Not all Americans
are stupid

Regarding the story on investigative reporter Seymour Hersh [“Digging through a stupid war,” Oct. 26]: I think that it might be helpful for Mr. Hays to understand that all Americans, excepting of course Mr. Hersh, are not misinformed mushrooms.

I grant you that there is an ominous amount of ignorance and misinformation that is clearly an American trait. But our current administration and the tactics that it employs to keep a lid on the free flow of information from the traditional MSM outlets to the common American has interrupted and corrupted our system of democracy as well as the flow of meaningful content that addresses world problems rather than the mundane issues that face American society: Who is sleeping with Brad Pitt or Jessica Simpson? Who is going to win Big Brother or Dancing With the Stars?

Millions of Americans seek information about world issues outside of our anointed press, which has so woefully neglected its job of providing us with unbiased information rather than the tripe that is rife on the pages of our national newspapers.

There are a few of us who still believe that Americans can be the good guys in the world scheme of things although our once white hat has turned a decidedly dark grey and our badge of honour has been tarnished to dimness, a representation that, as Americans, we are suspect and untrustworthy to the world community.

» A.E. Stutor, USA

Thinking past Parc

I, too, find the proposed renaming of Parc Avenue after the late premier Robert Bourassa annoying [Photo of the week & Riff Raff, “What’s in a name,” Oct 26]. I recognize the role the street plays in the neighbourhood’s and the city’s identity—its place along our central geographical landmark (Mount Royal), its historical value and its ties with the Greek, Jewish and hipster communities. So it’s great that people have banded together to protest the change. I must admit, though, that I find our priorities a bit mixed up.

At the exact same time as the Save Parc protest, the 2006 GuluWalk took place, beginning at McGill, and moving up the Main to St-Joseph and back down St-Urbain. The event is in support of the abandoned Acholi children of Northern Uganda. As the GuluWalk Web site reads: “The war in northern Uganda has been ravaging its people for nearly 20 years and has gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream media and the general public. Over 30,000 children have been abducted by the rebel-led Lords Resistance Army to be used as soldiers and sex slaves, over 90% of Acholi people have been confined to displacement camps that offer neither security nor basic provisions. This war has paralyzed an entire nation with fear, forever altering families, cultural traditions and way of life for an entire generation.”

Sobering, eh? Save Parc, sure, but if you’re going to sign petitions and march the streets to protest injustice, please remember to keep an eye on the world outside your own neighbourhood as well.

» Tara Johnson

Evening the field

I read with interest your article on Mexican migrant agricultural workers outside Montreal [“Migrants back and forth,” Oct. 26]. Canada is a country dependent on immigration to fuel the economy, and, as such, migrant workers should have quality working conditions.

Kudos to Bonifacio Santos for standing up to the authorities who weren’t in favour of the Mexican farm workers forming a union. These hard working people should settle for no less than respectable conditions in a country where all workers deserve the same.

» Frank Miller

Appreciating Elatrash

It has been interesting to read the articles, major and minor, contributed by Samer Elatrash since he seemed to quietly join the staff of the Mirror some time back.

They are, to the eyes of this mere engineer, well-written and researched and about many varying topics. It would appear that the excellence of Concordia’s journalism program has been absorbed by him. Mr. Elatrash is also well known as a rather “in your face” activist on behalf of the welfare of Palestinians. I have occasionally quarrelled with his methods and have a bit of a reputation as being pro-Israeli. Nonetheless, I have always regarded his zeal for his cause as being genuine and based on intelligent thought.

I wish him well in his career in journalism if that is what he seeks. I look forward to reading him in the Mirror, and being an unreformed optimist, look forward to the day when, insha’Allah, Israelis and Palestinians live peacefully side by side as one hopes they are destined to do.

» Ken Frankel

[Ed’s note: While Samer Elatrash does study at Concordia, he is in fact not a journalism student there.]

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