Joseph Ileto

* Thank you for “Furrow Spared by His Mental History” (Jan. 25). While I had held hopes that Buford O. Furrow Jr. would be executed for the murder of Joseph Ileto, I agree that the diminished mental capacity of Furrow does make life in prison a just sentence. Perhaps society may learn something from this pathetic, hate-filled man by keeping him alive.

ED HENSLEY

Harbor City

*

“Lest Hate Victim Be Forgotten” (Jan. 25) gives insight into the fundamental basis for hate crimes legislation. The Filipino group feels that the Jewish group has grabbed all the attention from the Furrow rampage. Hate crimes legislation, while sounding noble to some, actually springs from the baser motives of identity group politics. Each group jockeys to get on the list of designated special victims, making its members feel more important because crimes against them will get extra punishment. Politicians catering to these urges get headlines in the short run, but they create a divided and unjust society. And how is punishing people for their thoughts different from Orwell’s thought police?

If it’s of any comfort to Ismael Ileto, my memory of Joseph Ileto is at least as sharp as my memory of the wounding of the children at the community center. However, the Specter-Kennedy hate crime bill not only would further divide society, it wouldn’t do any good in this specific instance. Furrow was facing the death penalty--how could you punish him more than that?

MIKE DORNHEIM

Los Angeles