Stories After 2 Slayings Missed Point

* This letter is in regard to two articles that were written last week in your newspaper: “U.S. Rushes to Reassure Japan After Carjacking” (March 29) and “Another PR Nightmare for O.C.’s Tourist Trade” (March 30).

I am particularly interested in the use of extreme and rash terms to describe the events surrounding the carjacking/killing of Takuma Ito and Go Matsuura: slaying, shock, frantic, gun-infested, outrage, vicious. This is nothing more than the usual media ploy to hype and embellish the truth, to manipulate the events so that they occur in the minds of the public exactly how the media would like them to be seen.

And so it is portrayed to us that (L.A. Mayor) Richard Riordan and Gov. Pete Wilson, being the honorable politicians that they are, are not going to rest until they see that our streets are cleaned up and that our cities are crime free. Somehow I think they, in their large suburban homes, will be resting just fine. They are interested in stopping crime now that California economics are put in further danger. African Americans, Latino and Asian American citizens have been “carjacked” for decades. What an insult to these particular victims’ families and friends to turn this into a “PR Nightmare.” It is so much more than that.

The Japanese editorialist who questions, “For a car?” and those who would chime in with him must understand that this is not about a car. Carjacking is one of the many urban crimes that involves much more than a person wanting something that someone else owns. Carjacking manifests a desperation and a sense of powerlessness in which one must exercise power over another in order to sustain some sense of self-reliance, self-determination and self-worth. It is deplorable that these two young men were killed, not because they were Japanese students but because they were in the unfortunate circumstance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. More than a sense of loss to the California economy should be felt. Rather, what should be addressed by the media, politicians, teachers, religious leaders, etc., is the environment which produces hopeless, desperate young people with no sense of self-worth or hope for a respected and protected future.

We are a hopelessly ill and pathetically depressed society, and it is more so drawn to my attention when I read articles such as those which perpetuate the ghetto stereotypes that young black and Latino men are all gang-bangers, out to hurt, destroy and even slay anyone and everyone; and that white, wealthy politicians are here to save the day by single-handedly making our streets clean, our society virtuous and our cities available for widespread tourism. It is a battle out there, yes. But the battle has nothing to do with financial repercussions, national reputation or long-term strategies to improve tourist/city relations. I hope that you will begin to address the real issues behind crime, depression and the nihilistic threats to our society.

JENI MCANALLY

Laguna Niguel