El Salvador

April 3, 1987

Detroit Free Press Editorial Department 321 W. Lafayette Detroit, MI 48231

Dear Sir:

On reading your article, "U.S. advisor killed in El Salvador," chills went through me, caused by the fear that our nation may engage itself in another "Viet Nam" type of conflict.

When will we ever learn not to interfere with the manifest destiny of another nation? "Live and let live." Let all those who are ready for democracy make their own choice.

For example, before Lenin helped establish the U.S.S.R., the Russian people experimented with democracy. However, the experiment failed miserably because their representatives could not stop debating and make decisions. In addition, they were used to a tradition of absolutist government.

Are we to create more and more animosity among other nations by our interference? As we can be friends person to person if we, would love one another and treat each other with respect, so can we be friends nation to nation. For, despite the U.N. resolution opposing the use of atomic weapons, warfare in these times can obviously be more devastating because more and more nations are acquiring nuclear technology. If we truly believe Abraham Lincoln's statement that government [when freely chosen] is of the people, by the people, and for the people, we should not fear any government no matter what its form. 　

History repeats itself because we sometimes do not learn from the past. Let us learn quickly, before we are left with fewer and fewer friends on this planet. 　

Sincerely,　

David C. Hakim