Readers Outraged Over Celebrity Campaign to Have Sentencing Judge Go Easy on Milken

Regarding your article “They Like Mike” (Sept. 11) on the letters of support for Michael Milken, Milken has pleaded guilty to stealing enough money to live comfortably after paying $600 million in fines and giving many other millions of stolen dollars to charity. His sale of junk bonds has been instrumental in the failure of countless businesses, careers and lives. He has been deeply implicated in the theft of more than $1,000 from every man, woman and child in this country through his involvement in the S&L; debacle.

Greed is a constant in human existence and many thieves have felt guilty enough to give part of their ill-gotten gains to worthy causes. It is harder to understand the myopia of leaders such as Catholic Archbishop Roger M. Mahoney, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig, et al. It would seem their moral and ethical values are for sale.

Hardest for me to understand is Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates. A man in charge of 8,400 armed men and women off-handedly recommends the execution of misdemeanor drug users after writing a letter in support of parole for an admitted and convicted felon. Where is the consistency in this? He cites Milken’s willingness to go into dangerous neighborhoods to work. Perhaps Gates would recommend parole for our local gang bangers to go into some of those same neighborhoods. After all, they would be more than willing and they have already killed hundreds of casual drug users.

JOHN C. WILLIS

Sun Valley