South Africa

I am writing to express my shock and dismay at the cover pictures of Saturday’s Times (“Executions Underscore Bophuthatswana Chaos,” March 12).

I have seen you publish numerous photos showing dead bodies, murder victims, the results of mayhem of all types. Never before have I seen a picture of a man begging for his life, followed by such a complete description of how he died moments later. Somehow we have become desensitized to pictures of death. But to show a helpless human being about to be murdered takes a step over the boundary. It does not matter whether that person is male, female, white, black, brown, blue or green. Murder is an affront to all human beings.

PATRICK W. HUBER

Anaheim

We must not bury our heads in the sand and pretend that such problems do not exist, but, I ask that you steer away from sensationalism and shock value when searching for “worthy” news items.

SUSAN M. BASS

Camarillo