Letter: I am Swiss-American

Racism to me is when someone has to point out someone's race as a distinguishing feature of whom they and their stereotypes belong. For example, Swiss are clean and orderly. David Eppihimer states that "Grijalva is a disgrace," "but it has nothing to do with Raul Grijalva's ethnicity."

Eppihimer points out that Grijalva's values "poorly reflect on his Mexican heritage and American citizenship." Meanwhile, Pierson, unlike Grijalva, "works to honor and respect it" (his Mexian heritage). Further along in the article, Eppihimer asks "which is worse: a Mexican-American using the word Mexican?" which Pierson equates with "good manners and proper manners". Mexican usually refers to a Mexican National who is not an American citizen.

I agree with Grivalva's view that Pierson's views reflect his "self-loathing and denial."

Margaret Magruder

Downtown

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.