Letter:There are many Ennis Beleys in LA ghettos
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.What did the benefactors of Ennis Beley, murdered in a gang rub- out in Los Angeles, think they were achieving by sending him to get a middle-class private education - presumably similar to their own ("The hope that failed", Review, 18 August)? And why were they surprised when he failed to fit in? Did it occur to them that Ennis was innovative, exciting, creative and original precisely because he was not moulded in that cauldron?
Matthew Heller's articleseemed almost to blame the poor kid for not being grateful for the chance to escape the street gang scene. Ennis is presented as a unique creative being among a faceless mass of brutality. No attempt is made by either the "benefactors" or Heller to point out that within that mass there must be many Ennises decaying and yearning to break out. Perhaps the benefactors might have done better to address the issues that create the ghetto, the gangs and the terrible waste of latent talent.
Jaleh Parvardin
Birmingham
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments