LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (06/16/96)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Out best donation is knowledge

Dear Editor:

Ukrainians in the West cannot help Ukraine financially to any significant degree. Even the Jewish community, with immensely greater resources, supplies less than 10 percent of aid to Israel. The bulk of aid, over 90 percent comes from the U.S. taxpayers'pockets.

What Ukrainians in the West can provide is immensely more valuable, the knowledge of how the real world works.

But Mr. Lysyj has forgotten the folk proverb that you can bring the horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

The Communist apparatchiks who run Ukraine and its institutions reject this gift of knowledge. Their attitude can best be described as arrogant stupidity. Until this changes, Ukrainians in the West cannot help Ukraine meaningfully. Any attempts are like spitting against the wind.

J.B. Gregorovich
Toronto

The writer is chairman of the Ukrainian-Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Do not typecast or label groups

Dear Editor:

In the May 26 edition of The Ukrainian Weekly, Myron Kuropas in his article, "Ghostbusting in Ukraine", writes: "The inordinate role played by Jews in bringing Bolshevism to power is certainly a topic worthy of further exploration."

Yes, there were Jews who were Bolsheviks. There were also Jews who were victims of Bolsheviks. There were also Ukrainians who were Bolsheviks, as well as Russians.

It is inappropriate to blame a group for the actions of some. It is inappropriate to typecast and imply that an ethnic/religious group had an inordinate role. Individuals, sure. If Dr. Kuropas wants to look at the inordinate role that certain individuals had, please.

His use of the group is akin to saying that Ukrainians had an "inordinate role" in being anti-Semitic, and that "it is worthy of further exploration."

As a Ukrainian, I am tired of and resent such typecasting.

I would suggest that Dr. Kuropas avoid labeling groups, and if he wants to study roles, that he look at individuals.

J. Michael Szul M.D.
Toronto

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