Tradesmen*

Re “Black Tradesmen Face a Daily Wall of Suspicion,” March 20: It was refreshing in that the truth about this problem has been exposed. I hope that Police Chief Willie Williams will issue copies to all personnel in the Police Department and tell his cops to cool it.

It is very sad that older, obviously professional black men have to go through something like this just to make a living. The massive crime that mostly white communities accuse these men of committing is committed by mostly young--ages 14-20--black, Hispanic and white men. Some whites refuse to make distinctions. However, the police are even worse by drawing guns without checking things out.

Prejudice is a horrible thing. However, in these cases, something can be done about it. The police and watch groups should be informed that a tradesman is in the area. A man’s job is his living.

ALI WADUD

Los Angeles

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The plight of black tradesmen enduring suspicion has another facet to the issue. As a white male residential appraiser assigned to South-Central Los Angeles for the past eight years, I have been subjected to a nonstop barrage of racial epithets, taunts, and one attempt on my life (nightmares of that experience continue even now, five years later).

These events were all perpetrated by black persons, and since there was no provocation on my part, I believe them to be racially motivated. Similar situations have not happened to me in East Los Angeles, Koreatown or Monterey Park, where other nonwhite racial groups are in the majority. JACK SCOTT

Los Angeles