Threats at UCI

* Re “E-Mail Threat Case Tests Free Speech Limits,” July 8: The only thing more appalling than Richard Machado’s vile act of hatred is that anybody would attempt to construe this as free speech. E-mail is practically universal on college campuses. This idea of committing despicable acts, then apologizing for them in an effort to pretend that they never occurred, is garbage. The time to think about this is before the act is committed.

If Machado is so bored that he wants to see what people’s reactions are to threats, while enjoying the freedoms of his new country in one of the finest educational institutions, then he should be shown how exciting prison, or at least deportation, can be.

ALAN PECHERER