Reporting on Hurricane Andrew

As a Miami refugee fleeing the ravages of Hurricane Andrew, I was appalled to see racism given such a free rein in the front-page article "Floridians Work Together in Wake of Hurricane," Aug. 31. Our city's adolescence has been turbulent, to be sure, as America's newest melting pot simmers to develop its own individual flavor.

But Hurricane Andrew leveled more than houses. It became the great leveler of prejudice, the unifier of a divided community. Having spoken with many Dade County residents hardest hit by the storm, an overwhelming majority felt cultural boundaries melt away as "loving one's neighbor" took on unprecedented proportions.

While predictions may be useful at times, the cynicism of experts is unnecessary. Miami's newfound unity is the only silver lining in what has been one very large cloud. M. Bessell, Miami

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