AS USUAL, your February-March issue digs deep into my consciousness and stirs (sometimes aggravates) my soul. This time, one thing concerns me. Near the end of his article "Public Enemies," Dale Aukerman discusses the "cry of the people" that led to the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. He does mention that the people were incited by their leaders. But I think that in view of the multitude of atrocities that have been perpetrated on Jews by Christians over the centuries because of their alleged participation in the sentencing and crucifixion of Jesus, he should have mentioned the possibility that those leaders had salted the crowd outside the governor's palace with politically correct operatives who would see to it that the crowd did what was wanted. The leaders knew what was going on that morning; the general populace didn't.
It would be far better for all concerned if the pernicious doctrine of general Jewish guilt in the crucifixion of Jesus were always fought vigorously and future persecutions avoided.
Irving L. Chidsey
Havre de Grace, Maryland
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