LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (07/09/00)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Congratulations on language editorial

Dear Editor:

I want to congratulate you on your editorial "Language Politics, Again" in the July 2 issue of The Weekly. As tragic and inexcusable as Ihor Bilozir's death was, it would have been equally tragic and inexcusable if it led to xenophobia and intolerance with regard to the 11 million of Ukrainian citizens of Russian descent. I am sure that Mr. Bilozir would not want that as part of his legacy.

Editorials like yours help Ukraine, with its many ethnic minorities, evolve into a viable and tolerant democracy.

Victor Basiuk
McLean, Va.

Kuropas has courage to express his opinion

Dear Editor:

I would like to express my opinion regarding the accusation by one of your readers that Dr. Myron Kuropas "is not the voice of the entire Ukrainian American community." Should there be only one voice that speaks for the entire Ukrainian community?

In my perception, Dr. Kuropas never claims to speak for someone else. However, he has the courage to sign his name to articles that provoke discussion and stir the murky waters of our "peaceful" Ukrainian community existence.

Of course, it is so much more "proper" to criticize behind the scenes and thus remain in good standing with the entire Ukrainian community.

Bohdanna Monczak
LaSalle, Quebec

Refreshing to read Fedynsky column

Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to Andrew Fedynsky's article "Reconnecting with cultural heritage" published in the June 18 issue of The Ukrainian Weekly.

It was refreshing to read an article that had positive comments about Jewish-Ukrainian relations. I congratulate Mr. Fedynsky for writing the article and you for publishing it.

M. Szul
Toronto

Gratitude for June 25 articles and news

Dear Editor:

On behalf of the New Jersey Regional Council of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, I thank you for publishing the article in the June 25 issue of The Ukrainian Weekly titled "UNWLA jubilee marked by New Jersey Regional Council." This issue also included "N.J. Regional Council: an outline history," which was very important to us.

The article "International conference in Kyiv focuses on trafficking issue" was very interesting as it focused on women from Ukraine being exploited. As you know, the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs accepted our resolution at the convention in 1999 regarding this matter and forwarded it to the International General Federation of Women's Clubs. We always were and still are very concerned about women's rights - a human rights issue.

Maria Polanskyj
Matawan, N.J.

The writer is president of the New Jersey Regional Council of the UNWLA.

Thanks to classmate for reunion report

Dear Editor:

With great interest have I read the report by my classmate, Michael Komanowsky on "First reunion of Mittenwald students held at Soyuzivka" (June 25). My congratulations to Orest Kuzma, Michael Mochula, George Ukrainsky and - yes - Mr. Komanowsky (too modest to claim credit for himself) on the successful endeavor. I regret that I was unable to attend.

I would like to set the record straight, however. This was not the first reunion. In fact a similar reunion was held in 1963 at the Verkhovyna resort. At that time plans were made to publish a commemorative book and some funds were collected for that project. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition. Hopefully, the current committee will enjoy better luck.

Orest Hawryluk, M.D.
Elkins Park, Pa.

Let's make Zabytko best-selling author

Dear Editor:

"The Sky Unwashed," Irene Zabytko's heart-rending novel about the Chonobyl nuclear explosion and its effects on the power plant's workers and families is a milestone publication for Ukraine. By depicting the brave Ukrainian ladies who returned to their village in the Chornobyl "dead zone," Ms. Zabytko's book not only offers Americans an accurate portrayal of the Chornobyl tragedy, but elucidates Ukrainian cultural traditions and Soviet mentalities that are so familiar to anyone who has visited Ukraine.

The novel has received great reviews from The Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews. More recently it was named "Book of the Year" by the Northeast Booksellers' Association. Our next goal should be to place "The Sky Unwashed" on The New York Times Best Seller List.

Now it is up to us (the diaspora) to encourage our local Barnes and Noble, the official booksellers of the novel, to carry Ms. Zabytko's book. Buying and reading the novel is the first crucial step, but our support should not stop there.

Organizing a book signing event would also offer an effective venue to educate your community about Ukraine and its environmental and medical needs since the Chornobyl disaster.

Another possibility is to invite Ms. Zabytko to speak at universities in conjunctions with their creative writing or environmental science programs as she has already at Yale and Seton Hall universities. And, it is worth noting that Ms. Zabytko will speak at the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University on July 19.

Olena Welhasch
Berkeley Heights, N.J.

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