My letter to Jimmy Carter regarding his anti-Semitism

Mr. Carter:

Your piece entitled "Stop the Band-Aid Treatment" in today's Washington Post was predictably anti-Israel. Your public musing on the Middle East consistently amount to a recommendation that Israel abrogate its responsibility to self-defend. When in power, your timidity -- that there is no cause worth defending with arms and every enemy is simply "misunderstood" -- hobbled the United States as Iran held our sovereign territory for over a year after seizing it militarily. This was perhaps the most shameful event in our Country's proud history. Were Israel to conduct itself in such a feckless manner she would quickly cease to exist. Israel is now bearing the brunt of attacks launched against the western world by the very Arab terrorists whom you empowered and emboldened through appeasement. Next to Jimmy Carter, Neville Chamberlain appears a courageous defender of democracy in the eyes of history. You should be loath to criticize Israel in light of these facts.

Richard Becker
Emory University alumni, 1987