Letters to the Editor

05.11.16

Blue Corn, May 4: “Seal of Disapproval”

Better Idea

Replace the frontiersman and the conquistador with Walt and Jesse from Breaking Bad. Replace that governor-wants-more-pizza crap with Leviter calcare, "Tread lightly, bitches." That won't offend anyone.

Lisa Dove Balzano
SFReporter.com

From Across the Pond

How about they reverse the seal? The Indians standing on skulls of conquistadors?

Shra Sen
Edinburgh, Scotland

Opinion, April 20: “Gutsy Move”

Not With Us

Despite the fact that Lena Griffith praises us for our persistence in "Sign of the Times," we wish to dissociate ourselves from the last three unfortunate paragraphs of her letter. It is anti-Semitic to assign any specific cultural characteristics to all Jews, or indeed, all Israelis, and many argue that it promotes anti-Semitism for Israel to claim to represent all/or speak for all Jews as they often do. Progressive Jews and other peoples, both abroad and in Israel, decry the occupation and Israeli oppression of Palestinian rights.

Santa Feans for Justice in Palestine
Santa Fe

Hate-Filled

I cannot believe SFR actually published Lena Griffith's hate-filled letter. There is nothing wrong with criticizing Israel per se. Its own citizens do it every day. But Ms. Griffith's letter clearly crosses the line. As to the sign on Old Pecos Trail, the suggestion that Israel is an apartheid country is hate speech. I followed the events in South Africa years ago and see no similarities between that nation and Israel. And it goes without saying that comparing Israel to Nazis does not deserve the dignity of a response.

As for the plight of the Palestinians, I suggest Ms. Griffith and Mr. Haas target their anger at the Palestinian leadership.Since the turn of this century, Yassar Arafat, who died as one of the world's richest men, turned down two peace offers, while his successor Mahmoud Abbas, now in the 12th year of his five-year term, turned down another opportunity in 2008. ... I am not a Netanyahu fan, but it matters little who governs Israel as long as the Palestinians remain trapped by their inept leadership. Until that situation is rectified, there will be no justice for Palestine.

John Greenspan
Santa Fe

An Outrage

We are absolutely outraged that SFR printed Lena Griffith's hateful and anti-Semitic letter to the editor. She justifies renewed anti-Semitism around the world with the anti-Semitic "blood-libel" claim, the same claim used for millennia to slaughter Jews. Her outrageous claims of atrocities committed in the name of the Jewish people needs to be condemned in the strongest language, not printed in a newspaper!

Todd Goldblum, Barbara Einhorn
Albuquerque

Disservice to Effort

As a life-long member of Santa Fe's Jewish community and an anti-Zionist, I was appalled by Ms. Griffith's crass, anti-Semitic remarks. ... People of all faiths, including Jews, have been working for Palestinian dignity, equality and justice for as long as Palestinians have been displaced from their homes and deprived of their rights. The criticism of the Israeli state's policies towards Palestinians expressed by groups like Jewish Voice for Peace (which Ms. Griffith erroneously claims she is allied with) is rooted in values of equality for all peoples.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (which, incidentally, should look far more familiar to the people of Santa Fe now that we are officially boycotting North Carolina for one bigoted law, while Israel has 50+ laws which discriminate against its non-Jewish citizens in addition to Occupation's legal system) has unequivocally said anti-Semitism has no place in our movement. The movement for justice and equality for Palestinians is rooted in a global movement against systemic forms of oppression, racism and bigotry. Lena Griffith's use of anti-Semitic rhetoric to supposedly advance the Palestinian cause is a disservice to all of us pursuing justice in Israel/Palestine: Palestinians most of all.

Bekah Wolf
Santa Fe

Cover, May 4: “The Sweet Spot”

Hit the Road

Makes me want to get in the car and drive down [to Pie Town].

Carolyn Slater Whitehill
via Facebook

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Letters to the Editor

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