Letters to the Editor
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

‘Iranian Judo’
The recent refusal by an Iranian athlete to compete against an Israeli athlete as a demonstration of support for the Palestinian cause was an ugly incident that should have been quickly addressed by the International Olympic Committee [“Iranian Judo,” Editorial, August 16, 2004].
These Olympic officials have been extremely concerned this year about testing athletes for the presence of performance-enhancing drugs.
Perhaps it is also time that they begin addressing the noxious poisons present in the minds of some of the nations in their esteemed movement that could lead to the demise of the games.
The IOC itself is at fault for setting the groundwork for such actions by indulging the disturbed political whims of Arab religious leaders and dictators through its own infantile semantic games.
On its own Web site, it has listed Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, but Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel.
It has also grouped Israel in the European region, as opposed to the Asian region, where its neighbors Lebanon and Jordan are assigned.
These ridiculous, gutless, politically motivated decisions unfortunately do have serious consequences.
An athlete’s refusal to compete against an individual Israeli and the gerrymandering of the map of the Middle East implicitly denies the legitimacy of an entire nation.
It is then much easier to justify violent action against such an entity and perpetrate another slaughter of Jews by terrorists in a manner reminiscent of the 1972 Munich games.
The children of the Palestinian butchers of Munich must be stopped now before they are allowed to replicate their father’s crimes.
If the IOC truly cared about some lofty ideal of international brotherhood, it would have taken immediate action against the Iranian delegation.
It would have clearly and unequivocally stated publically that any refusal to participate against an athlete for any reason is contrary to Olympic ideals and rules.
Indeed, the IOC should have taken this opportunity to publicly and properly memorialize the Israeli Olympic athletes killed during the Munich Games.
A solemn service dedicated to remembering the murder of its own athletes has not taken place at any time during in the past 32 years due to threats of an Arab boycott.
If the Arab delegations decide to follow through on this threat, they should be told that such actions are also antithetical to Olympic ideals and will result in permanent banishment from the games.
Our European allies who hold key positions in the IOC must choose to join us and take the necessary steps to combat Islamic fascism wherever it occurs, even though their history shows no desire to address any growing storm before it is far too late.
The Olympics can never again become a blunt instrument used by fanatics and the coalition of the unwilling to attack Israel and the West.
If the IOC chooses to continue in the aid and comfort of those who have vowed to carry out our destruction, America and our corporate sponsors must abandon the Olympic movement forever.
ROBERT TUFTS
Forest Hills, N.Y.
‘Ignoring Genocide’
The article “Ignoring Genocide” is so thoroughly prejudiced that one wonders whether it could be fueled by anything other than hatred of Turkey and Turks in general [Hillel Halkin, Opinion, August 17, 2004]. Genocide is a crime defined by international law (United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide of 1948). The Armenian allegation that genocide was perpetrated against Ottoman Armenians by the Ottoman Empire has never been legally substantiated. Moreover, contrary to the claims in the article, expert historians are also deeply divided on this chapter of Ottoman history. In sum, history and international law stands testament to the fact that there is more than one side to this story. Sadly, the article in question conveniently opts to reflect only one narrative while completely ignoring others. Wisdom dictates that it is only through honest and genuine dialogue between Turks and Armenians can this sensitive issue be laid to rest in a manner acceptable to both peoples. Supposed journalism of the like in question on the other hand surely is not helpful in fostering such a dialogue.
NACI SARIBA
Deputy Chief of Mission Embassy of Turkey Washington, D.C.
‘Remonstrance in Queens’
I know Alagappa Alagappan, the founder of the Ganesha Temple in Flushing, Queens, very well from 1970 [“Remonstrance in Queens,” Editorial, July 28, 2004].
The New York Sun said that he “indicated in a 1997 interview that he wanted to keep the temple’s governance free of the politicking that plagues similar institutions.”
When he started the temple in 1970, the question that was uniformly asked was whether a temple was necessary. There were no other Hindu temples in America, so a question of plaguing similar institutions never did rise. The original bylaws were suppressed.
When the current trustees asked Mr. Alagappan in 2001 for an affidavit to support their claim that the 1970 bylaws were never adopted, he refused and, realizing that the trustees were crying for his blood, resigned. And so at last, the man who started the Hindu temple movement in North America, nurtured it and made it grow for so many years, was “punished” and removed from the temple that was the dearest thing on this earth for him.
The 1970 bylaws were obtained from the Internal Revenue Service under the Freedom of Information Act.
Incidentally, I am one of the petitioners in this case, and also a member of the managing committee formed to hold an election.
We decide who should be admitted to membership, not the American lawyer in Long Island.
There have been several court decisions, both in the Queens Supreme Court and also in the Appellate Division. All the judges, after seeing all the evidence, have decided that we are correct.
The Sun has decided otherwise, without seeing any of us and finding the opposite point of view.
KRISHNAMURTHY AIYER
Brooklyn