Randy Weaver

Re “Both Sides Still Wrestling With Horrors of Ruby Ridge,” Aug. 20: Randy Weaver decides not to show up for court and levels a threat to any would-be pursuer to stay off of his mountain. He and his family are heavily armed. Any idiot could tell you that if you don’t show up for court they are going to come get you. Weaver most likely orchestrated his Armageddon- confronting plan around this.

Guess who shows up? The FBI, the marshals--who cares! How does Weaver respond? He sends his wife and his 14-year-old son out to get killed. Any action by the government forces involved, whether right or wrong, doesn’t exonerate Weaver from the responsibility for starting and perpetuating the deadly confrontation.

SUSAN M. BERGER

Thousand Oaks

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* Rodney King runs from law enforcement, violently resists arrest and when the police are found to have denied him his civil rights, he wins over $3 million. Next, law enforcement officials attempt to arrest Weaver after he openly flaunts his disregard for the law. All this leads to a violent confrontation which leaves one man dead, a law enforcement agent who committed his life to the defense of us all, and ultimately leads to the death of two members of Weaver’s family. Weaver and his family win over $3 million. The lesson for law-abiding citizens is that the next time we encounter a police officer to immediately resist, encourage some type of physical encounter and then run . . . all the way to the bank.

WARREN M. LENT

Los Angeles