Covering a War Zone on the Home Front

I did not think that anything could be more heartbreaking than the story of a young boy’s daily struggle to attend school without being killed (“Required: School Prayer,” Column One, Dec. 14), until I read Tina R. Watts’ letter regarding it (Dec. 16). The new movie “Hotel Rwanda” depicts how Western governments knew of the genocide in Rwanda but simply turned their backs, leaving innocents to be slaughtered. Undoubtedly we will hear lots of Oscar talk about this movie, but who is talking about the genocide going on daily right here in our inner city? Our local, state and federal governments are silent on the issue. It is hard to believe, yet apparently our elected officials have simply turned their backs on the black community. I am thankful that your reporters have not. Thank you, in this and similar articles, for continuing to bear witness to the struggles of innocents in the war zone here at home.

Karen Axelton

Lakewood