THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 3, 1995 TAG: 9505030005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
I was appalled at the rush to judgment spawned by the disastrous explosion in Oklahoma City. The deed was dastardly, and those responsible should face the most stringent punishment.
What disturbed me was the tendency to ``share the blame.'' News commentators were ready to restrict the rights of all Mideastern-appearing people in the United States. It was only talk, but with the emotional fervor brought about by disaster and its attendant horrors, actions too often follow.
If we are ever to become a peaceful nation of rational citizens, we must learn to seek and diminish the power of individuals who act in lawless and terroristic ways. We must stop generalizing and causing the blame to be shared by all others of the perpetrators' or supposed perpetrators' religious, ethnic or political backgrounds.
It seems to have turned out that the Mideastern theories were wrong - the suspects are white males. Are we now going to condemn any groups to which they belonged? Suppose we find one or more of the suspects to be members of Triple-A auto club? Will I then be associated with their guilt?
ARCHIE R. WHITEHILL
Norfolk, April 22, 1995
archie(AT)infi.net by CNB