Drinking and Latino Men

* Congratulations to The Times and to Sonia Nazario for “Sobering Facts” (March 21), on the shameful “alcoholization” of Mexican American men and the devastating impact on our families and community environment, largely through the beer industry pushing its firewater. Clearly, Anheuser-Busch knows what marketing buttons to push: promotion, product, place and price; besides people, propaganda and politics.

And since money is the mother’s milk of politics, the companion piece, “A Brewing Controversy: Do Donations From Liquor Companies to Latino Groups Keep Them From Speaking Out on Health Issues?” provided a most sobering picture of the barriers to sobriety facing our hitherto heads-in-the-sand leaders, generally.

If state Sen. Richard Polanco, President Bill Clinton and I truly desire to honor our deceased alcoholic fathers, then we must pursue alcohol-control environmental strategies similar to those of tobacco control, whatever the greedy opposition of the beer lobby and its apologists. What the articles pointed out is the unconscionable decontrol system the booze industry has foisted on adult consumers, most of whom drink temperately.

RAY CHAVIRA, Member

L.A. County Commission

on Alcoholism, Palmdale

* It’s no surprise that a serious drinking problem exists among Latinos. Alcohol companies are just as guilty as the giant tobacco conglomerates in their disgusting and deplorable advertisements, which use cultural and sometimes religious icons. Those distasteful and stereotypical Miller TV ads displaying low-rider shows and Latino house parties are aimed primarily at Latinos of lower socioeconomic status. These brewing companies, along with Madison Avenue executives, should be ashamed!

CESAR MADRID

Orange