ADL Spying

In response to “Respect Free Speech, but Note the Words,” Commentary, March 12:

David Lehrer’s logic and reasoning leave a lot to be desired. His attempt to label Anti-Defamation League’s spying operations as a public service is atrocious. He just added insult to injury to all intelligent free Americans. We are further insulted by his comparison of the ADL’s understanding of free speech to that of our Founding Fathers.

The ADL’s systematic gathering of data on law-abiding American citizens for the purpose of selling it to racist regimes in Israel and South Africa is spying, and as such it is an illegal act that must be punished. It is a repressive activity that must be stopped immediately.

It is true that extremists of all backgrounds represent a potential danger to our society. I ought to know. Jewish extremists blew up my brother and the building that housed his office in Santa Ana in 1985. The true danger to our democracy is organizations such as the ADL that conduct illegal activities on a regular basis and seek to inhibit our freedoms and constitutional rights.

Lehrer calls for protection of our privacy from “overzealous and invasive law-enforcement agencies.” No, Mr. Lehrer. What we need is protection from organizations like yours. Law enforcement agencies are charged with the duty of protecting us from the “extremists” among us. They are doing the public service you talk about. The ADL does the spying.

SAMI M. ODEH

Orange