L.A.’s Slums and Slumlords

After reading the timely, well-written and well-researched articles in on slums and slumlords, I had to write to comment (Part I, July 30-31, Aug. 1-2).

Needless to say, those who invest in and operate these slums are nothing more than the lowest form of parasitic life, feeding off of Los Angeles’ poor and needy. What needs to be asked is how society can allow those obsessed with greed to profit from the misery of others.

Having been born in 1954, I cannot remember the Roosevelt Administration that my parents so highly praised. However, I do personally remember the days of “Camelot” and “The Great Society.” At least the government was trying then, even if it was not always able to solve all of our problems. Today, the “I, me, mine” attitude is prevalent all through society. This is 1989, yet we still have sweatshops. This is 1989, yet people are still cast aside to live their lives with their families huddled on street corners.

Our government can spend billions on Stealth bombers that look like a bat in flight, and ensure that if we are ever attacked we can decapitate our attackers as we all draw our last collective breath, yet it cannot spend one extra dime on helping those who truly need help.

Why can’t the government step in, and not only prosecute these slumlords, but also build affordable housing for people who are in great need of that housing? It is time that we, as a nation, realigned our priorities, so that we care more about ending human suffering than we do about having designer perfume and a car phone.

MARILYN LORRAINE BLOCK

Glendale