ALL ABOUT ANDY
It was a great pleasure to read HISPANIC Magazine’s interview with Andy Garcia and costars of The Lost City. As a Cuban American, I want to thank them for having the courage to make a movie realistically portraying the Cuban situation, rather than a romanticized version. Let’s educate people in the world once and for all as to what really happened on the island, and what Fidel Castro’s regime is all about.

It is true that Che Guevara murdered over 2,000 people without even a trial—he was a terrorist like Stalin and a violator of human rights, not the visionary the Cuban propaganda portrays him as. It is true that there were abuses of power under Batista, or the revolution would not have advanced. It is true that life in Cuba today is not what it seems—my relatives on the island are constantly asking for money and medicines because although there is free healthcare, hospitals can’t even provide patients with bedsheets, so they must bring their own from home. And it is true that Fidel [Castro] has made the U.S. embargo the scapegoat for his failed regime and the Cuban people’s suffering, but as my American friend told the Cubans when she visited the island,“Most of my clothes and belongings are made in China, Taiwan and Korea, and if the U.S. can buy it there, surely so can
Fidel Castro.”

MARIA LOPEZ
Miami, FL.

The first letter in Voces of your April 2006 edition describes the Cuban capital, in English, as “La Havana.” It’s either“Havana” in English or “La Habana” in Spanish, but never “La Havana.”

On a related issue, I wish to commend you on publishing that great interview with Andy Garcia, especially the part (on pages 58 and 60) where he takes on those who hold naive and ignorant views about Che Guevara and the nature of the current Cuban regime, respectively. Garcia says: “As an exile you know the lack of civil liberties and freedoms that Cubans have, but people in America don’t know that. The majority of people here know very little about American history, let alone Cuban history.”

I couldn’t agree more!

JUAN J. WALTE
Alexandria, VA

I want to make some comments on the February issue about the “25 Most Powerful Hispanics.”

I think that you made a very good choice in that list of people, but there’s one exception. I would certainly pull Tony Garza out of that list. Why should we bother to place him among our most powerful people, when he is an all anti-immigrant type of person. Furthermore, as a politician he has very low diplomatic skills. He is always criticizing Mexico’s government way of fi ghting against organized crime, or simply blames Mexico as the one responsible for all the drugs entering the U.S. The narcotics issue is a binational problem where the United States and Mexico must try to work together, but Mr. Garza with his accusations simply divides the relations between these countries.

Finally, just as a suggestion in your list, why you did not include New Mexico’s Gov. Bill Richardson? I think, that as the only Hispanic governor currently in offi ce, he really deserves a place in that list. Because if we are talking about people with power, Mr. Richardson as a governor has power, right?

JULIO LOPEZ
Stockton, CA

PUJOLS CURVEBALL
I am writing in regards to your magazine, HISPANIC's April 2006 edition. In it you have a great layout of the “Top 10 Latinos in Baseball,” by Sean Farrell. On page 42 the fi rst person you mention is Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. The only problem is that that is not Albert Pujols and not only that, the person in the picture has a Houston Astros uniform on.

I love your magazine because being a Nuyorican, my Spanish isn’t the greatest and I like to read about my Hispanic culture. To fi nd a magazine that does it in English is delightful. It’s amazing that this could happen to an article about our own people. Attention to detail is key. We should be fi ghting to do all our work to the highest standards. Keep up the great work.

RICHARD SERRANO
New York, NY

As an Astros fan I was stunned when I saw the Astros’ Brandon Backe’s picture in the space for Albert Pujols’ story! For a moment there I was ecstatic that Pujols was with the Astros now!

Don’t play with us like that! My heart rate is just getting back to normal. I’d love to have Albert playing with the Astros, but I don’t think the Cardinals will let him go for maybe 15 years.

RAUL FLORES, JR
Houston, TX

THE GREAT IMMIGRATION DEBATE
I am so incensed by my race’s attitude toward illegal immigrants that I want to send as many e-mails around letting the Hispanic community know that I support them. Whites control most of this country and they have made a huge mess of illegals by egging them on to come here and then treating them badly once they are here.

I am sorry. I will continue to voice my opinion against this in front of others.

JOHN SILEO
Commerce, TX

The Latino marches of 2006 have become a wake-up call across America. Today, the sleeping giant has finally awoken to show its pursuit of the American Dream and to be recognized for its contribution as hard workers showing their impact and role in American society. No longer will racism and anti-Latino bigotry continue to deny the Latino population a well-deserved democracy. A new page in history took place to ensure their peaceful march will be the light at the end of the tunnel for their positive activism of the century!

