President’s Dinner
April 28: Republican Party fat cats hold the biggest political fund-raising dinner in history. April 29: Los Angeles and other cities explode in violence over the Rodney King verdict. While not directly related, these two events symbolize the deep divisions in America today.
The riots might well have been senseless and self-defeating, but they were understandable and inevitable. America is reaping what it has sown. Especially since the election of President Reagan in 1980. The gap between the haves and have-nots has widened and threatens the fragile framework of our society. Recent government statistics show that the richest 1% of Americans have more net worth than the bottom 90%.
It will take courageous leadership and considerable sacrifice to rebuild our society starting from the bottom up, but if we continue on our current path of greed and neglect, the riots of 1992 will be only a preview of worse to come.
ARLEN GROSSMAN
Monterey
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