This is a letter written by S. Gurcharan Singh to Congressman Stephen J. Solarz.
“You have the prerogative to vote in accordance with your best judgment and the dictate of your conscience, as you did against an amendment to the foreign assistance program.
However, your remarks pertaining to “one incident in Punjab,” where “some woman was raped,” seems to ignore a consistent pattern of police brutalities against innocent women and children in Punjab. Needless to say that such like remarks were not expected from a highly articulate and well-informed Congressman like yourself. Please permit me to point out that:
- Every woman is somebody’s daughter or sister and/or an aspiring mother if not already one.
And that every woman is worthy of dignity and respect, including “some women” in Punjab, even if they are not related to a “distinguished” Congressman from Brooklyn.
- One would expect a little more understanding and compassion from a Congressman, who belongs to a post holocaust generation.
- Such like remarks revive the painful memories of the holocaust: how some people ignore it, others refuse to believe it could happen, and yet others belittle the magnitude of its monstrosity.
- Despite the mundane realities of politics, a distinguished Congressman with a safe seat and Richest campaign chest could afford to put a human face on political issues, with courage, candor and statesmanship.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 15, 1989
