Furor Over Farrakhan

It is sad that Mayor Bradley’s strategy of silence, in order to permit black leaders to persuade Farrakhan to tone down his remarks about Jews, misses the point completely.

Demagogues and bigots like Farrakhan will, unfortunately, be a fact of life in our free society for years to come. It is, however, the manner in which they are received (and honored) that will determine their longevity and impact.

Surely the political impact of this decision on Tom Bradley’s part will have a negative effect on his political future, for what self-respecting Jew (or Christian) can give him financial aid or votes after such a display of cowardice and poor judgment?

But even sadder is the fact that the black leaders, who were supported so strongly by the Jews during the lean years of the civil rights movement, should now become so insensitive as to publicly condone bigotry in the sheep’s clothing of economic advantage. Had the speaker been white and the subject of criticism been black people, the roar of protest would be heard around the world, and can anyone doubt that Tom Bradley would have been the first and the loudest?

ALBERT I. WEINSTEIN

Sherman Oaks