Re: Raymond A. Greenberg's Aug. 13 letter, "Lacking substance":
I must say that my family is getting sick of hearing who will harvest our fruits and vegetables if we ship out the illegal aliens in this state.
I wonder if anyone knows the meaning of "illegal" anymore? Wait until one of your family members is thrown out of a job because illegals will work for less money. There are plenty of people who would harvest the fruit and vegetables if given the chance. My son-in-law did plenty of picking when he lived in Monterey. His whole family did.
All of my friends used to work in the fields when we came here in 1962. The trucks used to pick them up at the elementary school where they walked their kids to school. And what is wrong with the idea Sheriff Joe Phoenix has? Why should people who break the law live in luxury at the local jails? Many of them could be out picking in the fields, but we have to baby them and not make them do one thing. This is why they come back time after time. Sheriff Joe has very few repeat criminals.
And I still remember the good old days when teenagers would come down the street with their dads' lawnmowers and offer to cut the lawns. But they were soon run out with all the illegals who are here. Is it any wonder that teenagers get into trouble? They have nothing to do!
As for who would clean your house, I have plenty of friends who do just that for a living. And they were people born and raised here. My own granddaughter has gone and done cleaning for many older people.
As for who washes the dishes at the local restaurants, there, once again, are plenty of people who would be willing to do it. My grandson did, and he is now in medical school in the U.S. Navy, which is something that Rep. Elton Gallegly helped him to do. I know plenty of people who would stand up and argue that Gallegly has done a fine job. If the rest of the Congress was there behind him instead of always against everything, things might be different.
I remember times, many years ago, when immigration agents came into homes here that were harboring illegal aliens and Gallegly was there right with them.
This is our biggest problem in this state. I am not against Mexican people. My next-door neighbors are wonderful, hard-working people. My husband's best friend was a Mexican young man. It is strictly the word "illegal" that gets to us.
Greenberg should stop and think before he tries to get people to agree that the millions of illegals have a right to be here. Where are my rights? I am a Cherokee Indian who was born and raised here. This is the country that my brothers and husband all fought for. Also, my grandson, two grandsons-in-law and granddaughter did their share in the military. I wonder sometimes where the America they fought for is, because it sure doesn't feel like it's here in California.
My whole family will be voting for Gallegly, as we have always done and will always do so as long as he is running for office. We think he has done a wonderful job.
-- Mary Maffei, Simi Valley