America’s Role in Freedom’s Quest

In a letter to The Times (Oct. 6), Tom Fuentes described some Polish students he had met in Rome. These students spoke of their unhappy life under the repression of Communism, and their yearning for the freedom of the West. He then spoke of our obligation to oppose the tyranny which Communism brings. As one who has traveled in several Communist countries, I am in agreement with Fuentes. The people I spoke with hungered for the freedom we enjoy. Students particularly were keenly aware of how much they were missing. I wanted to help them, and felt powerless.

I have met some equally sad and oppressed people while traveling in Central America. A few years ago, while on an archeological dig in Guatemala, I became acquainted with many university students from Guatemala and Honduras.

They also spoke of the oppressive nature of their governments, of the lack of freedom, of tortures and beatings by the secret police. The difference was, their governments were armed and financed by America.

They wanted to know why Americans, who talk and write so much about freedom, are so supportive and generous to the many despots of Latin America who deny that freedom to millions. They called us hypocrites. Again, I wanted to help, but felt powerless. I also felt ashamed. And angry.

We Americans should do all we can to help oppressed people. To free the people of Poland would probably take a major war. To free the people of Latin America, we can start by refusing to buy any more weapons for the dictators who took away their freedom in the first place.

We are worse than hypocrites if we piously beat our breasts over Poland, while we actively support tyrannical governments in other parts of the world.

JOE ROBINSON

Newport Beach