illustration

Thursday, April 11, 1996Coping with suicide

Editor:

When someone takes their own life, it often touches a variety of
feelings within those of us who learn of the death. For some, the
predominant feelings are shock, bewilderment and confusion at
learning of the news.

We may feel sadness and hurt that the person felt so badly that
death seemed like a better option than living. Sometimes, we feel
loss ­ for the person, for the friendship, for what might have
been. If we knew the person, we often feel guilty for not
recognizing the person’s level of pain or for not responding to
what we did see, for not making an extra effort, for not doing …
something (even when we can’t identify what it is we should have
done).

Sometimes, we feel anger at the person for choosing death or for
intruding into our thoughts and feelings with their death. For
still others, the initial experience is a pervasive numbness, and
it is only later that feelings begin to emerge.

When someone takes their own life, we may also feel pain over
the path our own life has taken. This seems to be true particularly
if we have suffered loss, if we believe we will never have the love
we want or achieve the things we or others expect of us, or if we
feel trapped with no good way out. Sometimes, the choice the person
made resonates within us and we think about the option of taking
our own life.

All of these feelings and thoughts are part of the way we try to
make sense of loss, death and, ultimately, life. It is not always
easy to acknowledge and accept these feelings or to make sense of
this process; it takes time. The grieving and disruption caused by
this process are not quickly resolved. It helps to talk about these
experiences with others who are understanding and supportive.
Talking with friends and loved ones may be sufficient to allow the
grieving process to take its course.

But if it is not, or if you do not have someone to whom you can
turn to with these concerns, please consider the option of talking
with someone at UCLA’s Student Psychological Services. We are
available in 4423 Math Sciences, Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 p.m.
We can be reached at (310) 825-0768. We are also available in
A3-062 Center for Health Sciences at (310) 825-7985. When we are
closed, trained volunteers on the UCLA HELPLINE are available to
talk. They can be reached at 825-HELP, Monday through Friday from 5
p.m. to midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 8 p.m. to midnight. Other
options are also available. Call and we will help you locate one.
But, please, find someone with whom you can talk.

William Prescott

Associate director

UCLA Student Psychological Services

Immigration ignorance

Editor:

Following the Letters to the Editor regarding the recent beating
of the illegal immigrants, a disturbing trend has emerged. That the
comments smack of a liberal bias doesn’t surprise me. After all,
university campuses are filled with wide-eyed students and
sheltered faculty members who either haven’t learned about the real
world or prefer to think of it as some sort of utopia existing only
in their books.

That the letters completely ignore the problems created by the
tremendous influx of illegal immigrants does surprise me. That the
letters either disregard the right of "We The People" to control
our borders or hold that right in general contempt does surprise
me.

The letters of April 9 call for, among other things, an end to
all border checkpoints ("Checkpoint point?"). Why not? It would end
90 mph chases, yes, but what does this do to dissuade illegal
immigration? Nothing.

Another letter describes life in these United States as being
subjected to the tyranny of a police state ("Open borders").
Personally, I do not feel that this is a police state, but then I
do not knowingly break laws and then lead the police on high-speed
chases. This same letter calls for the establishment of open
borders. At the same time we might as well open up Fort Knox,
because no amount of tax increases would be able to keep up with
the escalating costs of this new immigration policy. One only has
to look at the current state of the county of Los Angeles and the
state of California to know that this is true.

I do not, in any way, condone the actions of the police in the
recent beating incident, but I do find it completely ludicrous to
call for an end to all efforts to control immigration. Immigration
laws are there for a reason.

Charles Moore

Alumnus

Class of ’86

Welcome to California

Editor:

As a native of California, I, among others, feel falsely
represented by A. Aanand Patel’s statement that we "are sick and
tired of having to pay the cost of social services for illegal
immigrants" ("Better borders are needed against illegals," April
8).

Personally, I’m proud that, in some indirect manner, I’m
contributing to the betterment of people in need. Clearly, the
"migrant farm areas" and sweat shops they end up working in are not
providing them with adequate, if any, social services.

