Letters

NOT GETTING IT

Democrats just don’t get it. The more the Democrats champion abortion and gay marriage, the more Latinos will feel alienated and abandon the Democratic Party! We might be working -class people, but we are rich when it comes to family values, faith, and self-reliance, which is championed by you know who. The article Latina, proud, and Republican by Alice Lara (My Perspective, November LP), shed light on this political message the Democrats have failed to understand. And if they don’t get it soon, the Latino GOP base will continue to grow.

Sergio Cazares
Former Democrat

RECOGNIZING OUR LEGACY

I would like to compliment your magazine on its Heritage articles. It’s about the only place we can get information about the history and contributions of Hispanics in the Valley. You’d think we just got here this morning, for all that has been written about us. We built this city and culture and it’s about time that was acknowledged. Thanks.

Gonzalo Aragon
A Chicano born in El Valle de Sol

SIMPLE APPRECIATION

I wanted to thank you for the monthly issue of Latino Perspectives. I have enjoyed it.

Olivia Lopez
Patagonia

NOTABLE NEWS COVERAGE

Many thanks for the great piece on our Latino journalism plans. (Latinizing the media mirror, October LP). You should know that we’ve had three stories on my coming here in the past month or so (Latino Perspectives, The (Arizona) Republic and the (East Valley) Tribune), but yours is the only story that folks in the upper administration commented on (and positively, I may add)!

Christopher Callahan
Dean

A SPANIARD IS A SPANIARD IS A…

Apparently you do not know what a “Latino” is; a Latino is a person born in Latin America, not a person who speaks Spanish and certainly not a person born in Spain (European). I have received this month’s issue and to my surprise I see this person on the cover page (who) is not a Latino and has not contributed anything to the Latino community. Due to this offense and ignorance on your part I would like my subscription to your magazine canceled ASAP.

Jorge Plascencia

Editor's Note: Due to the robust debate within our own community about whether we should call ourselves Latino, Hispanic, Chicano, or (insert a culture) American, the Latino Perspectives brain trust would like to define our editorial policy on the matter. In our pages we use Latino as an encompassing label that includes Spanish speakers, bilingual English/Spanish speakers, Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominican Republicans, South and Central Americans, and their descendants in the United States, as well as people from Spain. On a second mention our preference is to use the term Hispanic, a U.S. census-generated category that has been consensually embraced by our community. We must define ourselves rather than let others define us, and use inclusive rather than exclusive terms. These two words should empower and unite us rather than divide us. Besides, Jorge, Zorro is just a fictional character. Lighten up.