Does mayoral candidate Charles Hart miss the days when there were less Mexicans in Santa Ana?

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• Art: Appreciate the plug, but it was Henry's son, Horace, who was a Floral Park resident and a DA! Although Horace wrote a piece defending his dad's involvement in the Klan!

  • Gustavo,

    Thanks for the correction!

• Art,

  Seriously, the issue is the culture of impunity, the massive crime, the failed schools (with a few shining exceptions), the almost wholesale civic neglect and other issues directly related to massive overcrowding and lack of involvement that is the natural result of huge numbers of illegal immigrants living in Santa Ana. Mexicans are not the problem at all - the Hispanic/Latino culture is what makes Santa Ana so great. But tens of thousands living outside the law, and the municipal culture that preys on them and their lack of civic involvement keeps Santa Ana down.

• Sorry to say this, but when i read these articles, it gets me going, why? Well, its simple. You seem to "defend" the "Mexican" people here in Santa Ana, but honestly, tell ME; DO YOU think its safe for our kids to play outside at night? NO! Yes, the culture Hispanics carry is great, but it doesn't help saying its great. This city isn't safe, this city ISN'T great. This city is going down the drain if we don't get it together. FORGET about race, it seems people like you get all worked up when people criticize the city, but the true honest thing is you get worked up because they "diss" your race(or you think they do). I bet if i came out and said: "Santa Ana is a horrible city!" you would call me a racist, before you found out what my actual ethnicity is. As much as there are racist, you have to let it go and see the things that are going around this city that gives them(racist) the right to criticize. Santa Ana has the worst crime, the worst schools, the worst parks, the worst streets. Its just TRUE. Being of Mexican descent, i HATE reading article on the OC register about another shooting that, like ALWAYS, involves Hispanics. I honestly think its the Hispanic culture that might be wrong here, i really do sometimes. its just something i hate. So stop defending the race, this city isnt safe, and yes it was better "back then" (1960s) but hey, IM NOT MENTIONING RACE, it was a safer city 40 years ago, that's just true. i remember having fun with neighbors here in late afternoon when i was a kid, but do i let my son and daughter do that? No. Its obvious why.So quit defending useless things. Its truly YOUR view Art. If i say this city has gone down the drain, will you criticize me knowing im of Mexican descent? Tell me, ill be waiting for your response...

• I wonder if you will approve my comment. We shall see, be a man Art, i want to hear you out.

• Chelsea - great post. Too bad Art hasn't answered. Claiming Santa Ana is great is missing many points, and I used that word too quickly. What I should have said is that Mexicans themselves aren't the problem, the CULTURE of apathy, neglect, impunity and lawlessness is - regardless of race/ethnicity.

  Stating that Santa Ana is great now ignores reality and greatly damages all of its residents. Failed schools - the vast majority - are creating a permanent underclass of uneducated residents incapable of truly succeeding in life. Unchecked gang activity, everyday shootings, stabbings and assualts in residential neighborhoods create fear, uncertainty and insecurity, The crumbling infrastructure only reinforces the message that residents (illegal or not) are on their own.

  Folks like Art ignoring the problems and trying to put a positive spin on Santa Ana's plight are only perpetuating the problems and keeping it down. The police cannot solve the gang problems, only neighbors and parents can. Same goes for the schools. Accountability is the only solution, and no one is proposing holding anyone accountable - finger pointing at "haters" and "racists" won't solve a damn thing.

• Ridiculous. Someone makes a comment about the past and automatically someone else twists it to being racist. Today there is still racism and one day today will become the past. Does that mean that I cannot reminisce about today one day in the future without someone saying that I am racist because I liked the past?

  • Sal,

    Why are you excusing this guy? If you look at the total picture you cannot help but derive the obvious. Hart appears to be yet another extremist tea bagger Republican.

    Why would someone with a Latino surname be OK with that?

• Art, I posted a comment can you get it out of spam?

• Chelsea, you are a woman after my own heart!

  Good for you woman!

• Why is "someone with a Latino surname" even mentioned in the admin's post? I do not consider this a discussion or expression of the topic. Is the admin assuming that everyone with a "Latino surname" should fall in line with a stereotypical role? I don't fall in line with anyone unless they have genuinely honest held beliefs as in this case to improve the way of life in Santa Ana. I have lived in Santa Ana all my life and I can understand candidate Hart's statement, but I don't agree with slamming someone who desires to improve the quality of life. If Hart was running on an overt hostile campaign filled with hot catch phrases then I would disagree with him. I wish Santa Ana had better schools like when I attended too, so I am willing to let candidates try doing what they say. I attended the candidate forums held before previous elections and I think that is the best place we as citizens can see for ourselves.