Therefore, the undocumented Americans are more than welcomed to
use the services my tax dollars fund. Bienvenidos. Mi casa es su
casa. Cuidense de los amargados violentos como Patel.

Alberto "alien" Barboza

Fifth-year

Art as social action

War with Mexico?

Editor:

Better border needed against illegals? I think I get the idea.
Let’s build a wall like the one that was built in Berlin with
barbed wire and armed guards who shoot and assault people trying to
cross. We’re halfway there with the armed guards, but I don’t think
A. Aanand Patel believes this is enough ("Better borders needed
against illegals," April 8).

From what I read, I’m assuming he’s suggesting that the united
states of amerikkka go to war with Mexico: "After all, the military
is equipped and trained to protect this nation: let’s put them to
work protecting our nation’s border." The government can then take
over Mexico and use the population as seasonal slave labor ­
it wouldn’t be the first time.

Patel’s argument surpasses absurdity and ventures into the
rhetoric of hate that people like Tom Metzger call truth. More
importantly, is Patel’s failure to address the issue of brutality
and the lack of respect for human rights Riverside sheriff’s
demonstrated with their batons.

I wish people would stop hiding behind the terms "illegal" and
"legal" and say what’s really on their minds: "I don’t want no
beaners living next door to me!!!" It will lessen the insult on our
(undesirable immigrants’) inferior mentality.

Pete "alien" Galindo

Third-year

History/Chicano studies

Power of words

Editor:

A. Aanand Patel, a self-proclaimed "non-immigrant," claims he
strongly supports immigration, but only that immigration which is
sanctioned by "our" law ("Better borders needed against
illegals,"April 8). All other immigrants are not only illegal, but
some type of supernatural, subhuman "aliens," who are constantly
being "rewarded for breaking our laws."

I find it amazing what a college education can do. I won’t
address the tone of his column, but rather I’d like to commend
Patel for his form, his style. But most of all, his mastery of
diction.

It’s interesting how the use of words such as "aliens" and "our
laws" can be used to easily deny a person of basic human
rights.

But, I have one problem: When Patel says that illegal immigrants
are a slap in the face to those who have chosen to obey the law, I
think he’s a little mixed up, a tad confused, slightly
disillusioned; I think he might be confusing his terms.

How does that statement apply to the cases of Hong Il Kim, who
was shot to death by Orange County police two months ago; the much
publicized beatings of Vasquez and Flores (just days before Patel’s
column); and the thousands of undocumented cases of abuse upon the
diverse group of "aliens" on both sides of the border?

To many African American "aliens," Asian American "aliens," gay,
lesbian and bisexual "aliens" and Chicana/o, Latina/o "aliens,"
this abuse is an everyday reality. Patel, can you please tell me
just who is getting slapped in the face here?

Monica "alien" Serafín

Third-year

English

Media resentment

Editor:

I’m fed up with all the illegal/legal immigrant bashing. I’m
tired of all the naive statements made by people. The recent
beatings captured on videotape are nothing more than a result of
Proposition 187. Proposition 187 has declared open season on all
Latinos.

Proposition 187 and the media have managed to foster hatred and
resentment towards Latinos. The fact of the matter is that most
illegal immigrants come here to earn an honest living. In fact,
they end up contributing more than what they presumably take.

Illegal immigrants not only pay local sales taxes, but also
income taxes. Contrary to popular belief, very few receive public
assistance. They are reluctant to apply for any type of government
aid, as they fear deportation. Many children of illegal immigrants,
and illegal immigrants themselves, have gone on to become doctors,
lawyers, teachers ­ productive members of society.

The media does not focus on this aspect because it would not be
newsworthy and would not "sell." The only goal of the media is to
create a feeding frenzy that will agitate mindless imbeciles.
Illegal immigrants are proud, hardworking people that merely seek a
better life for themselves and their loved ones. (Should this be
considered a crime?)

