Suicide bombers are not freedom fighters

Stop blaming the victim!

From the beginning of his letter it was not hard to see that Greg Smith (April 10) was blaming the victim.

As has been the chant of many liberals, ''pity the poor criminal,'' he brings the same call to another level of revulsion, ''pity the poor terrorist.'' His contention that these people are not homicidal maniacs or religious zealots is incorrect because that is exactly what they are. Freedom fighters do not commit genocide against women and children.

The Palestinians have been offered a just peace and freedom in their own land. If the Palestinian people would simply open their eyes, they would see who their oppressors are — their supposed ''leaders.'' Then they could take up their arms and overthrow the ones that are really oppressing them, starting with Yasser Arafat.

There are actually two victims in this conflict, the Israelis and the Palestinians. When are the Palestinians going to wake up and realize that they have been fighting the wrong enemy?

Mark Goldstein