Don't Scapegoat Religious Right

To the editors:

I am writing in regard to Professor James R. Russell's shameless assessment of the Matthew Shepard killing ("No Resurrection This Time," Opinion. Oct. 26). The abandon with which he shifts the blame from the killers to "the neo-conservative movement" and to "Christian Coalition types" is rather disturbing, as well as his mentioning the names of Irving Kristol, Richard John Neuhaus, Pat Buchanan and our own Harvey C. Mansfield '53 in connection with the gruesome murder.

Let's look at the facts here. One gay student was murdered by two despicable characters in Wyoming. Those boys deserve swift justice and should be punished as harshly as the law allows. They alone are responsible for their actions. Russell has made neo-conservatives and the religious-right his scapegoats. Quick to condemn them all for an alleged hatred of homosexuals, he exhibits his own intolerance. BRONWEN C. McSHEA '02   Oct. 26, 1998