To the editors:
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I recently had the privilege to attend the Woodlawn Organization’s 1991 Advocacy Awards event. Mr. Sprayregen was the only non-Black and non-Hispanic to receive an award from TWO, a noted Black civil rights organization, for his contributions to human rights during the course of his work over many years in the American Civil Liberties Union and the Anti-Defamation League. Mr. Sprayregen moved several people in the audience to tears by describing his personal role in the rescue of Ethiopian Jews. He expressed the satisfaction he felt having assisted in the rescue of an entire community from certain death. He then vividly exemplified the point by introducing to the audience his octogenarian aunt, who is the sole survivor of a large group of his own family which were killed by the Nazis during World War II.
Mr. Sprayregen may be willing to grin and bear the accusation. In the name of decency, however, I protest against accusing this obviously distinguished worker for human rights of “justifying genocide.”
