Letters to the Editor: The 'greatest generation' during WWII, the 'party generation' during COVID-19

HOLMBY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 06: Passersby watch as party rental crews pack up at the scene of a wedding at 10350 Wyton Drive on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020 in Holmby Hills, CA. Police reacting to noise complaints shut down the wedding reception after receiving multiple noise complaints Wednesday night.(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Passersby watch on Aug. 6 as party rental crews pack up at a Holmby Hills house where police shut down a wedding reception in response to complaints about noise. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: We boomers look up to our parents and grandparents of the "greatest generation" and recognize the enormous sacrifices they made for the good of our nation during a war. ("Raucous parties, young adults fueling California's COVID-19 crisis," Aug. 6)

Now, sadly, we look down at our children and grandchildren and recognize the enormous selfishness they exhibit during this pandemic, to the detriment of our nation.

I'm not speaking of the essential workers who have no choice but to punch the time clock every day; rather, my disgust is with those who continue to gather and party and ignore the well-being of all around them.

Please kids, screw your heads on straight. Grow up, and do it fast. You're killing us.

John Knox, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: The statement, "Officials warn that the spread among younger adults is transmitting the virus to those who are vulnerable," is journalistic malpractice.

No one is invulnerable to COVID-19. Some are more vulnerable than others, but everyone, even a healthy young adult, is vulnerable.

The mistaken belief among young adults that they are not vulnerable, which the Los Angeles Times is reinforcing in this article, is going to wind up killing a lot of people. Most of them will be old or otherwise at high risk, but a few of them will be young.

And, some of the young ones who get sick and survive will be left with permanent health problems.

So please, stop dividing the population into "those who are vulnerable" and the others. Every single one of us is vulnerable.

Jonathan Bennett, Brooklyn

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To the editor: Los Angeles officials are "grappling" with ways to stop the parties?

These parties have been going on in residential neighborhoods, not just mansions, long before COVID-19, with garbage, noise, drugs and illegal fireworks. Now we can add the spread of disease to the mix. These are not family celebrations; these are businesses being conducted in residential neighborhoods.

The police, as the editorial points out, may or may not make the attendees move their cars out of blocked streets and driveways, but that's the extent of the "grappling" that's going on.

Making these parties unprofitable with huge fines on the owners of these houses is the only thing that's going to work.

Alexa Smith Maxwell, Los Angeles