Everyone’s Problems

Regarding Berleter Hall’s replay to a Jules Feiffer cartoon (May 28): Hall makes several outrageous accusations, including one that all of the social ills in the black community portrayed in Feiffer’s cartoon are created by the white community. She bases this assertion on the idea that “only white Americans at the top have the power and money to bring cocaine into this country.”

Most experts place ownership of the cocaine distribution network squarely on the shoulders of the Colombian cartels. Does this mean that Colombians seek the genocide of black Americans?

Her second point concerned teen-age pregnancy and she accurately pointed out that white girls have more pregnancies than other races. But she ignores the fact that a disproportionate percentage of black teen-agers show up in the overall pregnancy rate.

Her final point concerning crimes of young white males was ambiguous at best. Her challenge to the media to report more crimes committed by white people was punctuated with the question, “Ever heard of Satanism? Manson? Hangings?” Of course we have, Ms. Hall. Because the “white” media told us.

When are people like Hall going to stop tilting with the white windmills and start dealing with the problems? Instead of looking for the white monsters, blacks should be looking for white partners in solving problems that face all of society. Instead of searching for racist cliches, we should be searching for solutions. When Ms. Hall and those who think like she does realize this, we might effect change. Otherwise, we’ll have to reprint Feiffer’s cartoon year after year.

RICHARD MEESE

Irvine