Wambaugh on Racism

Joseph Wambaugh’s article (Commentary, Aug. 24) saying Simpson defense attorney Johnnie Cochran and blacks in general practice “reverse racism” shows the true nature of the racist attitude that certain policemen have towards African Americans.

If blacks protest or show proof of a racist cop, they are considered as being a racist by Wambaugh. How is that so? Not one black person has said that all white policemen are racist. We’ve said and have known for years that rogue cops of all colors have brutalized civilians in general and blacks in particular. The Mark Fuhrman audiotapes are similar to the Rodney King videotape in that they are both proof of the alleged brutality we knew was commonplace in the inner city.

The notion that if defense attorney Robert Shapiro were evading the police in a situation similar to Rodney King’s, he also would have been beaten is laughable and an insult to our intelligence.

DARREN HAYLOCK

Palmdale

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* Let it be known that many of us from the beginning of this travesty of justice realized that it was impossible for O.J. Simpson to have committed these murders. Furthermore, we knew that any responsible investigative journalist also knew this.

Therefore, it boggles one’s mind that this lie had not been exposed heretofore. Unless bias is introduced into the equation regarding media coverage, then the only other explanation is extreme stupidity. And although that is how the press looks now, and will continue to look as it tries in vain to super-glue Humpty Dumpty back together again, many of us know better. As a result we will never again consider anything in the print or televised media when race is an issue as anything more than propaganda from a dominant culture that lies all too easily and too frequently.

By the way, race is not a card game and those of us that respect the concepts of truth, integrity, honesty and courage aren’t playing.

LEE BERRY

Los Angeles

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* Since the King incident, and now the Simpson incident, someone finally has the guts to tell the truth.

Thank you, Joseph Wambaugh.

CRAIG BUSHEY

Los Angeles

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* Wambaugh’s fine works of fiction have allowed him to leave the LAPD and become an international figure. In his commentary on such a sensitive subject as race relations the fiction should be discarded, since the plain facts do not need any varnish to shine for themselves.

First, because of the nature of the U.S., the “race card” was played in the Simpson case as soon as it became known that the victims were white and the accused was black. Cochran did not introduce this card. The sorry state of race relations in the U.S. played it loud and clear.

Wambaugh then leaps to the Rodney King case and declares it was not racist. I think that every African American in the U.S. who saw the tapes of the beating believes that 1) King was beaten so severely because he is African American and 2) but for the chance appearance of a video camera, the testimony of a thousand witnesses would not have resulted in charges being filed against the officers.

If Wambaugh wants to ease the racial situation he discusses, let him align himself with Chief Willie Williams and use his influence to work for change within the department. It’ll be hard to change 130 years of wrongful police activity, but the longest journey begins with but a single step.

HUGH O. DENTON

Van Nuys