IN your article (Telling a Bronx tale of life in Kentish Town (H&H June 14) you state: The Bronx, just north of Manhattan island, is a poor area of New York with high crime . Additionally, The Bronx is referred to as an infamous district. The infam

IN your article (Telling a Bronx tale of life in Kentish Town (H&H June 14) you state: ''The Bronx, just north of Manhattan island, is a poor area of New York with high crime''. Additionally, The Bronx is referred to as an ''infamous district.''

The infamy of the Bronx is in the past. Although the types of behaviour occurring in areas of Kentish Town have occurred in The Bronx (and in hundreds of places throughout the world), it is quite unfair to characterise the entire Bronx borough of millions of people in such a manner. Most areas of the Bronx are safe, middle class neighborhoods. It is an alive, vibrant, multicultural borough, with much to offer people.

The characterisation of The Bronx as unsafe has not been true for many years, but a reputation is hard to change. The Bronx has come quite a long way in the past 30 years, and Bronx residents are in general proud of their borough.

Jeff Branzburg

long-time Bronx resident

AS someone born and raised in The Bronx, please lose the stereotypes and comparisons. They are as old as jokes about the British and bad teeth.

The Bronx has not seen images like the ones you describe since the 1970s.

We have rough spots, but they are far outnumbered by the good ones. Please educate your readers accordingly.

DEREK WOODS

Fairfield Avenue, The Bronx

New York City