LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (07/27/03)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Our community must have unity

Dear Editor:

As I recall, sometime in the early spring The Ukrainian Weekly printed an article written by Tamara Gallo describing the resolutions made at a meeting of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America executive board. At that meeting a statement was made that the executive of the UCCA was concerned about the need for unity within the Ukrainian American community. For that reason a special committee was created to negotiate with the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council in order to secure the positive result of unification of these two organizations in one body that would represent us and speak in one voice.

Dialogue on this matter is essential and has to continue to rebuild one Ukrainian American representation, regardless of the personal ambitions and ultimate name of that body. This is in the interest of all of us.

Svoboda printed my two short articles on that subject on April 11 and June 13. To date our community does not know if such negotiations are taking place and, if so, what progress has been made.

There is no doubt that both organizations are marching in the same direction and, therefore, they should unite to work effectively, to gain respect and to represent us with one strong voice.

I'm sure that there is no ideal solution. You will not be able to satisfy everybody, but I can assure you that most of us will commend these organizations for such a historic and patriotic accomplishment. Let us follow the motto: "United we stand."

We, the silent majority, are concerned and will be more than happy to be represented by one respectful organization.

Bohdan Kandiuk
Glen Spey, N.Y

Re: TV's portrayal of Ukrainians

Dear Editor:

My recent viewing of popular television and movies suggests that a new trend may be afoot - the transitioning of the negative video stereotype of Ukrainians from vicious Nazis to particularly brutal post-Soviet mafiosi.

In an episode of NBC's "Law and Order" titled "Absentia," which aired in the Philadelphia area on June 25, a frightened bit character manages to defame both Georgians and Ukrainians in the same breath when, in describing a murderous perpetrator, he tells the police detective, "Those Georgians are worse than Ukes."

In the new hit Paramount movie "The Italian Job," a sumo-wrestler type character who supplies materiel to criminals of various types tells our hero "One thing I never do is mess with Ukrainians." He is referring to Mashkov, a Russian-speaking (of course) mob-type who runs a suspicious garbage disposal operation and who confronted the supplier-character with a hatchet in an attempt to extract information. Although Mashkov turns out to be a relatively good guy, coming to the rescue of our "heroes" from the real evil-doer in the movie, this evidently couldn't be accomplished without the gratuitous slander.

Is anybody else out there watching? Are these isolated incidents or a new pattern?

Olena W. Stercho
Wayne, Pa.

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