Letters, Oct. 9, 1978

To the Editors:

The latest opposition of the Dark Ages-style Muslim mullahs to the Shah's government [Sept. 18] comes as no surprise to those of us interested in progress and in seeing Iran enter the 20th century. The mullahs' theocratic demand to watchdog parliament in the name of democracy is a mockery of the right to freedom. The mullahs ought to be reminded that their "overseeing" the parliament is just as repugnant as the ban on the freedom of the press, for which they criticize the Shah's regime. The separation of church and state is essential to democracy and freedom, and its realization is long overdue in Iran.

Jan Zamir Mount Prospect, III.

Since World War II, the U.S. has supported the worst dictatorships in the world under the pretext of fighting Communism. Yet this policy has always pushed these countries into the arms of Communist nations. Iran is no different from China, Cuba or Viet Nam. Because religious people cannot be called Communists, the people of Iran are now being suppressed under the guise of modernization. Imagine where the Iranians could seek help if America did not assist them.

Jeffrey E. Koziol Lombard, III.

Once again the Carter Administration finds itself in a moral dilemma: Do we tolerate the Shah's fascist savagery as long as he satisfies our anti-Communist needs?

Dan Searby Bethesda, Md.

There is an ever present belief in the Western world that Islam is contrary to modernization and progress. The current development and modernization in many oil-rich Islamic nations prove that progress and Islam can go together. If you call legalization of gambling, striptease, pornography and homosexual rights social reforms and modernization, I would say no to such progress.

Akbar M. Ali Irving, Texas

The Soul's Cry

My reason leads me to accept Mr. Morrow's point in his Essay "On Crime and Much Harder Punishment" [Sept. 18] that a full-scale return to the death penalty would be "ethically shaming and emotionally exhausting" for the American people. The U.S. would have to endure criticism not only from foreign nations, but also from within. Our blood lust could well supersede that of Rome during the persecution of Christians.

But as the nephew of a murdered uncle, the "uncivilized" responses are still present within me: my soul cries out for vengeance.

Glen M. Vey Albany, Ga.

Why is everybody so concerned about the rights of a killer? Capital punishment is not cruel and unusual because it perfectly fits the crime of murder.

Robert Itkin Marietta, Ga.

It is a truism among convicts that "capital punishment means that if you have the capital you don't get the punishment." Given that, what makes Morrow assume that swift justice would mean anything more than swifter pardons for the Richard Nixons and swifter retaliatory lockups for the Joan Littles?

Michael Hogan Colorado Humanities Program Denver

When we become civilized enough to do away with the reason for the death penalty, then we will be civilized enough to do away with the death penalty.

Gregory Moran Palm Springs, Calif.