Diversity Unites L.A.

Images of the media coverage of the shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center: little children being led from the center to sanctuary in the nearby Episcopalian church by police and firefighters, some white, some black, some Asian, some Hispanic; the spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, speaking in Spanish-accented English, describing the events of the day; the attending physician--with an apparent Muslim name--speaks movingly about the children’s condition and care.

Let’s not focus only on the horror of the crime. Yes, there was hate literature found--and a man with apparent mental problems. We also saw people from all sorts of backgrounds unite against the horror. We do not have Balkan-like conditions in the U.S. We did not have to be Jewish to understand the terror wrought on those children or their parents. We have a diverse population that has proven once again that there is much greater hope for the future of our society in our shared respect than there is reason for promoting hate.

JOHN KREISS

Santa Monica

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The man who shot the people at the day-trading center in Atlanta left behind a note laced with references to Jehovah and the resurrection. The man who shot all those people in Chicago over the July 4 weekend was a member of the World Church of the Creator. The man who shot the kids at the Jewish Community Center was apparently also under religious motivation to kill minorities.

So much for the idea of posting the Ten Commandments to prevent people from killing each other. If “guns don’t kill, people do,” why does the Republican Congress never utter a word about the white supremacists and other hate groups that seem to be urging a lot of the killing?

FRANK TAMBORELLO

Los Angeles

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Where was the Brady bill when that convicted felon and known mental patient got his pistol?

WALTER W. MATERA

Lakewood

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What does the NRA have to say now? They will never convince me that a citizen needs an assault weapon. Yet, they are able to convince our representatives in Washington. Listen up, members of Congress: Get these “2nd Amendment protected” carnage delivery systems off our streets now! Stop lining your pockets with blood money from the gun industry.

ELLEN GADDIE

San Clemente