CHARLES SANO
W. Sacramento, CA

As the new immigration law targeted at illegal immigrants (most of them Mexicans) began appearing in every major newspaper in America, Hispanics have been taking to the streets to voice their opinion. I felt it my obligation to voice mine. Had it not been for one Mexican crossing into the United States in 1954 I would not be a Mexican-American today, nor would I have been able to faithfully serve my country for over 20 years. I was not the first, nor will I be the last to serve my country in this way.

Although my father came into the United States legally, many other Mexicans have not. Today there are a great number of children with United States citizenship, who were born of illegal immigrants. Will these children be deported back to Mexico with their parents? Or perhaps these politicians intend to leave them orphaned in the United States? Have these politicians also forgotten that Hispanics have received our nation’s highest military honor—the Congressional Medal of Honor—more than any other ethnic group in the history of the United States; and that the majority of the recipients were Mexican Americans? In addition to this, three of them were Mexican nationals fighting proudly for this country.

JESUS M. CANALES, JR.
United States Air Force, Retired
La Porte, TX

NAVARRETTE NATION
Today I read your opinion article in the April 2006 issue of HISPANIC Magazine, titled “There’s More Than One Color in The Rainbow” and I want to compliment you on your fine opinion article! It’s great to read a writer like you who understands the influence of Spain, New Spain, Mexico, Central America and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean on the Louisiana Purchase and the entire United States of America, including the great city of New Orleans.

You do put things in perspective very well. For people of African origin in the aforementioned region, we Americans can only hope that they all do whatever they can to help themselves and try like other heritage groups to lift themselves up by the veritable bootstraps, and become appropriate role models for their young generation. The federal, state and local governmental entities can only do so much. Individuals have to help themselves at all times! My sombrero goes off to you, Señor Ruben Navarrette, Jr.

REYES MONTRÉAL III

MORE ON OUR AFRICAN ROOTS
My name is Venus Paloma Rodriguez, I am the proud granddaughter of the immortal singer-composer Bobby Capo. As you know, my grandfather was of African roots, he had to fight a lot of social injustices and prejudices in his time and his land to get to where he got. I would love to see more about our African roots in your magazine.

I am currently studying Bomba, the Afro-Boricua folkloric dance in the lower east side of Manhattan. There is a large community of Boricuas, like myself, that are extremely proud of our African roots and live a more Afrocentric life than a Spanish cultural lifestyle. This is the element that I feel is lacking in this magazine. I teach my children about their African heritage, they all have African names, this is my way of honoring my ancestors that could not be proud of being African!

Also I find that most of your ads have very stereotypical looking Hispanics, brown (straight or curly) hair, brown skin and eyes. I am a fair skinned, kinda yellow, woman with kinky hair (dreadlocks). I don’t look like the stereotypical Latina. In Puerto Rico there is a term for people with my look: Grifa. I would love to see more faces ranging from the blonde and blue eyes to the blackest Hispanics.

VENUS PALOMA RODRIGUEZ
New York, NY

CHALLENGING THE GAS GUZZLERS
After reading Julie Stav’s response to the individual concerned about commuting to work’s time and fuel expenses, I continue to be surprised by HISPANIC Magazine’s continued review of high-priced and/or less-than-fuel-efficient vehicles.

Your review of the Volvo C70 is a worthy article, but its $39,500 base price is just a bit high considering that many are working just to make ends meet. If one is going to buy a new car, why not suggest something that has fuel efficiency and is practical? By the way, the twoseater Pontiac doesn’t fit these parameters, either. A new Prius is very easy on the gas pocketbook, is relatively priced, and accommodates five people easily. As a 6-foot 2-inch male who needs to lose weight, I have driven and sat as a passenger in the back seat of this vehicle. Guess what? It works!

As I drive around the Dallas area, I notice that many Latinos drive large, fuel guzzling, and expensive-to-maintain vehicles. While one may argue that Latinos still consider automobiles a reflection of personal worth, both monetary and socially (how unfortunate and misguided that notion is), I am concerned that such a good publication such as yours would not take some of these issues head on. I understand that you, too, have bills to pay, but if you want us to become social citizens whose influence extends politically, environmentally, and educationally, you’ll need to start treating us as such. And at $3 a gallon, the cost of gasoline is going to take a big bite out of many low-wage workers when they go fill up Suburbans and pickups, and that Volvo.

Until then, I suppose I’ll have to hope that “Going Topless”(the title of your article) won’t just serve as a mindless doubleentendre that often reflects misogynistic and disrespectful attitudes toward women. Alas, that is a topic for a different letter.

SCOTT GONZLAEZ
Dallas, TX

Send us your comments! Address mail to: Hispanic, Letters to the Editor, c/o Page One Media, 6355 N.W. 36th St., Suite 401, Miami, FL 33166 or e-mail us at hispeditor@page1media.com. Letters should include writer’s full name, city and phone number. Not all letters can be printed, and those chosen for publication may be edited for space and clarity.