An entire Los Angeles family is dead following an apparent murder-suicide committed by Ervin Lupoe, husband and father of five. Lupoe called 911 and faxed a letter to a local television station after killing his family and before killing himself.
In a community meeting of some 200 residents, several attendees pinned the blame on the economic crisis. Attendees pointed out that Lupoe and his wife had both recently been laid off. They were deeply indebted and unable to pay the IRS.
Carmen Adame said: “Their employer led them to this. Employers are abusing this economy because people don’t want to lose their jobs.” Lupoe’s letter accused his boss of saying he “should not even have bothered to come to work” and “should have blown [his] brains out.”
The incident is one of the more extreme manifestations of the despair facing millions of working-class people, who are left to fend for themselves while the government bails out the rich.
