Koresh and Waco Tragedy

In response to “Fight Mythology With Words, Not Tanks,” Commentary, April 21:

Jean Rosenfeld, a candidate for a doctorate in the history of religion, finds a close similarity between the self-immolation of Koresh and his followers and the suicides of the defenders of Masada in AD 73. The comparison is not only insulting to the memory of these heroic people, but is also misrepresenting both situations. For the defenders of Masada, the last holdout in a national war against the Romans, surrender meant certain death for most of them, crucifixion for the leaders and rape and permanent enslavement for the women and children. For Koresh and his followers nothing like that was in store. A short imprisonment for some, and dismissal for most of them. The situations were far from similar, and so were the motivations that led up to them.

JOE H. DISPKER

Los Angeles