Living in L.A.

I have just read Bud Vandervort’s view of Los Angeles as told to Robert Scheer (Voices, Nov. 9). For personal reasons, I have been living the past seven weeks in Los Angeles en route to another part of America (any part) and I was curious to read this view of L.A. which is so different from mine.

Vandervort’s outlook and his blithe belittling of the problems you have here remind me of George Bush’s view of the economy. I would like to respond to two of his comments.

1. “The riots did not affect probably 30 other communities of Los Angeles.” Isn’t this in fact part of the problem--that you have cut the people of South-Central L.A. off from the rest of the city?

2. “I can’t think of any place that I would rather live right now than on the shores of Santa Monica Bay.” Well, Vandervort had better hurry, because from what I’ve seen, the shores are getting more and more crowded with the homeless.

JEREMY SMITH

Sydney, Australia