L.A.'s Immigrants

To the Editors:

Your article "Los Angeles: America's Uneasy New Melting Pot" [June 13] seems to be concerned more with myth than with fact. Hispanics are not a sleeping giant, as the media like to portray us. We are intelligent, hard-working people who seek to advance through cooperation, not through intimidation. If we are indeed giants, it is in our will to succeed. We are giants in our humanity, giants in our love for our country and our commitment to the culture that binds us all.

Esteban E. Torres U.S. Representative, 34th District, Calif. Washington, D.C.

America is blessed by these immigrants. We can learn so much from them. My second-grade class this year has children from Jordan, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand and Lebanon; I also have Irish and Polish and English Americans, a first-generation Italian and a child from Sri Lanka. We all speak English. I tell them, "Keep your language and your customs, but learn American ways. You are the peacemakers of tomorrow and will build the bridge to better world understanding."

Lois Kingsbury La Habra, Calif.

As an American citizen, but first and last a Korean, I felt your article gave an extremely negative view of the Korean people. You quote a sociologist as saying that the Japanese regard Koreans as "Mortimer Snerds." Well, these assumed "superior Asians" have much to learn before making ignorant, prejudicial generalizations about Koreans.

Ho Joung Ha Lafayette Hill, Pa.

The Korean American Coalition feels that your article accentuated the negative aspects of immigration while ignoring numerous positive contributions made by recent immigrants. Koreans have already improved Los Angeles by transforming a previously deteriorating neighborhood into a vibrant area called Koreatown. Most of the Korean immigrants are highly educated and skilled and are ready and willing to make contributions to this country. In fact, more than 60% of the Koreans who came here in the past ten years have at least four years of college.

Tong Soo Chung President, Korean American Coalition Los Angeles

It is sad that various immigrant groups, having experienced racial and ethnic discrimination, cling to their traditional prejudices in order to maintain their identity. While ethnic pride and cultural heritage are to be encouraged, the downgrading of other minorities is beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior. America has grown by accepting and appreciating the gifts and contributions of all our minorities and ethnic groups.

(The Rev.) Douglas E. Anders Marseilles, Ill.

Bilingualism

Your Essay "Against a Confusion of Tongues" [June 13] should be posted in schools that have bilingual programs. The first priority of every immigrant should be to learn the language of the adopted country. Placing non-English-speaking students in separate classes merely prolongs the painful road of integration. Minorities will be second-class citizens as long as they insist on isolating themselves.

Ana-Maria Ortiz Goldens Bridge, N. Y.

In response to your Essay on bilingual education, I would note that America has produced generations of strictly Anglophone college students who must turn to "ethnics" for the foreign-language competency that makes international business and diplomacy possible.

Robert B. Rardin II Oxford, Ohio

It is not the American Government's job to adjust the U.S. to the immigrants: it is the responsibility of the immigrants to adjust to the U.S.

Hiroko Takayanagi Baltimore

If the colonists had brought up their children to speak only their native tongues, we would be a fractured country speaking French, Irish, Dutch, Polish--and this letter would be in German.

Steven Reiss St. Louis

Not Afraid

I was quite disturbed to read your article "From Protest to Politics" on increased black political participation [June 6]. The printed version of my remarks is incorrect. I said, "I think it's important to note that neither the Republican National Committee nor its candidates, nor indeed the President stands in fear of the black vote." The R.N.C. has a very aggressive program to recruit more blacks and other minorities to run for office on local, state and federal levels. These actions do not sound as if they come from a party and an Administration that, as you stated, "stand in fear of the black vote."

Ron McDuffie Black Field Coordinator Republican National Committee Washington, D.C.

Success Rate for Sexual Therapy

I was interested to read about sexologists' squabbles over the "cure rate" for the "disorder" of low sexual desire [June 13]. So low sexual desire is a disorder? How about low desire to play tennis? Who is going to cure sexologists of the delusion that it's their place to tell other people what to want and how much to want it?

Diana F. Ackerman St. Andrews, Scotland

If I were to criticize sexology professionals, it would be to say that the demands of their work sometimes make them forget that orgasmic sexuality is only a part of life and that lots of people have full enjoyment without it. A case in point is a 70-year-old Quaker woman I knew (Quakers are as sexy as anybody) who was attractive, successful and lovable. Someone once asked her, "Agnes, how is it thee never got married?" She smiled and replied, "Well, it takes a mighty good husband to be better than none."

Eric W. Johnson Philadelphia

South African Bombing

Your article on the role of the black nationalist African National Congress (A.N.C.) in the Pretoria bomb blast [June 6] says "the A.N.C. receives financial support, training and weapons from East bloc and African governments and the World Council of Churches." That statement could give the impression that the council provides military training and weapons to the A.N.C. The Special Fund of the council's Program to Combat Racism has provided grants to the A.N.C. for refugees, agricultural projects, publications, legal-defense costs and other humanitarian purposes. There is no reason to believe this aid has been used in other ways.

Nancy B. Clark, Communications Officer World Council of Churches New York City This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.