South Africa

I certainly do not agree with Allan Gerson’s description of South Africa. As an independent researcher of Soviet politics toward South Africa, I had visited there and observed life in that country. As a consequence, I find our media’s coverage of events there to be extremely subjective and biased, also inaccurate. But I do agree with Gerson that South Africa is by no means a “terrorist state.”

When vicious dictators, ayatollahs and general secretaries send howls and scream for blood at the very mention of Israel and South Africa, few people are surprised. Not many people are surprised by the biased coverage, creatively performed by gullible and ill-educated news people reporting on South Africa and Israel. But when a presidential candidate chooses to brand a pro-Western country, dedicated to a quiet but steady perestroika and improvement of life for all of its people, then the lack of surprise and indifference become dangerous traits. For we cannot afford either opportunists or political illiterates in the White House. Dukakis, by endorsing Jesse Jackson’s platform plank, may be both.

This could prove to be baneful not only to the pro-Western interests in Africa, but also Israel, and in the not-so-long run, to our defense, security and future.

PAUL STONEHILL

Van Nuys