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CNN Live Today

Where is L.A. Today 10 Years After Riots?

Aired April 29, 2002 - 13:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Ten years ago today, the acquittal of four white police officers accused of beating black motorist Rodney King led to days of rioting in south central Los Angeles. Where is the city and the police today? Eric Horng, a look 10 years later.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Five days of rage, five days of fear. When it was over, more than 50 people were dead, thousands of buildings had burned, the city of Los Angeles and much of the nation left wondering how things could have come to this.

RODNEY KING: Can't we all get along? Can't we get along?

HORNG: Shortly after the acquittal of four white police officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King, the city's south central district erupted in chaos, the violence and looting spreading to nearby neighborhoods.

GARY LEONARD, PHOTOGRAPHER: Fires all over the city and the police not doing anything about it. Word getting out and people just getting the idea I can go get some stuff and nobody is going to stop me.

HORNG: By one estimate, the riots caused a billion dollars worth of damage.

(on camera): Ten years later, south central remains one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. Even as the nation's economy as a whole prospered during the '90s, south central lost tens of thousands of jobs. Today, unemployment remains well above 20 percent.

(voice-over): The process of rebuilding has been hard, repairing the community's image even harder, especially for those trying to bring industry into the neighborhood.

MARVA SMITH BATTLE-BEY, VERMONT-SLAUSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: People have that perception that something -- like we are AT the OK Corral or something out here everyday. And it is not that.

HORNG: Also attempting an image makeover, the LAPD. Despite other problems, the department is more racially diverse today.

As for Rodney King, after years of run-ins with the law, he'll be spending this anniversary in a drug rehab center.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is people carrying away boxes.

HORNG: A decade later, opinions vary about the lessons learned from the riots. The answers remain as complicated as life in L.A. itself.

Eric Horng, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: And the fire and the looting took a heavy toll on businesses, about a billion dollars in property damage. An organization called Operation Hope was established about 10 years ago to help businesses destroyed in the riots there. Its founder, John Bryant, joins us live now from Los Angeles to talk about efforts since then. Good afternoon to you, or good late morning in L.A. anyway.

JOHN BRYANT, OPERATION HOPE: Good morning.

HEMMER: We were talking and discussing earlier today here in the newsroom about some of the things we were curious to know about, L.A. today, 10 years later. One thing we are curious to know, do you believe it can happen again in your city?

BRYANT: Well, I mean, anything can happen. I think the question is will the greater society allow it to happen? Will our community make it happen? I think that the spirits of the people in south central Los Angeles are much stronger today than they were 10 years ago. And, you know, there is a difference between being broke and being poor. Being broke is economical. Being poor is a disabling frame of mind and a depressed condition of your spirit, and many people have vowed never to be poor again. So, people's spirits are stronger today. They want a hand up, not a hand out.

HEMMER: John, let me ask you this. I mean, those who came 10 years ago to help out, yourself included, have they stayed? Are they still working there today?

BRYANT: Absolutely. In fact, many of them will be with President Bush this morning in south central Los Angeles as we celebrate all the work and the progress that has been done 10 years later. Yes, I heard Marva Smith Battle-Bey who is doing great work, one of the leaders in our community, commented on your show. Yes, there has been a great deal of progress, but you have got to remember, you can't have a rainbow without a storm first.

And so, the consistency of people, you know, you can cook a microwave dinner. But a homemade dinner is much better. It just takes longer. So, you are going to have a period of time where the change begins to set in. But people's attitudes have changed, including the private sector, who have invested in these communities and are starting to see that you can do well by doing good, investing in enlightened self interest.

HEMMER: And, John, if we go back 10 years, a lot of Korean business owners were especially hard hit during the rioting, the looting that occurred after that. Have the Koreans come back? Are the Hispanics there? You mentioned a rainbow, but is there any reflection of a rainbow when it comes to race in that part of L.A.?

BRYANT: Well, I think we have got to do away with this concept of our community being a melting pot. We are more of a salad bowl, where people have differences that are respected and appreciated. And, you know, you couldn't have the room that you're going this afternoon with the president 10 years ago. You're going to have Charles Kim (ph) of the Korean American Coalition and Tony Hernandez (ph), the president of MAUDEF (ph), next to John Mac (ph), president of the Urban League, and Reverend Murray and Bishop Blake of West Ambulance (ph) and First AME church. And so, all these folks at the table with the president of the United States and with CEOs talking about moving forward, talking about progress.

So, you know, are all of the problems solved? No. But the bible says where there is no vision, the people perish. I think that we are on the right road and the trend is set in the right direction. It's a whole new attitude in the community these days. It's kind of like the James Brown version of affirmative action. Open the door, I'll get it myself.

HEMMER: Got it. Thank you, John. Appreciate it. John Bryant, Operation Hope.

BRYANT: Thank you very much.

HEMMER: Have a good meeting with the president later today, all right.

BRYANT: Thank you, sir.

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