To the Editor:
I am writing concerning Alan Dershowitz's column "Support for Buchanan Morally Wrong" [Feb. 16]. First of all, let me stress that I am no fan of Pat Buchanan, and that I agree with Professor Dershowitz that the evidence indicates that he holds bigoted views. Nonetheless, I must admit that I wish Professor Dershowitz had held a similar concern for evidence several months ago, when his duties included membership in O.J. Simpson's "Dream Team."
Somehow, Professor Dershowitz's preoccupation with moral uprightness must have escaped his mind when he helped O.J. Simpson get away with murder. Ironically, Pat Buchanan's coded racism is strongly reminiscent of the defense team's playing of the race card in the Simpson case. Of course, I'm sure that Professor Dershowitz is overcome with shame from earning God knows how much in the Simpson case, and his six-figure advance in a subsequent book deal must have him suffering incredible pangs of guilt.
In fact, for Professor Dershowitz to make accusations of unscrupulous morals is not only downright hypocritical, it is laughable. As an attorney, Professor Dershowitz has profited from representing an assortment of exemplary luminaries, including rapist Mike Tyson, tax evaders Leona Helmsley and Jim Bakker, and brothel manager Heidi Fleiss.
Pat Buchanan defends bigotry to amass votes; Alan Dershowitz defends patent murderers to amass dollars. I fail to see a huge moral gap between the two.
