Al-Marayati
Re “Naming of Muslim to Panel Opposed,” July 5: The McCarthyite baiting of Salam Al-Marayati, the long-time director of Los Angeles’ Muslim Public Affairs Council, by certain segments of the Jewish community is appalling and shameful.
A member of this city’s Human Relations Commission, Al-Marayati has frequently demonstrated his commitment to an open dialogue between Jews and Arabs. Equally important, he has courageously, timely and forcefully condemned terrorism of all kinds. Al-Marayati’s articulated desire to investigate the causes of terrorism is fully consistent with the goal of eradicating--or, at the very least, more successfully predicting the outbreak of--terrorist acts.
House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt’s recent appointment of Al-Marayati to a national counter-terrorism commission should be applauded, not condemned, by all who seek an end to this scourge.
DOUGLAS E. MIRELL
President-Elect
Progressive Jewish Alliance
Los Angeles
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