Inner-City Black Youths

Everyone should read the column by Gibbs on black inner-city males. It is time that the general populace stopped passing off this group as being lazy and immoral and tried to truly understand this situation--if only to begin to imagine and realize what it would be like to be a black inner-city male. To live with a 1 in 21 chance of being murdered. To grow up surrounded by the deaths of friends and classmates. To hear gun fire in the streets. To dream of a better life and work towards that goal only to be crushed because you lack the financial and emotional support that would see you through tougher times. To have no future. To be discriminated against because of your race, a distinction which cannot be concealed and revealed only to those you choose. To fall in love and for a time believe that you will live happily ever after. To realize that your chances of being arrested for selling drugs are probably as good as your chances of being killed. To want to have a child just so the world will know that you were once here.

If the public stops to consider the plight and lost value of inner-city black males, then maybe some of the legislation suggested by Gibbs might have a chance.

ED HANNA

Los Angeles