Should Executions Be on Television?

Two articles in the May 19 Times, when juxtaposed, reveal the incongruities in our social values and standards. The first was Rosenberg’s, in which he wrote “the public has the right--perhaps even the obligation--to watch” televised executions. The second dealt with Culver City school officials banning the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” because some believe the version in question may encourage children to drink.

What bizarre social values do we express when we would ban a fairy tale because it allegedly encourages the drinking of alcohol and yet we would consider televising the execution of a human being?

Will state-sponsored executions supplant the lottery as the most popular form of government-sponsored entertainment while the state surreptitiously censors books it sees as detrimental to society?

ARCH MILLER

Arcadia