A FISH TALE
Thank you for continuing to publish a high-caliber magazine with such diverse articles, all of them quite interesting. Even though I have lived on the East Coast for more than 50 years after graduating from Marymount College, I am a third-generation Californian and enjoy the articles about Los Angeles area history. Thus, I was interested in the articles on tuna fishing (“A Fish Tale” and “Letter From L.A.: King Tuna”) in the winter 2013 issue. Having Portuguese ancestors who were fishermen in the San Pedro area (Wilmington), I had not realized that a Japanese community of fishermen lived on Terminal Island prior to WWII in addition to the truck farms on Palos Verdes. And in this 50th anniversary year of Vatican II, I enjoyed seeing its welcoming messages reflected in several of the articles.
Therese Bruneau Martin ’58
Reston, Va.
I read your article “King Tuna” and was taken back to stories and people from my past and my father’s past. He was born in 1919 and passed away this last August at age 93, and I never thought that his experience as a fisherman would be written about. He told me stories about how, in dense fog, people would run dogs and make them bark to keep boats from running aground. His brother, Stan, who he said could think like a fish, always found the biggest schools. He and all his brothers hauled bait and fished anchovy. They brayed mackerel when the tuna weren’t running. All this is in very small boats running great distances north and south of San Pedro. The ocean was a major source of income for a great many people, not just the Japanese community. My dad and his brothers were the last of those fishermen who fished with poles. Fishing with poles gave the tuna a fighting chance. What put all these men out of work ultimately was Chicken of the Sea and their use of the purse-seiner net system. The shoals of tuna were fished out by greed. Guys like my dad, all his brothers and others are part of a long list of men who fished, and fed their families and the world. God Bless them all.
Jim Belcher ’73
Ventura, Calif.
I enjoyed the article “A Fish Tale” in your winter issue. As a marketing manager for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I was pleasantly surprised when you invited readers to learn more about sustainability issues by sending them to our Seafood Watch program on our site. We recently updated our recommendations and now our guides have become more useful to consumers seeking to make best choices for healthy oceans. We also have iPhone and Android versions available at our website. Thanks!
Lorraine Yglesias ’84
Monterey, Calif.
SLAVE ANCESTOR TESTIMONIES
I got chills when I read how Albert Raboteau ’64 (“Hearing Voices,” Winter 2013) describes the black slaves of the American South, who are central to much of his theological scholarship: “people who had been through fire and refined like gold.” Raboteau’s recounting of his father’s tragic death and the infuriating racism Raboteau himself experienced, along with his explanation of how those things became part of his religious study, reminded me of something important I learned as a theology major at LMU: Human experience is a crucial, irreplaceable source theology.
José Martinez ’11
Los Angeles
KXLU’S EARLY DAYS
Your recent article (“Diagram KXLU,” Winter 2013) and accompanying video singing the praises of KXLU’s spot in music history were very gratifying to see. The early 1970s were exciting days of transition, while also a little scary, and it’s nice to see it all paid off so well. The first big step was “Alma Del Barrio” in 1973. I still remember Kiki Soto and his dozen or so closest friends coming into my student manager’s office asking for a slot to play Latin salsa music. It occurred to me that we had plenty of free time on the weekends; I told them we had airtime open on Saturday and Sunday between noon and 5 or 6. Kiki said, “We’ll take it all,” and KXLU immediately jumped from 42 to 54 hours of broadcasting each week.
Don Rooney ’75
KXLU student manager, 1973–75
Harrisburg, Pa.
GETTING IN
I cried so hard when I received my acceptance letter to LMU (“Did You Get In?”, Winter 2013). I remember standing in front of my mailbox in Chicago and thinking, “Oh, my God, my dream has come true.” In that moment, I felt thankful for LMU and promised myself to put my heart and soul into my work there. My time at LMU was one of the best experiences of my life. I met people who will be in my life forever and teachers who have helped me in my law school career. I created my own radio-TV show, “Late Nights with Lexi” at LMU, performed in a rock band and acted in plays. The creative opportunities were endless. I will always give back to LMU.
Alexandra DiTommaso ’10
Chicago
IMPROVEMENT NOTED
Recent issues of the LMU magazine are a great improvement over former years. Keep up the good work.
Fliegle Walters ’55
Tigard, Ore.
