GOP alienating Hispanics

The anti-illegal-immigrant loudmouths of the Republican Party are alienating Hispanic voters. It doesn't matter if you have a taco in one hand and mariachi music in the background, shouting "English only" and "send all the illegal immigrants home" is perceived by Hispanics as anti-Hispanic.

Twenty years from now, when Hispanic voters are casting 80-plus percent of their votes for Democrats just as blacks now do, Republican strategists will look back on 2008 and wonder what were these people smoking. Hispanics are sensitive to insults and have long memories. I ought to know as I have been married to one for 40 years.

JOE KELLY, Chamblee

Preserve integrity, beauty of Jekyll Island

On a recent visit to Jekyll Island, my wife and I saw a display of the proposed revitalization of the central portion of our beautiful state park. The nice lady working for the Jekyll Island Authority described the plan to relocate the road that runs alongside the open beach. This would give the planned community more space on the beachfront for its hotels, timeshares and planned community, with a portion of the maritime forest cleared for additional parking.

Currently, when you drive onto the island and turn down Beachview Drive, you look directly out to the Atlantic Ocean. It's a wonderful, unencumbered view and makes you wonder how we have managed to preserve this rare specimen in this day and age. Everyone agrees there needs to be some revitalization for Jekyll.

The Jekyll Island Authorityhas decided to give this prime piece of our property to the developers of Reynolds Plantation. They have been given the right to realign, build and manage this property. Why? Who gave the Jekyll Island Authority the right to give our park away? There are many options for revitalization of Jekyll, but first we need to take back our state park and put together a plan that works for all citizens, and preserve the integrity and natural wonders of this rare island.

MIKE BRYANT, Atlanta

Turn Clayton into charter school system

Cynthia Tucker, in her usual manner, fails to place the blame where it belongs ("Give credit to Clayton crew for its contemptibility," @issue, Feb. 20). The problem with Clayton schools is the same problem with all government-run schools —- monopolies don't work! Let's all admit that government failures are not a shocker. Clayton just happens to be a little worse. Turn the Clayton school system into a charter system, invite qualified private operators in to bid on taking the schools over and watch them flourish. If the state can't muster the nerve to do that, then give each Clayton parent a $10,000-per-kid voucher to send their kids wherever they wish.

ALLEN HUGHES, Braselton

If Carter's to blame, then so is Reagan

Regarding "Soldiers' murders weren't Reagan's fault" (Letters, Feb. 19): As long as neocons continue to blame Jimmy Carter for everything from double-digit interest rates (set by the Federal Reserve) to rabbit fever and peanut blight, we liberals can saddle the Reagan administration with its "cut-'n'-run" debacle in Beirut. And Reagan's shortsighted firing of legally striking air traffic controllers plagues the nation's airways to this day. The facts hurt, don't they?

With all his negative rhetoric, why was Ronald Reagan hiding behind the U.N. anyway? You folks continue to worship a false God. And we all know Jimmy's nuke subs won the Cold War, not "tear-down-this-wall" speechifying.

CHARLIE WILLIS, Brookhaven

Bearden just wants to close loophole

In your editorial, you dismiss as "nativist" state Rep. Tim Bearden's constitutional amendment that would require state documents, including driver's license exams, to be in English ("Knee-jerk nativism," @issue, Feb. 20).

That would no doubt interest the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, whose safety regulations require drivers engaged in interstate commerce to "read and speak the English language. . . ." Drivers who cannot read and understand English cannot read highway warning or hazard signs on trucks. They cannot communicate with police or safety personnel in an accident or emergency.

Georgia's English law has glaring loopholes, so Bearden is right to offer his amendment to close them, especially regarding the state's absurd practice of giving the driver's license test in 11 foreign languages. If he succeeds, the people will be able to decide this important issue for themselves, democratically, at the polls.

K.C. McALPIN

McAlpin is executive director of ProEnglish in Arlington, Va.

Newt for VP!

Regarding a running mate for John McCain: Newt Gingrich. Someone who actually knows how to make the government work and can speak in complete sentences.

DAVE PORTER, Peachtree City