Letters

COUNCIL MEMBERS' VIEWS ON HERNANDEZ

Re "RidleyThomas Urges Calm Over Hernandez Issue," Oct. 30:

I am a native Angelena, an Anglo woman who has been married into the Latino
culture for 50 years. I have two grown children and four grandchildren. I
also had two beautiful nieces and one nephew who died of drug overdoses,
leaving between them five children without a parent. My husband and I were
part of the Chicano Moratorium. I have been to Sacramento as part of a task
force to help change racist textbooks. I want to say only this. Moderation
on the part of the L.A. City Council members, to me, would be putting aside
their differences and, for the good of the community, speak in a united
voice, requesting Mike Hernandez to step aside and do the right thing.

Nobody who has these addictive habits and continues to speak so abusively
to his fellow members is qualified to hold down such a responsible
position. To Councilman Hernandez overcoming your double addiction of
cocaine and alcohol is a fulltime job. Being a councilman is fulltime
also. The district does need a Latino voice. I am sure there are others
without major problems who can be elected and give strong leadership to the
community.

NORA ORTIZ Rowland Heights

* Enough of this political posturing of the City Council before the craned
necks of the paparazzi. Let the voters who voted Hernandez in vote him out
if they wish. Hats off to Bill Boyarsky (Oct. 30) for telling it like it
should be. If the council persists, then let the drug testing and breath
analyzing begin. Let him/her who is without drugs or alcohol cast the first
stone.

JOSE LOPEZ Monterey Park

* I am amused to hear members of the Los Angeles city government call for
the resignation of Hernandez. Apparently no one noticed anything unusual
enough to mention when Hernandez was living out of his car, using alcohol
and cocaine regularly and going to council meetings hung over and high on
cocaine. It seems odd to me that it is only after he is trying to live
drugfree and sober that these officials are lining up to condemn his
behavior.

DAVID SHEALOR Long Beach

* The despicable conduct of Hernandez and the deplorable rhetoric of Jackie
Goldberg and Nate Holden have convinced me to support secession from the
city. The bad news is that I live in the midWilshire district.

LEE M. JOCKERS Los Angeles