ONLINE
FREEDOM FOR THE INNOCENT
I wish Franky Carrillo Jr. (“A Murder Charge Overturned,” at magazine.lmu.edu) the best of success with his studies at LMU. I must commend Loyola Law School’s Center for Restorative Justice for their work, and all those who did the legal leg work to correct this injustice, and the District Attorney for having the courage to give this case a fresh look. Courtroom lies by witnesses and too often by agents who control the witnesses are systemic. Thankfully, the witnesses had the heart and courage to now tell the truth that provided the path to justice.
Bob Wheeler ’72
Oakland, Calif.
Wow, what a powerful story. I’m very impressed with Carrillo’s outlook and his ability to move past being angry. This story also makes me proud of my Jesuit education and the people from LMU who contributed to his release.
Erin Zangari ’07
Kirkland, Wash.
LMU — living out its mission.
Luis S. Garcia
LMU Ph.D. candidate
Los Angeles
CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE RAGES
Our story, “Climate Change Is the Target,” which appeared at magazine.lmu.edu, sparked a storm of debate. Here are some excerpts from the comments.—The Editor.
As a graduate of Loyola with a postgraduate degree in meteorology from Penn State, I find it hard to understand how scientific principles can be misused to support a desired conclusion. Global warming is a hoax. True scientists don’t change data to correct a conclusion that is not to their liking. Now that we are in a cooling trend, how do they account for it? Change their models?
Leonard J. Krakowiak ’58
Everyone needs to remember that consensus is not truth or fact, and modeling is not evidence.
Dennis McLaughlin ’69
I could not be more disappointed by many of the comments on this article. The teach-in was a discussion centered around what we can do to be more efficient with our use of water, oil, natural gas, etc. There are certainly problems with how we choose to conduct ourselves regardless of any need to agree about climate change. Do you honestly believe that we’ve got it right now? Is polluting our water, our land and our atmosphere a good thing? Thankfully, we have an open-minded student body that cares about the environment and doesn’t get caught up in this nonsense.
Jennifer Pate
Associate Professor, Department of Economics
As a current graduate student in the Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Department, I can assure you that the professors and curriculum have absolutely no bias toward an assumption of climate change. Throughout my collegiate career, I was not interested in or worried about climate change; I was simply learning the tools to be a successful engineer. Only recently, after doing some reading in peer-reviewed journals and scientific reports and becoming more aware of local and global news, have I begun to recognize climate change as a real issue, and climate change caused by human action (directly and indirectly) as a definite possibility.
Joshua Calistro ’10
HABEMUS FRANCISCUM
Thomas J. Rausch, S.J., (“Habemus Franciscum,” magazine.lmu.edu) has a great perspective on the history of the papacy from Vatican II through the present installation of Pope Francis. I had the privilege of sitting in on one of his talks on this topic during the Catholic seminar series at the new Catholic Christ Cathedral (formerly Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral) in Orange, Calif., in February. After listening to his predictions on the direction the Catholic Church is moving toward, I find it truly remarkable to have these firsts in the papacy: a first South American, a first Jesuit, and a first Francis to become Pope. I’m so appreciative of my formal LMU foundation and education in theology and the teachings of the Society of Jesus.
E. Eric Enriquez ’89
Mission Viejo, Calif.
I only hope the new Pope is not tainted by his earlier association with abuses in Argentina, including the charge that he condoned human rights violations by the military who took over the government. A more loving attitude toward those who are gay would also help heal some deep wounds. But we can hope for much from one who, as cardinal, lived in a rented apartment, rode the bus and cooked his own meals. A prayer said for Pope Francis is truly a prayer said for us all.
Leo McElroy ’53
Sacramento, Calif.
Thank you, LMU, for showing more awareness of and respect for a major event in the Catholic Church — a new Pope, the first from Latin America, the first who is a Jesuit, the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, etc. I remember my theology classes with Fr. Rausch, and appreciate his perspective on this momentous occasion. Viva el Papa!
Christiane Hoffman ’00
San Diego
ALEX COWLING AIMS AT WCC RECORD
My wife and I were visiting our son at LMU and watching a soccer game when we met Alex Cowling. It was a pleasure meeting such a wonderful young lady and athlete!
Ruben Lopez
I have faith in you, Alex!
Seranda Bray ’08
ROY’S LION
SUSHI ROLL
That’s Real Food. Thanks, LMU! (“Favorites,” Winter 2013)
Alex Kaabi ’99
SOCIAL ISSUES MOVIES
Marilyn Beker, who you interviewed at your magazine website (“Social Issues Movies and How to Write Them”), was always one of my favorite professors when I was a student at LMU.