Peace in the Middle East

In his letter last week [Sept. 25], Eric Scott claims that more than one million Jews in the Arab world were "forced into exile." As the daughter of an Iraqi and a Palestinian I am appalled by this exaggeration.

Historically, in Iraq, Jews, Muslims and Christians existed peacefully and respected each other. There were two Jewish sisters who lived on my grandmother's street in Baghdad in the '60s, and they stayed in their home after the occupation of Palestine. They worked as clothing designers for women of all faiths. As a child, my mother used to go to their home and drink tea while they took measurements for her mother's black burka and everything that goes underneath. I can assure you, they were not the only Jews who chose to stay.

On the Palestinian side, in my family's archives black-and-white pictures taken by a friend of my great-grandfather in the beginning of the 1900s depict the peaceful existence of all faiths in Jerusalem. They showed each faith practising their religion, attending schools and universities and, believe it or not, masquerade parties that were hosted by the intellectual and artistic community at the time.

In Scott's last paragraph he invites the readers to look deeply within themselves before pointing fingers at each other. Imagine what would happen if somebody asked the Jews coming out of the Holocaust, or their families, to look within them and ask why is it that Hitler decided to pick on them. Perhaps there were things they needed to fix before it all happened?

No, of course not. They were the targets of merciless racial profiling, and nobody should expect them to justify that. For the Palestinians, checkpoints, deportations, humiliation and the lack of basic needs is the order of the day. Yet these courageous people still find the energy and the motivation to "look within," as you like to call it. Go to the Al-Mubadara Web site (www.

almubadara.org/en/). These people are Palestinians who refuse to carry weapons and bombs, even when pointed in their faces and the faces of the people they love as a normalized dehumanizing routine.

There are more groups, like the one mentioned above, affiliated with the Red Cross, led and operated by peaceful Palestinians. Palestinians often look within, but the North American media only salivates when a suicide bomber is involved.

Also, regarding Ruth Stevens' letter published the same week, I inquire: what exactly is a progressive Zionist? Is it like a progressive Islamic Extremist or a progressive Hamas activist? Please enlighten me.

» Dana Abbab

On McGill tuition and admissions policies

Contrary to what is suggested in Kristian Gravenor's "Bungles in bureaucrat land" [Kristian Perspective, Sept. 25], McGill University does not benefit from the higher tuition fees paid by Canadians who are non-Quebec residents. No universities in Quebec profit by charging higher out-of-province tuition fees, since the province's Ministry of Education collects the supplements paid by the out-of-province students. In short, McGill earns the same tuition fees for most Canadian students, whether they come from Manitoba or Montreal.

» Sylvia Franke, Registrar and Executive Director, Admissions, Recruitment and Registrar's Office, McGill

I have been attending a trial at the Palais de Justice in room 15:03 for the last three weeks. Peggy Ann Sheppard vs. McGill University. A woman of 59, a former high school teacher, not able to afford a lawyer against the might of one of the world's major universities and its high-price legal staff. A David vs. Goliath battle. And why?

Because as a former admissions director she went by the rules that McGill had established. To be admitted one had to qualify. Academically, that is. Many jocks or those with wealthy daddies did not. She was pressured. To her it was immoral to do so. She was "let go" in disgrace.

Why worry? Years ago as a mature student working full time as an electrician at the CNR, with two small children, I was refused entry into McGill. I graduated from Sir George Williams. And thus today I ask myself the question that if my daddy had been a capitalist rather than a clerk would I have gotten into McGill? Are there any readers of the Mirror maybe asking themselves the same question? Why not me?

» John C. Underwood

Non au Bizarro anglais

I really like Alice and Yanka's Resto Bizarro column. I always feel compelled to go and eat at one of the restaurants they review, even when I'm sure that I won't actually like the food. But I'm sad that people complained about Alice and Yanka's unintelligibility, and/or frequent use of French. That's what I liked most about their reviews, and now it's what I miss the most.

» James

Networthy hits the spot

This is a brief note to indicate the distinct pleasure I take in reading Michael Citrome's "Networthy" column every week. The seemingly endless flux of fascinating information and cleverly worded, succinct paragraphs has made me into a faithful fan of his weekly contribution to your paper.

More or less, I like the remainder of your publication as well.

» James Ricard

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