Story ‘Outrages’ Carson Resident

On Jan. 18, we, the citizens of the United States, officially celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who dreamed that one day individuals would be judged “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

My question to the Los Angeles Times: Is the Los Angeles Times really committed to making his dream a reality?

In an article (“Uneasy Carson Tries to Edge Away From ‘Rougher’ Compton,” Jan. 17) by Times staff writer George Stein, community was positioned against community by reporting that many residents of Carson do not wish to be associated with the City of Compton due to its high degree of crime.

Stein’s article then proceeded to position blacks against blacks by identifying the demographic mixes of Compton and Carson, along with the perceptions of Compton as a “run-down black community,” with some areas that are nice; and Carson as a well-off, middle-class black community.

As a person who resides in Carson and spends more than 60% of his time awake working in Compton, I am extremely outraged at Stein’s article. Compton is a city with pride. There are many individuals, like myself, who reside in Carson and who are working toward the resurgence of Compton’s physical, economic and social development.

With the recent outburst of racist comments about blacks by former Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis and television sportscaster Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder, it is not surprising that the Los Angeles Times contributes in the perpetuation of racism toward blacks.

Stein’s article is far from journalism since he chose to present the views of a few rather than the voices of the majority. I must conclude from Stein’s article that the answer to my question is no.

Based upon the statements and comments made by Carson Councilwoman Vera Robles DeWitt and Carson Planning Commissioner Charles Peters, their answer to my question would also be no. DeWitt and Peters accomplished nothing more than verbal genocide of the black community in both Compton and Carson.

The Los Angeles Times should strive to bring communities together rather than push them apart. I trust it was not the intent of Stein’s article or The Times to be insensitive to the City of Compton.

The highest honor we can give Dr. King is to work hard at making his dream come true.

CHARLES S. WILLIAMS

Carson