Licenciado Gustavo A. López Calderón
General Consul, Government of Guatemala
Dear Mr. Consul General,
I am writing regarding the terrible accident involving Guatemalan national Olga Marina Franco within the past week in Cottonwood Minnesota.
The patience of most Americans is already hard pressed in allowing illegal immigrants entry and de facto safe harbor in our country. However, Americans are absolutely incensed when those same people commit crimes and injure or even kill here. I believe you have some explaining to do.
The families whose children were killed or badly injured deserve the opportunity to ask (and expect timely answers to) the following important questions:
1. Have you or a representative of the consular staff contacted the families of those Americans killed and injured?
2. What compensation will the Government of Guatemala provide to the families of those that were killed or injured?
3. What are you doing to educate Guatemalan nationals that are living in the area (without authorization - eg. illegally) as to the importance of otherwise abiding by all US and applicable state laws?
4. What is the Government of Guatemala doing to raise awareness (in Guatemala) of the legal issues associated with illegal entry into the United States?
5. Do you think it is a satisfactory policy to casually ignore and tacitly encourage the export Guatemala's poor to the US - despite the vast cultural, economic, linguistic and educational differences between our countries? (Despite assumptions to the contrary, we do have our own poor here as well)
6. Most importantly, where is the justice for the four innocent children on their way to school that day? They broke no law, they followed the rules required of them. I would even be willing to guess that they would look favorably upon the possibility of striking up a friendship with a Guatemalan chosen at random. What will you do to ensure justice is done for them?
In closing, I would like to remind you that this is not the first high-profile incident of a Guatemalan involved in killing innocent Americans. Does the name Luis Alonso Martinez-Flores mean anything to you? I would be willing to bet that most of the families of the 184 Americans murdered at the Pentagon on 9/11/01 know it by heart. Yes, I know that you know who he is.
I eagerly await your response.
Sincerely,
<PhredE>
Photos from Cottonwood and Marshall Minnesota:
http://www.wctrib.com/gfx/photos/full/0 ... -copy1.jpg
http://www.wctrib.com/gfx/photos/full/bus1.jpg