L.A.’s Homeless

* I find it ironic that “Downtown’s Inner Life” (editorial, July 22) ignored the third exhibition at the Central Library. This one is about homelessness and includes a photo essay of the homeless in downtown L.A. created by L.A. Times photographers. Why does everyone work so hard to pump up our city’s “image” once every four or so years while obliviously letting it rot the rest of the time?

On the same note, that is why the Lakers riot wasn’t really as bad as people make it out to be. After all, a few drunk and happy people treated property in downtown without regard or respect--the same way so-called civilized people treat other people, especially the homeless, every day in downtown.

RAUL VASQUEZ

Los Angeles