Many seek work on street corners, sometimes abused by
unscrupulous bosses. They endure the hot scorching sun selling
oranges or picking the harvest. These people that we are all quick
to label "criminals" would rather do this than sit on a street
corner and ask for spare change, like some able-bodied U.S.
citizens do. They do not take jobs away from U.S. citizens, as many
U.S. citizens would rather go on welfare or resort to a life of
crime than work for minimum wage ­ and under the same working
conditions to which illegal immigrants are exposed.

The recent sweatshop discovered in El Monte is a prime example
of the working conditions faced by illegal immigrants everyday. And
yes, not all illegal immigrants come from Mexico.

Illegal immigrants come from all over the world, including
Europe. The only difference is that the light-skinned ones are
referred to as "foreigners" or "Europeans." These
foreigners/Europeans are more easily accepted in our society, but
nevertheless are guilty of the same "crime" as Latino
immigrants.

While I condemn illegal immigration, I would like to caution
everyone in making naïve and ignorant remarks about these
people. We should all be sensible enough to study the facts about
them and not let the racist media influence our thinking. The
officers involved in the beating of the two illegal immigrants
should be penalized to the full extent of the law, as they clearly
violated the civil rights of two human beings.

Illegal immigration should not be a political football used by
politicians who would do and say anything to gain a few votes. The
battle against illegal immigration should be fought at the border,
not in the media.

Leonel Ibarra

Administrative analyst

Graduate Student Support

The blame game

Editor:

A. Aanand Patel’s chaotic attack against Mexicans ­ more
specifically, illegal immigrants ­ is xenophobia, paranoia and
scapegoating of both illegal and legal immigrants for downturns in
the economy ("Better borders needed against illegals," April
8).

Patel places disproportionate blame on a people who risk their
lives to work in jobs that not many desire. Risking their lives,
illegal immigrants build your buildings, pick your agriculture,
clean your toilets, mow your lawns, sew your clothes, can your
food, raise your kids and on and on.

There is no free ride in the United States ­ citizen,
resident or illegal. Any benefits received by immigrants, mainly
limited to basic education and emergency health care, which
Proposition187 hoped to take away, do not outweigh the benefits
their cheap labor provides to the U.S. economy and to your everyday
life.

Patel is correct in not subscribing "to the notion that this is
a fair system." It isn’t. The exploitation of immigrants as a
cheap, underpaid terrorized work force outweighs any supposed free
ride Patel suggests.

Patel wants to "dismantle the incentives that are driving
illegals into America." Subscribing to the simplistic, politically
used push-pull theory of immigration, Patel ignores the historical,
economic and political complexity of Mexican immigration.

Besides ignoring such issues as the aforementioned, Patel leaves
no room for discussing the human who actually migrates. How does
Patel know what drives an illegal immigrant to risk his/her life to
work in the north?

Obviously, it is more than a public education in an overcrowded
school or emergency health care in an overcrowded hospital that
drives thousands of people to shed blood, sweat and tears to work
here. There is something in their life’s survival, something I
suspect Patel knows nothing about, that makes a carload of people
fly as fast as they can away from something that is ugly, terrible
and fearful.

Mexicans are unique to this fight for survival in this part of
the earth. Asserting that California was once Mexico is not just a
"nice historical fact;" it explains why the No. 1 radio stations
and television newscasts are in Spanish. It explains why most
illegals in the Southwest are Mexican. The "nice historical fact"
explains why Los Angeles is transforming back into the original
Mexican city it once was.

To say that this is not Mexico is true, but don’t be too
reassured, because it looks more and more like Mexico everyday.
This may be the underlying cause of the current xenophobia and
racism. All the brown faces and Spanish frighten many. But it
should be of no surprise to those who know that California was once
Mexico. We all know (Patel especially, sensing from the urgency and
fear in his column) history is doomed to repeat itself.

Richard Villegas Jr.

La Familia

Fourth-year

English