Frustration Understood

While I cannot understand the reasoning behind this depraved act, I can understand the frustration Alan Winterbourne must have felt in his dealings with local, state and federal bureaucratic insensitivity. This does not justify the actions taken by Winterbourne, but any of us who has had to deal with the system knows full well the lackadaisical, uncaring treatment those in crisis are subjected to when--forced by circumstance--we request assistance from any branch of the human services boondoggle.

All too often when one is forced to seek public aid of any sort, we are confronted with an insensitive, untrained and oft-times overworked human services worker. Who of us reading this letter has had similar experiences with the various public assistance entities? How many of us have walked out of these offices feeling degraded, angry and humiliated?

As a student hellbent on entering the human service field, I stand today ashamed and saddened by the don’t-give-a-damn attitude of some who are involved in my chosen profession. Please understand that this is not an indictment of everyone affiliated with these agencies, but it is a condemnation of those workers who have lost the fire of compassion they undoubtedly once had.

JIM DUKE

Oxnard

Jim Duke is president of Psi-Beta, the psychology club at Oxnard Col lege. Oxnard Police Detective Jim O’Brien, killed in the shootings Dec. 2, had been scheduled to speak to the club the following week.