Privatization Is Right Tonic for King/Drew

Re “King/Drew’s 1,000 Failings,” Jan. 4: I am sickened and angered to read how my Los Angeles County tax money is being wasted to fund the dysfunctional Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, and I don’t agree that several more years worth of money is needed to bring it “back to an average American hospital.” L.A. County and especially county supervisors have grossly failed.

It is no excuse to claim that the community and racial concerns have discouraged progress. It is not racism to fire a staff member (of any ethnic background) who through incompetence is responsible for the death of a human being. It is racism to look the other way while second-class medical care is provided to the poor and minorities.

I want to see my money used wisely. My plan: Privatize the hospital. Fire everyone with the understanding that truly competent staff can be immediately rehired. And the county continues to provide the same level of funding directly to the new owners with the understanding that, as much as possible, the current level of free services will continue to be provided.

Adam Colson

Los Angeles

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Good for The Times for not letting up on the King/Drew debacle. The last paragraph of the Jan. 4 article was especially enlightening; in it, L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich commented, “We’re adamant that no incompetent and failed medical professional is going to be excused with some honorary title.” Does that mean you are going to see to it that the real culprits, the county supervisors, are all going to be fired? After all, when something is right or wrong with any organization, it is to the credit or fault of the boss(es).

Herman Steinman

Calabasas