‘Unsung Death’ of Alex Odeh

Philip Geyelin’s column (Editorial Pages, Oct. 28), “Alex Odeh’s Unsung Death Says Much About Bigotry,” concerned the West Coast regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who was assassinated by a bomb on Oct. 11. Geyelin contends that Odeh’s murder and that of Leon Klinghoffer by Palestinian terrorists are equally heinous and that sadly, almost nobody has pointed that out. I agree.

After citing statements by Irv Rubin, a leader of the Jewish Defense League, that Odeh, “got what he deserves,” Geyelin concludes that the issue is, “the wrongs when the argument is carried to brutal terrorist extremes--by either side.”

I would be curious to learn how Geyelin knows that it was the “the other side” that killed Alex Odeh? For that matter, how do we know that is was an Israeli or a Jew? Assuming the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is a “respectable organization” seeking to improve understanding of interests in the Middle East, as Geyelin states, is it not possible that the killer is someone on the “Arab side” who considers the committee far too conciliatory? Geyelin’s understanding suffers from bias and prejudgment.

LAURA P. WORSINGER

Tarzana