Hispanic community needs its Congreso leader

Merely attending a rally for the president of the United States is enough to discount the qualifications and proven record of Carolina Cabrera DiGiorgio to lead Congreso de Latinos Unidos ("Calls for ouster of Congreso president," Tuesday)? We would rather have a leader who is not politically well-connected, open-minded, and embraces diversity of all kinds? We prefer a Congreso leader who perpetuates the myths that President Trump hates immigrants, religious minorities, and access to health care?

It's so pitiful to see the Hispanic community shooting itself in the foot. Carolina's honesty, integrity, and lack of hypocrisy demonstrate why the Hispanic community needs her fresh and dynamic leadership, especially if it truly believes that Trump is such a threat.

|Julia Bohnenberger, Wayne

We were once again treated to lengthy portraits of the "undocumented" (the correct term is illegal) immigrants in our community ("Special Report: Immigration Under Trump - The Undocumented," Sunday). We have been bombarded with a steady stream of such accounts and been told repeatedly what to think and feel about them, as well as about our fellow Americans who have the audacity to expect enforcement of our democratically enacted immigration laws.

How about something new? How about some stories about legal immigrants - the many people who did not jump the queue, cross our borders without permission, or overstay their visas. I am talking about those who patiently and carefully complied with our country's rules, thereby showing their respect for American sovereignty and the rule of law they claim to value by seeking our way of life. Likewise, I recommend a series on the millions of people worldwide who wait in line, often for years or even decades, for their chance to come to the United States legally. They are the truly undocumented, invisible, and forgotten.

|Amy L. Wax, Abington

Could you now publish a special report about the U.S. citizens displaced in the workforce by the unauthorized aliens?

|John H. Morley, Philadelphia, johnhmorleyjr@gmail.com

Tuesday's coverage of President Trump's international trip spoke of an American/Israeli/Arab alliance against Iran, the "existential threat" of the Middle East. Nowhere is there any analysis of the fact that Iran is the only functioning democracy in the Middle East. Iran just had a presidential election in which 70 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots for the more liberal candidate. While we deride Iran, we support Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, which virtually sponsored 9/11, encourages hatred of Shiites, squelches human rights, and treats women worse than second-class citizens, who need a male guardian to travel in public.

American policy is not based on the support of democracy, but neoconservative strategic policy that gave us the debacles of Vietnam and Iraq (which our invasion opened to Iranian influence).

If 70 percent of Americans voted in the last election, we might not have this anti-democracy, anti-press president.

Acknowledging that Iran is not a pariah state will allow us to support its elected leaders, who support the Iran Nuclear Treaty, and bring them closer to the norm. Our track record in using war as a means of foreign policy has shown that course of action to be an utter failure.

|Michael S. Rothmel, Mount Holly

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued an Orange Alert for air quality last week. As the parent of an asthmatic child, I grow increasingly concerned that we're not placing enough emphasis on air quality in the region. Case in point: your recent reporting on a 20 percent jump in methane emissions in Pennsylvania ("Methane up at natural gas sites in Pa.," May 16).

Anyone who has watched his or her child gasp for breath has all the motivation needed to learn what's up. Methane emissions from the natural-gas industry, combined with volatile organic compounds, including benzene, a carcinogen, lead to increased ozone smog that is harmful to developing lungs. Children and senior citizens struggle most with this compromised air quality.

Leaks can be plugged, and venting and flaring of natural gas can be halted. Perhaps industry doesn't care, but parents do.

May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, but it's always a good time to remind Gov. Wolf that he made a commitment in January 2016 to cut methane emissions. Clean-air protections need to be acted upon immediately.

|Paige Wolf, Philadelphia

The commentary, "Society must be clear about the dangers of binge drinking" (May 17), presented important issues involved with this deadly - for some - party activity.

However, as a medical scientist who has testified in court in cases involving deaths caused by drunk drivers, I want to present one additional aspect of which most drinkers - especially the young - are not aware.

The body has a very limited ability to break down alcohol, about two-thirds of a drink per hour. When a person drinks more than one alcoholic beverage per hour, the alcohol level in the blood rises. It is coming in faster than the body can break it down. This becomes deadly when a person has multiple drinks in 60 minutes or less; blood alcohol can rise rapidly, to a fatal level.

Sadly, this occurs on college campuses and is a cause of death. It does not involve an inebriated person falling down and hitting his or her head or any other body part. He or she can be sitting the entire time and not suffer any physical injury. He or she will die.

|Frederick J. Goldstein, Drug Interaction Services, Ambler