PUBLIC FORUM.

Ending gang violence

Re ``L.A.'s Marshall plan'' (Our Opinions, Jan. 14):

If we are truly going to put an end to gang violence and the murdering of our children, every segment of our society will be needed to make this happen -- the police, the courts, the schools, the politicians, the philanthropists, businesses, Hollywood, civic groups and faith-based organizations.

But more than any other group, the parents of those who are in jeopardy of becoming gang members -- and the entire families -- need to act. We must put our children first -- before all other priorities. As a parent of a child who was lost to the gang culture, I know firsthand the pain and suffering that families will endure. We must not allow one more child or one more family to become victims of gang mentality.

-- Candido Marez

Northridge

The next generations

Re ``A cure for gang violence'' (Jan. 12):

Every now and then a new campaign is launched to fight gangs. Each time, more federal money, more ``experts'' and more time and energy are spent to address the problem. It is too bad they cannot stop the future generations of gang members by stemming the spawning of gang members, most or nearly all of whom are sired by gang members, ex-felons and parolees.

The broken family needs to be mended. Grandparents do not meet the requirements for most child-rearing years, especially single grandmothers. Look to the next generations and spend more of the resources there.

-- Sol Taylor

Sherman Oaks

Longer-term trend

Re ``Brrrrrrr ...,''``Inconvenient truth?'' and ``Chill out'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 17):

I figured that it would not take long for folks to come out suggesting that the current cold weather disproves global warming. The truth is that temperatures, of course, fluctuate, but there is an overall warming trend globally that is far more rapid than anything known from tree rings, ice cores or any other evidence of past climate changes.

It is the longer-term trend that is undeniable evidence of what is happening: We are causing significant global warming. The consequences are loss of species through changes in habitat, spread of tropical diseases, coastal flooding, etc. The European Union is acting, and the United States has sadly been relegated once again to the role of global villain or, if we finally respond, the role of follower.

-- David Holland

Northridge

A hero in their eyes

Re Online Poll, ``Martin Luther King Jr. a hero in your eyes?'' (Jan. 16):

Is Martin Luther King Jr. a hero to white America? I think not. So the poll question to me was a waste of space. A better question would have been: Is Martin Luther King Jr. a hero to black America? The fact that most of the people who responded to your poll think he is not a hero is a joke.

Would you say the 57 percent of people who said no were white and the 43 percent who said yes were black? What would the results be if you asked if Ronald Reagan was a hero? Do you think blacks would vote yes? Ask the people at the Martin Luther King Jr. parade if he was a hero in their eyes.

-- Kevin Streaty

Granada Hills

Doing their duty

Re ``Volunteer Army'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 16):

According to Joel Chitiea, since we have a volunteer U. S. Army, I should not complain that those making the decisions to conduct a pre-emptive war, based on false pretenses, have no family members involved. Much of the burden in this unnecessary war is being carried by members of our National Guard and their families. I doubt the guardsmen expected to fight in Iraq when they volunteered to help in disasters on their home soil. I doubt they expected to be called for second and third tours of duty abroad.

If we still had the draft, as we did for Vietnam, this war would never have gone on this long, because the American people wouldn't have stood for it. But for this war, people support the troops by putting a magnetic ribbon on their car and feel they have done their duty.

-- Doris Dent

Studio City