One Man’s Urban Woes
Benjamin Stein, a Los Angeles lawyer and economist, talks of his modern life being “Sealed Up, Walled In, Locked Out.” (Op-Ed, Aug. 19).
He whines and complains about how “tough” he has it, worried about his car being stolen, his home being burglarized and how he needs air conditioning all day to keep out the “dirty outside world.”
In a city where thousands of people have no cars, no homes and no air-conditioning systems, I am outraged at his obscene complaining.
I am a middle-class teacher who every day is thankful to have an average home in the middle of the city with no alarms, where all my windows are kept open, a nice car with no alarm and an air-conditioner that’s used only on the few unbearably hot days we have a year.
At night when I lay my head on the pillow I do listen to the sounds of my kids in their bedrooms.
Mr. Stein, you could move but it wouldn’t make any difference to a person like yourself. You see, it’s an attitude and you’ll take it anywhere you go. So don’t blame the outside world. You have sealed, walled and locked yourself in voluntarily.
MARLENE WINSTON
Los Angeles
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