Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Republicans lack moral authority

To the editor,

It is claimed in "Livin' the Latin Life" (Thursday, 9/16) that "The times, they are a changin'. Latinos and their influence are here to stay."

You mean, John Ward, that just because you've finally seen Latinos on MTV, they've just arrived? Funny, but they've been in this country and have been contributing to its culture, popular and otherwise, for quite some time.

Regarding popular culture, perhaps you never noticed the mass appeal and "staying power" of Carlos Santana and Tito Puente, who've performed for millions of Americans of all stripes, but who obviously are not on MTV enough to be the kind of cultural force that you would notice, not to mention several other Latin American stars throughout this century.

And as the Republicans finally notice the Latino population (did George W. see Jennifer Lopez on MTV?), who are the ones with whom Latinos will identify for their sense of family values? Is it former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who recently dumped his second wife in favor of a woman young enough to be his daughter? Or Bob Livingston, who was going to be Newt's successor until his marital infidelity was revealed? Or Senator Jesse Helms, staunch defender of tobacco companies' right to push their narcotics? Perhaps it is the elder George Bush, who looked the other way while cocaine was smuggled into this country (maybe that would explain the behavior from which George W. has "grown up"). Or maybe it is Ronald Reagan, the only divorced president. Of course, one can name many Democrats who are not choirboys (see Bill Clinton, enough said), but can the Republicans really claim family values as their domain? They do want organized prayer in public schools and are for school vouchers.

And if you think that Republicans have such a sense of family and community just from their public posturing, one must suppose that your source of political information is as shallow as MTV.

Joe Erker

Program in Applied Mathematics