could do it any time they wanted.

So really, it’s not the chest-thumping “These colors don’t run” that has kept us relatively safe since 9/11. It’s that this guy out of nowhere gets to film our president’s most embarrassing moments, make it into a movie and inspire debate.

That’s why angry fanatics stay their sarin gas and their bombs. Not because we “have the terrorists on the run.” Obviously we don’t. Bush gave up trying to capture Bin Laden years ago.

We’re safe only because even angry people still admire something about this place.

I hope it stays that way. Don’t you?

JAMIE ESQUIRE
VIA EMAIL

Up for it, Dreier?

As a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 26th district, I have watched as hysteria over illegal immigration has swamped reasonable debate.

Legislation passed by the House in December which would make it a felony to be in the country illegally, would impose stiff penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and would punish churches for helping those in need is not only punitive, but unrealistic.

It is time for a return to reasonable debate.

No one is satisfied with the current system. There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, creating a black market for labor that not only undermines the stability of wages and markets, but also causes real hardship both for immigrants and for American workers and employers.

Thirteen-term Republican Congressman David Dreier, who has supported President Bush’s guest-worker program and, at the same time, was a co-sponsor of the punitive House bill, is clearly flip-flopping on this issue. On the Democratic side, one candidate who ran against Dreier last time has supported punitive measures, including mass arrests and other harsh penalties. The other candidate has been largely silent on the issue.

While I personally support the McCain-Kennedy bill, which would provide an eventual path to citizenship for immigrants, I believe there should be an open, public debate.

I call on all the candidates for Congress in the 26th to join me in debating this issue in an open forum before the voters.

HOYT HILSMAN
DEMOCRAT FOR CONGRESS

Just like heaven

Confusing sympathy for individual illegal immigrants with common sense immigration laws is morally wrong. Most will agree that even heaven — a most compassionate place — has entrance requirements.

Family values may not stop at the Rio Grande, as GWB is so fond of saying, but that is totally beside the point of whether or not we can continue to take in millions of immigrants each year. Presidents Fox and Bush don't know or don't care that blue collar Americans of all races are willing to do the work that is being stolen from them, but not for peon-poor wages.

BARBARA VICKROY
ESCONDIDO

Manifest destiny

I have a scoop.

Inside sources have revealed to me that President Vicente Fox, at his meeting with President Bush in Cancun, Mexico, has agreed in principle that Mexico should become the 51st state of the union.

The two leaders agreed that this would be the only satisfactory solution to the current immigration crisis, and that both countries would benefit from such a merger. It would enhance trade, security, tourism and ensure America’s dominance of the global economy into the foreseeable future.

At the same meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper confided his belief that Canada would also be better off merging with the United States. He envisions that each province and territory, 13 in all, will become a state.

This is great news! At last we have three visionary leaders who can see the big picture and are not afraid to act with that in mind.

I'm looking forward to taking vacations in the 51st State of the Union, and the 52nd through 64th as well. God bless the new America, from sea to shining sea and from the great Yukon Territory in the north to the Yucatan Peninsula in the south.

STEVE MOZENA
CARSON

Selling out history

Pasadena, get it straight: Your history is being sold and flushed down the toilet.

You could have the Raymond Theatre as it was, or you could have another of the useless mixed-use developments that we see standing nearly empty all over town and [owner] Gene Buchanan laughing at you all the way to the bank. He is gutting your heritage and selling it.

Developers who’ve put up new buildings all over town are making their money and moving on, and sooner or later this boom will go bust. And when it happens, what will you have?

You’ll have ugly look-a-like buildings painted a bilious, baby-turd gold — cavernous, empty, wasted space. Aren't there enough of these Goddamned things by now? Do we have an insatiable appetite for half-assed architecture?

Meanwhile, theater is suffocating in the city. You want less of that? Honestly, what the hell are you thinking, Pasadena?

There’s nothing wrong with the Pasadena Playhouse or Boston Court, but here's a crazy thought: What if we had more theater space in Pasadena, say for things like concerts, symphonies and plays?

The city says it can’t afford to do anything with the Raymond. Well, they sure seem to be able to afford the much-more-expensive-than-first-promised refurbishment of City Hall. How’d the city manage to afford that? They say they can't pay Buchanan his ridiculous price of $6 million, or whatever it is, to save the Raymond, but they've got something like $100 million lying around to retrofit City Hall.

The City Council deliberates favorably on issues for developers like Gene Buchanan and some of them have contributions from him. If we're going to foot the bill for one glorious piece of architecture, which City Hall definitely is, then how about two?

RICHARD BECKER
PASADENA