On
October 23rd, I was listening to the Al Rantel show on the local ABC
affiliate in Los Angeles. Al is always rigid and biased, but generally
his
biased rigidity has its basis in fact. This time I was ashamed of Al
because
his position displayed a surprisingly revealingly attitude.
Apparently a Los Angeles Times writer by the name of Lopez had a
story that
basically stated that the people in South Central Los Angeles are very
familiar with the sense of fear and siege inflicted upon the residents
of the area being targeted by the sniper, because members of their
community are regularly shot and killed.
Al Rantel seemed outraged at the comparison. In his own
words, the poor innocent people in the Maryland suburbs are hard
working individuals that are simply trying to go about their own daily
lives, while the shooting victims in south central Los Angeles are
themselves criminals and drug dealers, and that the residents are
essentially committing "suicide" (note that I quoted the word
suicide...his word, not mine) because they complain about, resist the
tactics of and are not cooperative with the police, and they accept
violence in their neighborhoods - or they would get out. He rejected
the idea that the near daily murder victims in South central LA are
innocent hard working individuals that are simply trying to go about
their lives.
I would certainly resent the implication that the
victims of gun crimes south of the Santa Monica Freeway bring on their
own murders – had it been an implication, but as it were he stated it
as if it were a fact.
I am sorely disappointed in these statements and with
the station for backing them up. |
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