Letter: U.S. can’t tolerate Russian brutality

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004 | 8:45 a.m.

On Sept. 8, under the headline "Terrorists only in it for the sheer joy of murder," New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote, "Whatever the horrors the Russians have perpetrated upon the Chechens," the world should respond to the tragic hostage-taking at the school as nothing more than an irrational mass murder. According to this logic we should only react to the events that occurred during this horrible act and ignore the ultimate causes that generated the aberrant behavior in the first place. Following Brooks' advice may temporarily comfort those whose lives have been devastated, but in the long run it will only lead to more desperate acts.

While there is no justification for what the Chechen rebels did, there is also no justification for the Russians murdering thousands of Chechens simply because they've sought freedom and real democracy. It isn't any less evil for a state to brutalize a population than it is for individuals to do so.

If President Bush is really committed to spreading freedom and democracy around the world, then he must demand that Russia stop killing innocent Chechens and subverting Chechen democracy through rigged elections.

SONDRA COSGROVE