Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Anyone who has a view about the propriety of the use of "begs the question" to mean "poses [or raises] the question" should read this essay by Bryan Garner.

Addendum: See here (and here). Philosophers never owned the term "begs the question"; but even if they did, they've lost it through adverse possession.

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To the Editor:

Re “Whatever Happened to Latino Power?” (Sunday Review, Jan. 3):

Roberto Suro essentially argues that Latinos are of one mind, and worse, focused on one issue—immigration. This, if it were true, would be extremely limiting in our current electoral system. Immigration is a political high-wire act for those who support immigrants and a no-brainer, loaded with political currency, if you malign them. O.K., I get that.

But immigration is far from a single issue. It’s central to economic policy, national security and humanitarian relief. It’s linked to health care, education and the reunification of families. Latinos know this complexity and thus engage variously with the issues of immigration.

Further, immigrants are not strangers or even distant relatives to millions of Latinos. They are part of our families—children, parents, cousins—and our neighborhoods in so many ways. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, at least nine million people live in families made up of at least one immigrant and one citizen. Supporting immigrants is not folly, but directly in many of our interests. To not talk about immigration is to stick one’s head in the sand.

Finally, electoral politics is politics. Sure. But so are community organizing, union politics and voting in your parent-teacher association. If Mr. Suro looked past the ballot box, he would see Latino political power in action.

DAVID HERNÁNDEZ

Northampton, Mass.

The writer is an assistant professor of Latino studies at Mount Holyoke College.

Note from KBJ: Is there a point to this letter? If there is, it escapes me.

Meaning is use. If people use the expression "begs the question" to mean "poses the question," then that's what it means. See here. To insist that there is only one meaning of the term, and that it's the one philosophers give it, is pedantic, arrogant, and false.

Even cows are planning to vote for Donald Trump! (Thanks to Mark Spahn for the image.)

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Live at Massey Hall 1971 (2007). An amazing talent.