‘Decency’ of GOP’s Fuentes Questioned

Re “Charges Won’t be Filed in O.C. Poll Guard Case” (May 25): Thomas Fuentes, chairman of the county Republican Party, should have quit while he was ahead basking in his victory. The comments he made in regard to this terrible denigrating action on behalf of his political party were worse than adding salt to an open wound.

He is quoted as having said: “We have known from the start that there was never any violation of law, in fact or ever intended, and the brouhaha which ensued was purely the manipulated political effort of (Assembly Speaker) Willie Brown and his Democrat machine.”

How dare Mr. Fuentes think that there aren’t Chicano/Latinos in Orange County who can think for themselves? Mr. Brown wasn’t here calling any shots. He did not order any uniformed guards to stand around polling places intimidating people. I don’t know Mr. Brown. Sorry, Mr. Fuentes, wrong is wrong.

If Mr. Fuentes had any decency left as a Hispanic person and any pride in his heritage and respect for his Catholic faith, he would have publicly apologized for the great disservice he has done the Chicano/Latino people of Orange County. He not only insulted the Democrats but Republican Hispanics, as well.

Poll guards are intimidating, as guns are intimidating or police in uniform are intimidating. If poll guards were not posted to intimidate Latinos, what was their purpose? Was it to inform the voters of their civil rights? No! To deprive some people of their voting rights.

Too bad that Deputy Dist. Atty. Wallace J. Wade, who found that there was “reasonable doubt,” could not make enough of a case. However, this doesn’t exonerate the Republican Party of any wrongdoing.

We must not forget that many of our newest citizens come from countries where voting can be dangerous to their health, or where they couldn’t vote, or where their votes didn’t count anyway.

Those of us who are educators and believe in civil rights believe that one of our greatest and most sacred rights is the right to vote. Mr. Fuentes and his Republican machine has insulted us. The damage is greater than can be repaired with pieces of gold. Justice has not been done.

The investigators who have exonerated the Fuentes Republican machine of any wrongdoing are opening up the county to further harassment of Latinos by the political power structure that prevails. The Republican Party is afraid of losing its grip. The county is dynamic and growing, and people will get educated and vote. Democratically!

ENRIQUETA LOPEZ RAMOS, Santa Ana