Anti-literacy crusade?

The Mirror's latest issue suggests that the paper is at the forefront of a hot new trend.

In Matthew Hays' film review ["Killer commanders, that wascally wabbit and Nazi assassins," Nov. 13], he refers to "book-types," implying that he's not one of those squares who reads. In Kristian Gravenor's typically obnoxious column (whose tired, pity-us-poor-anglos whining could be the subject of a whole other rant), he takes this stance a step further with the (appropriately) poorly phrased statement, "mainly I hate books a lot" [Kristian Perspective, Nov. 13].

The Mirror could position itself on the forefront of a bold initiative, encouraging the growth of a blossoming illiterati who flaunt their ignorance and inability to absorb the written word.

Before you pursue this anti-literacy crusade, though, keep in mind: it might cut into your readership a bit.

» Malcolm Fraser

Edeet Ravel clarifies

Thank you for your article about my novel, Ten Thousand Lovers, in the Mirror [Books, Nov 19]. I would like to correct several serious errors that resulted, no doubt, from the casual format of my interview with the Mirror.

I am not a founder of the Jewish Alliance Against the Occupation, which was founded by Lillian Robinson, though I was one of the founders of Women in Black in Montreal. I would never bemoan the absence of left-wingers in the Israeli army, since I actively support the refusal movement and do not believe anyone should serve in the occupation army. I have spoken out at length in support of refusal and continue to do so.

I did not say that the only people left in the Israeli army are extremists, but that there are more extremists now than in the '70s (when my novel takes place), and that the problem with having this population in the army is that there is no accountability. I spoke about atrocities that had been committed from the first day of the Israeli army's inception (I gave as an example the recent shocking story, just declassified, of the rape and execution of a Bedouin girl in 1949) but added that I disagreed with Chomsky that there has been no deterioration or disintergration of ideology in the army over the years.

A former combat soldier commented that my character, Ami, would not get into trouble for overturning a desk in an interrogation unit, since in those units, as opposed to the regular army, such an act would not stand out. I changed that scene after discussing several options with him.

» Edeet Ravel

[Juliet Waters replies: It certainly was not my intention to misrepresent Ms. Ravel's views. If I have, I regret the errors, and appreciate her clarifications.]

Sound Check gripes

As a reader of the Montreal Mirror I was very disappointed to see your Sound Check 2003 [Nov. 6, 2003] listings. If this listing is supposed to be for the Montreal local music scene, then why did you leave out half of Montreal's greatest bands?

One Away, for one thing, was the winner of the Montreal Indie Rock Competition 2003 and they weren't even mentioned. Higher to Fall has just released an independent album and you also failed to mention them.

Not to mention many more great Montreal bands such as Mr. Kyte, Plight, Sway, the Veigh, the Weeds, etc. Before making a list like this I think you should really do your research and find out which bands are actually worth mentioning.

» Pat Rossi

[Ed: Sound Check: The Montreal Music Directory isn't the result of our research but a free directory open to any band who submitted online or filled out one of the ballots that ran in the paper for a month before we published it.]

Fringe deadline looming

For a newspaper that has been a sponsor of the Fringe Festival a significant number of years, it seems odd that the only mention of the festival's call for submissions has been an obscure listing in the back of the paper. No letters to the editor, no mention in Artsweek and no little bit tacked on to a theatre or dance review.

The deadline is December 1, and that deadline can come and go without many people knowing of it. The festival is not open to everyone if the notice doesn't travel well.

The details are at the Fringe's Web site www.montrealfringe.ca (or call the Fringe office, 849-FEST). There's the usual quota, allocated to local French. Another new twist, I gather, is that all shows are by lottery, even the non-local shows, so that deadline is absolute.

The festival starts on June 10, 2004. The only criteria is winning the lottery, and of course having the entry fee. Bring whatever show you've got, theatre, dance, comedy, music, storytelling or whatever, or enter now and figure out the show later. But do it now because there's no later.

» Michael Black

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