FEAR AND REALITY

Kotkin says that the RAND Corp. study indicates that Latinos commit crimes at rates slightly lower than blacks or whites. However, most, if not all, of L.A.’s Hispanic barrios are littered with ugly, intimidating gang graffiti made by the violent street youth that inhabit those neighborhoods. I have spent more than two dozen Saturdays helping paint over the graffiti.

After growing up in mostly white neighborhoods where this type of behavior was virtually unheard of, I deeply resent this low-class aspect of Hispanic culture.

GREG SCOTT, Huntington Beach