‘Hitler’ Uproar Was Misguided

I am a Jew who has read the biographical speech delivered by an 11-year-old boy on Adolph Hitler and am flabbergasted by the attention given it by the media, and to the reaction of a few misguided and hysterical individuals (“Teachers Who Allowed Boy’s Hitler Speech Are Criticized,” Feb. 29).

Hitler is not the issue here. The real issue here is the power that a few individuals have when they distort the truth and exploit the media in order to further their own agenda, whether or not there is justification. The media have acted irresponsibly in assisting these people by presenting a one-sided view laced with hyperbole, misrepresentation and excerpts of a speech, which when taken out of context, seems to be inflammatory. However, when the speech is viewed in the whole, it is certainly not deserving of all this attention.

The press and those few misguided individuals who went off half-cocked owe an apology to the young lad, his family, the school teachers and the principal of Westlake Elementary School.

STANLEY M. BLOCK

Agoura Hills