Riot Death Toll
It would be virtually impossible for any resident of Los Angeles to be unaffected by the death toll during the rioting. We will all grieve for the 58 lives that have been lost as a result of this tragedy.
I commend you for keeping your readers informed throughout this crisis and for reporting the human side of the drama as it unfolded. I must, however, register my displeasure over the manner in which you tallied the death toll in “Were All Deaths in Toll Really Riot-Related?” (May 6). You provided readers with a chart that detailed a breakdown of the death toll by gender and ethnic group.
I could not help but experience some anger at the fact that you feel compelled to inform me of the number of black males or Hispanic women who died in the riot. What difference does the color of their skin make? They have died a needless and senseless death. That is all I need to know.
May I suggest that you remove ethnic references from future reporting.
LYLE C. RANDLES, Los Angeles
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