It is the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall, the physical and symbolic line that divided one of the world’s great cities into east and west, developed and underdeveloped, rich and poor. As Germany remembers this sad phase of history, perhaps Americans could also spare a thought about the invisible Berlin Walls that exist in our cities today, segregating (yes, the word is appropriate) urban centers like our very own Los Angeles into rich and poor neighborhoods. Low-resource communities of concentrated, self-perpetuating poverty with high unemployment rates, underfunded schools with high dropout rates and overall physical deterioration are a fact of life for many Americans. In a moment of somber reflection, do not forget the parallel tragedies that are going on right next to you.
Email Dolom at rdolom@media.ucla.edu.
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