Baby Beating in Richmond

Your April 26 editorial on the Richmond infant beating case neatly illustrates the very mind-set, ensconced in our politics and judiciary (and media), which enables daily outrages such as this. In ending your condescending scolding by pondering whether “it is not too late to save them--or ourselves,” your point is unmistakable: By bringing society as a whole into question along with the individuals involved, your “blame society first” bias trumpets.

This was not a failure primarily of the young miscreants or the clearly incapable mothers “raising” them: No, this was a failure of us all, even those who live law-abiding lives and are successful in raising their children to do the same. Maybe The Times is a group of liberals racked by guilt over the human wreckage produced by the misguided policies its editorial pages support, but please quit trying to lay your personal guilt trip on the rest of us.

HOWARD GOODMAN

Glendale

* A vicious and sad crime--a 6-year-old and two 8-year-olds beating an infant to near death--yet there is a hidden component to this crime that has not been discussed but is becoming prevalent among today’s society: the criminality of the lack of parenting. Too young to really know the difference between the effects of an animated anvil and a real stick on the head, children need to be taught what is right and what is wrong by those responsible for guiding them in their childhood. However, in this case there seems to be a criminal lack of parenting.

As a society, we have held parents responsible for the costs of juvenile vandalism and other crimes. As a society, we now need to hold parents responsible for their actions (or inaction) which lead to more violent behavior. Locking a 6-year-old up in prison will doom the child for life; then again, thanks to his parents, his life is already there.

KEN DOMER

Orange

* We’re all appalled by a 6-year-old child attempting to murder a month-old baby. Isn’t it time to admit that the continuous display of violence on television suggests to children that violence is a normal component of normal life? It is a shame to deny the obvious for the sake of greed for profit. Wake up, America!

HASSAN HATHOUT

Pasadena