Le Pen’s Extremism

I disagree with Marte Amato’s assertion that labeling French presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen an “extremist” while not also calling Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin an “extremist” is a sign of The Times’ bias (letter, April 25). Whereas in the U.S. a Socialist running for president may be called extremist, Europeans have had and continue to have Socialist rulers. However, with his notorious remarks about the Holocaust, AIDS sufferers, immigrants and other groups, Le Pen has shown that he is outside of mainstream France.

Before Le Pen’s surprise advancement to the second round, most people expected a rehash of 1995’s presidential elections, which Jospin lost narrowly. Now, if instant polls are to be believed, Jacques Chirac could win by the greatest landslide ever.

Son Le

Huntington Beach