Turned off by flag-waving Latinos

Although my ultimate disappointment is in the U.S. government and its past 50 years of nonenforcement of our laws, the recent marches by the pro-open border groups have changed my feelings of compassion and respect for the Mexican illegal immigrants.

During my childhood I had many Hispanic friends. Two of my best friends were the Reyes brothers. Over the years I continued to enjoy the Hispanic culture and what it offered to the American Dream.

This past week that outlook changed dramatically. The mass protests with the Mexican flags flying, the "Viva Mexico" slogans, shouts of American bigotry toward Mexico and illegal immigrants, and the multiple day walkouts of high school students--after the first day this was not a protest but anarchy--has changed my mind about illegal immigrants.

It appears I have been wrong for many years. These people do not want the American Dream and a better life for their families.

They want complete open borders, amnesty for all current and future illegal immigrants, and automatic United States citizenship without allegiance to the United States. They wish to change the American Dream into a socialist Hispanic republic, with American money funding allegiance to Mexico. This is a far cry from what the Reyes family wanted some 50 years ago and what my current Hispanic friends want. Yes these foolish few have changed the opinions of hundreds and thousands of Americans about the plight of the illegal immigrants - myself included. They have done a serious disservice to those of Hispanic origin that truly wanted the American Dream of a better life for their families. Ron Patterson Thousand Oaks