It’s time for Mexico to confront its own issues

Re “Mexico’s bluster, Mexico’s pride,� Opinion, Jan. 15

Gregory Rodriguez claims that if an unarmed American citizen were to be shot in the back by a Mexican police officer, there would be outrage. He is probably right.

However, if an American citizen with 11 arrests for violating Mexican law were shot while he was (again) violating that law while menacing a Mexican agent with a deadly weapon (a rock), I think that the only reaction from us would be one of “good riddance� to another criminal. And if the Mexican government and media would show the same level of outrage every time a Mexican police official murders a truly unarmed and innocent Mexican citizen, Mexico might improve.

JERRY BOURBON

San Diego

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Re “Mexico’s burden,� Current, Jan. 15

Sergio Munoz feels that the “mean-spirited� southern border fence shouldn’t be built because it would “humiliate� Mexicans.

Excuse me, but violating the rules to cross the border is rude, ill-mannered, impudent and discourteous behavior, as well as being illegal. That’s what is disrespectful. Especially in a post-9/11 world, it must be stopped.

What’s really going on here is that effective immigration control by the U.S. would remove an important social safety valve for Mexico. It would force the Mexican government to address endemic corruption and an underperforming economy. Additionally, it would put at risk the primary export earner -- the tens of billions of dollars sent back to Mexico by workers already here. Mexico doesn’t allow unrestricted immigration across its borders, and neither should we.

JON APPLEBY

Rancho Palos Verdes