The Answer Man

Two months into Gustavo Arellano's book tour for ¡Ask a Mexican!, a collection of many of his weekly columns, the U.S. Senate killed immigration reform — again. Arellano didn't need to hear the news to know what had happened; he could tell just by the intensity of his e-mail. "When...

By Patricia Calhoun

July 5, 2007

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Two months into Gustavo Arellano's book tour for ¡Ask a Mexican!, a collection of many of his weekly columns, the U.S. Senate killed immigration reform — again. Arellano didn't need to hear the news to know what had happened; he could tell just by the intensity of his e-mail. "When the column started, sure, we got the crazies," he says. "But with the discussion of the bill in the Senate, I've been getting more and more of the nasty e-mails — violent stuff because of amnesty: 'You cockroaches are going to go back to cleaning our toilets.' The way the death of this bill is being celebrated by people like Tom Tancredo, it's like they have the head of Osama bin Laden."

Arellano will be in Tancredo country tonight for a free 7:30 p.m. book signing at the Tattered Cover LoDo, 1628 16th Street. But although the country's most notorious opponent of illegal immigration is a Colorado congressman, Arellano — the California-born son of a tomato canner and an illegal — says his column gets a good response in Denver. And he's certain that his talk on what he's dubbed the Reconquista tour will do the same. "I'll read excerpts from the book, I'll have some remarks, and then I always open it up to questions and answers," he says. And just in case you don't get to ask your question, Arellano promises an all-Colorado column in the July 12 issue of Westword.

For more information on Arellano's appearance, go to www.tatteredcover.com. For more of his spicy advice, turn to page 9.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927