Concealed Gun, Tagger’s Death

Your Feb. 8 editorial “Be Careful Choosing Heroes” implies William A. Masters II invited trouble because he chose to take a solitary stroll in an area where you would not. Then, when Masters did stumble upon a crime in progress, you infer he was negligent for becoming involved absent the safety of a large group or immediate access to a telephone.

When the taggers escalated the situation by confronting Masters, threatening robbery and brandishing a screwdriver, Masters, in your view, became the criminal because he defended himself with an illegally carried firearm. (The firearm was not illegally owned and no permit is required to own it, despite your statement to the contrary.)

Masters’ actions may not be worthy of celebration, but neither is he deserving of your derision. Your call for the city attorney’s office to prosecute Masters for his misdemeanor firearms violation rings exceedingly hollow absent an equal demand for the prosecution of the surviving graffiti vandal’s criminal acts of tagging and assault.

DAVID C. BRITTON

Anaheim

* Your editorial was the most elitist, out-of-touch piece on gun control I have seen from you in some time. Masters is a free citizen; who appointed you to decide that he should not take midnight strolls in his neighborhood if he so chooses? That the neighborhood is not the best does not mean citizens should spend their nights cowering behind locked doors.

Assuming that his account of the incident is true, his gun may well have prevented him from being assaulted or even murdered by these poor taggers. The fact the Masters had no gun permit does not say anything bad about him; it rather speaks volumes about a city government and compliant press which see more value in coddling criminals than in helping honest citizens.

To criticize Masters for taking an action which may well have saved his life is a moral abdication and the height of hypocrisy. While no hero, he is certainly no villain.

JERRY BOURBON

San Diego

* As a manager of commercial buildings in both the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, I am very tired of removing graffiti and grateful that people are getting fed up with it, as evidenced by the anti-graffiti groups that exist. The recently wounded tagger was quoted as saying, “We were minding our own business.” Talk about twisted logic! Since when is their business to deface public and private property saying further that “It creates jobs. They pay people to clean it off.”

Well, I don’t get paid to clean it off, and the sooner taggers get the message that they may get shot if they try to obstruct a citizen from reporting their illegal activities, the sooner their logic will, hopefully, sway them to doing something worthwhile with their lives.

EARL THOMAS

Newhall

* Words cannot express the anger I feel when I read about people applauding the unfortunate death of an 18-year-old!

Does anyone out there care about the grief of the boy’s family? Do all you gun-toting model citizens know what your child is doing while you are watching the late news?

I don’t know what happened under the freeway underpass, and who would give credence to another Mexican kid with a spray can and a screwdriver in his hand? God help him, had he had a concealed gun in his pocket! The district attorney would have him locked up in a hurry! So what if he had a bullet wound in his back end.

To all those law-abiding, upright citizens that cheer over this incident: Let’s hope your kids will never commit a misdemeanor. Would you cheer over their coffins? How would you feel if the community applauded?

My condolences to the dead boy’s family.

GABRIELE STEPHENS

Studio City

* Let me see if I have this straight:

It is unlawful to shoot a mountain lion on your own property (without a permit from the California Department of Fish and Game) until it has mauled your children or pets, yet it’s perfectly legal to shoot and kill a human teen-ager who sprays squiggly lines on public property with a can of spray paint.

America . . . what a country.

ED MEARES

Tujunga

* I take exception to your use of the term “tagger.” It embraces the culture of the gang element who have perpetrated there destructive mischief on our city. Calling them by their hip/cool name rewards them a spot in our vocabulary and tacitly encourages this foul activity. Other media have referred to them as “tagging crews” as though they are humble artisans. This is not an art form, nor is it a cultural relic.

Call them scoundrels, vandals or thieves; they are disgusting pranksters who impact Angelenos of all ethnicities.

EUGENE DULA

Los Angeles