Youth / OPINION : L.A. From Afar: ‘A Land of Excitement and Confusion’ : GAYLE CRISPIN / Junior, 16, East High School, Denver

When I think of L.A., I think of gun-wielding maniacs and “(Beverly Hills) 90210” preppies. These are two extremes, and I know that not everyone who lives there drives around in a convertible and shoots at other people. However, these are usually the only two types of people that we hear about.

A lot of people knock L.A. because of all the violence and rioting that went on last year. But I think that it’s way ahead of the rest of the country. Only in L.A. would a bunch of people steal stuff from stores and call it “shopping.” Kind of a buy-one-get-one-free-for-all.