Dealing With Terrorism

I found Charles Krauthammer’s article (Editorial Pages, Jan. 5), “The Father of Terrorism Is Accountable,” to be absurd in its thinking. To blame Yasser Arafat for the crimes of Abu Nidal is as foolish as to blame all New Yorkers for the crimes of one Manhattan dweller. Or to say that all Jews are spies because of Jay Pollard, or that all Arabs are bad because one Arab committed a terrorist act. This showed me that. Krauthammer knows nothing of the situation in Palestine and wishes to forget the “reasons” for the actions being taken by “some” Palestinians.

While there is no excuse for terrorism, there are reasons for their frustrations. After 39 years of living in refugee camps, being killed because they are Palestinians, and ignored by the rest of the “free” world, how long did people think they (the Palestinians) were going to continue to sit back and wait for someone to remember them and realize they need help?

How long would you wait for a homeland? How long would you sit and allow someone to take over your country, your homes, your businesses and your dignity before you became frustrated and do something stupid? Terrorism is stupid! It is a way of life that will bring nothing to no one but terror and hatred. But after all these years with no one listening and talking to them as if they didn’t exist, I can understand them turning to other tactics. But to blame Arafat for this stupidity is blind and thoughtless.

I have three adult children and am a member of clubs, church, political groups and other organizations. Does this mean that if one of them does something terrible I will be held accountable?

Arafat represents the Palestinian people; he does not own them and he does not control what each individual does any more than President Reagan is responsible for each act that an American citizen does. Let’s look at facts instead of looking for scapegoats for a change. Let’s see the truth of what is going on and look at the history of the situation and try to think of solution instead of lumping all those individuals into one pot and blaming everyone for the acts of the one or two individuals.

Krauthammer should think about the situation and realize that we are helping to beg, borrow and steal one nation from one people to give to another people. If we are going to rob Peter to pay Paul, then we had better face the fact that someday Peter will be asking for his due.

L. DAVIS

Spring Valley