Readers React: Shooting in Missouri: No justice, no peace

To the editor: One of us is a middle-aged Asian American, the other a Latino who has been a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department for almost 25 years. We are both outraged by the killing of unarmed teenager Mike Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and what appears to be a cover-up by the police department there. (“State police take over security in Ferguson, Mo., with ‘softer’ stance,” Aug. 14)

We are certain that this killing serves only to further fuel smoldering anger, not just in Ferguson but everywhere in America where the deaths of young, unarmed teenagers of color are justified by “stand your ground” laws and unprofessional police departments.

No justice, no peace.

Eugene and Estelle Sison, San Dimas

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To the editor: Somehow, we white Americans need to stand down from our siege mentality as evidenced by the Ferguson police this week.

During the years of slavery and even after the Civil War, the white power structure lived in fear of black “uprisings.” In my mind that’s the reason for our overreaction to even the slightest affront by an African American.

I well remember the fear felt by many whites in Long Beach during the Watts riots. Little changed after calm was restored.

Gerald Sutliff, Bakersfield

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To the editor: Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy received armed support for his battle with the federal government. The BLM backed down.

Residents of Ferguson protest the shooting of an unarmed black teenager, and the police response includes tear gas and military vehicles. Is there something unbalanced in these two events?

Sol Taylor, Studio City

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To the editor: I found it discomforting that, of the photos in the paper last week — of a Kurdish fighter in Iraq, a soldier in Ukraine and the local police force in Ferguson — far and away the most heavily armed of the three was the local police.

When did our civilian police become more heavily armed than other countries’ soldiers?

Michael Carey, Westlake Village