To the Editor:

Re “Them’s Fightin’ Words: 10 Great Protest Songs,” by Loudon Wainwright III (Op-Ed, Oct. 13):

A list of great protest songs that omits any song by the patron saint of folk protest, Woody Guthrie, is as incomplete as a list of great British rock bands that somehow leaves off the Beatles. Possibly Mr. Wainwright was simply daunted by Guthrie’s productivity; picking his best song would daunt anybody.

Although few would rank Guthrie’s 1950s song “Old Man Trump” as among his finest, it is certainly one of his angriest, and is of special relevance today. That Trump was Donald’s father, Fred Trump, whose Beach Haven housing in Brooklyn Guthrie had recently moved into.

Noticing the lack of black tenants, Guthrie perceived that they were not welcome. “Beach tower is Trump’s Tower/Where no black folks come to roam,” Guthrie wrote.

David English

Acton, Mass.