SPRINGSTEEN, CONT.

It was disheartening to read the letters last Sunday responding to Robert Hilburn’s encouraging feature on Bruce Springsteen. It is dispiriting to see Springsteen’s noble message shot down by self-satisfied individuals who have probably never touched another human being in a meaningful way in their entire lives.

Springsteen is to be admired, not denigrated, for his current direction. As in his landmark 1982 album “Nebraska,” he is drawing inspiration from an unfortunate class of people and is to be commended for attempting to give voice to these people’s struggles in eloquent fashion.

JOHN TYLER

Lake Forest

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I am always amazed and saddened by those who would begrudge others their success.

Springsteen has never forgotten his roots, always continues to concentrate creatively on the things that matter to him, has nothing to regret and nothing to apologize for as far as his success is concerned.

DONNA MARCUS BOND

Reseda

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I am not an unemployed steelworker mourning the loss of “Jenny.” I am, however, one half of a hard-working couple who live paycheck to paycheck to support their children. I was thrilled to learn of Springsteen’s acoustic solo tour and greatly disappointed when I couldn’t get tickets to the sold-out Wiltern date.

When I read of the star-studded audience in attendance, I realized why the blatantly blue-collar message behind “Tom Joad” sounds so forced and false. The Boss says: “. . . you have to start with a piece of music and then search out the audience for it.”

Relax, Bruce. If I’m supposed to believe the Steven Spielbergs and Tom Hankses of this world actually deal with a two-hour busy signal from Ticketmaster, then I guess you’ve found your audience.

MARY McGLOTHLEN

Santa Maria