Fourth of July

Although I support the efforts of the Los Angeles Fire Department to warn of the potentially fatal consequences of fireworks, I find the current television piece being aired to be grossly distasteful. I am the mother of a 2 1/2-month-old baby, and it is particularly upsetting for me to view the charred remains of an infant--a helpless victim of a supposed fireworks tragedy.

Despite the fact that in my head I comprehend and realize that this commercial is a theatrical representation, in my heart this graphic illustration creates a sense of panic and helplessness. The loss of a child is something every parent fears with a passion. The Fire Department is being insensitive to this fear. Exploitation of this fear is not a productive way to cease the use of fireworks; it merely serves as an overly grim reminder that senseless accidents happen when people act senselessly.

JULIE A. GUEST

Los Angeles