Puzzling free press

Letters

Editor: I read the letter from Jack Chivo to the editor in the last Bulletin. It deals with a handful of Vancouver individuals calling themselves Jews for a Just Peace. The issue of these "Jews for a Just Peace" is one of the most recurring subjects covered by the Bulletin. I am sad to note that the only newspaper of a community that is facing formidable challenges and is plagued by multiple financial crises does not succeed in creating a forum for dialogue about really important issues in this community.

Back to the so-called Jews for a Just Peace. Jews espousing Arab arguments have always been around and some of them are making a living out of it. What bothers me is the amount of energy spent by the talented minds at your paper to give these people free advertisements, considering they are on the fringe of the Vancouver Jewish community. If you want them sad, just don't mention them! Equally disturbing, considering they are so minute, is the considerable exposure given to the group by the Bulletin in the name of free press. I am puzzled in this respect by the editor's comments to your readers, explaining Jeff Halper's and others' signatures on a petition that "there is the possibility on the Internet for someone to sign a petition in someone's else name." We all know that don't we? Do you imply that someone else signed Jeff Halper's name on a petition "demanding the immediate return of all Arab refugees to today's Israel"? If so, what is your assumption based on? In any case, if we can't trust Internet polls and petitions, consequent logic would command you to invalidate all comments in your paper about the results of these polls and petitions, don't you agree?

Georges Sommer
Richmond

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