Letters to the Editor (7): Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Write: letters@ok.bc.ca

Where the Olive Tree Weeps
Dear Editor:
The new film documentary 鈥淲here the Olive Tree Weeps鈥 (2024) was shown Friday, Oct. 25 at the sa国际传媒 Unitarian Church, hosted by the sa国际传媒 Unitarians Social Justice committee. 听 听
From the film synopsis: 鈥淲here Olive Trees Weep offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. It explores themes of loss, trauma, and the quest for justice.鈥
Among those seen in the documentary are Palestinian journalist and therapist Ashira Darwish, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi, Israeli journalist Amira Hass, and Vancouver-based physician, author, and speaker Dr. Gabor Mat茅. ()
Mat茅 has a background in family practice, with a special interest in childhood development, trauma, addiction, and potential lifelong impacts on physical and mental health.

The filmsa国际传媒 trailer can be viewed here: ()

On Oct. 23, 2024 Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel was interviewed on the PBS late-night global affairs program Amanpour and Company ().

Regarding the Israel-Hamas war, Angel said, in part: 鈥淎nd what is maddening about it is that what we鈥檙e really trying to say, at its very basic level, is that Palestinians deserve basic human rights and equality and dignity and reparations for the plunder of their homes and the right to return to those homes under international law. These are international laws, first of all, that were created after the Holocaust to stop something like it from happening again. And precisely because theresa国际传媒 a perception of Israel as kind of like the inheritors of the Holocaust and Holocaust trauma, itsa国际传媒 very, very hard to break through that and just allow people to see the basics of what is actually happening.鈥

The news program ended with a short excerpt from a song by the Rana Choir () based in Jaffa, Israel.

The choir is comprised of 16 Muslim, Christian, and Jewish women. Their aim is to express the female voice, which is not heard enough in their region, to cultivate dialogue and create a cultural and human bridge. 听

The choirsa国际传媒 version of the Italian World War II resistance anthem, 鈥淏ella Ciao,鈥 is sung in Farsi, Hebrew, and Arabic.

Originally dedicated to the Iranian women during their 2022-2023 鈥淲oman Life Freedom鈥 protests, this new version is for all women who live in war zones. ()

David Buckna,听sa国际传媒
Make Canada great again
Dear Editor:
Is Justin Trudeau Canadasa国际传媒 Donald Trump? Letsa国际传媒 see.
Both obviously crave power. Trudeausa国际传媒 15 minutes of refection after a leadership questioning caucus, is proof of that. No one doubts that Trump is fixated on power.
Both trash their opponents without supporting information or even respect.
Facts and analysis are fading from political discourse. They have been replaced by slogans and name calling.
Both rely on fawning media (CBC with Trudeau, FOX News with Trump)
Both have snarling and obnoxious spear carriers -- Marc Miller for Trudeau and JD Vance for Trump.
Both command loyalty from those around them. Trudeausa国际传媒 cabinet ministers are on a short leash with no deviation from a tight script. Trumpsa国际传媒 sycophantsa国际传媒 regularly echo his dubious claims.
Their politics may be different but Trudeausa国际传媒 and Trumpsa国际传媒 egos are identical.
Letsa国际传媒 make Canada great again.
Ron Ramsay,听Penticton

No statement on the unborn
Dear Editor:
In the fierce abortion debate in the U .S. nothing is said about the destination of the innocent soul of the aborted unborn under a loving, merciful God.听
Why ?
Joe Schwarz,听Penticton

Don鈥檛 forget our female veterans
Dear Editor:
A recent Penticton Herald article covering the presentation of the first poppy to Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield, quoted him as saying 鈥淲e can never forget what those guys did for us.鈥
Mayor Bloomfield makes the common mistake of not acknowledging the many females who volunteered to serve in both World Wars and continue to serve to
this day.
It is top of mind for many Summerlanders, as our oldest Veteran, Sheila White recently passed at the well lived age of 100. Mrs. White served in the RCAF during the Second World War. She is remembered as a former teacher, town councillor and democratic socialist.
I have to admit that the Summerland Legion and myself unintentionally overlooked her for many ceremonies such as flag raisings and other acknowledgments because of her gender. For this I apologize.

That being said, there is a plaque on the Summerland Cenotaph which reads, 鈥淚n Memory of Our Boys Summerland鈥 despite the name of Nurse Millicent De Thoren on the WW I list of fallen.

When the Cenotaph is moved next year, during the re-vitalization of Memorial Park, this error will be corrected.

More information on cenotaph names can be found at:听
John Dorn, Summerland Legion, Past President

What rights does Furstenau have?
Dear Editor:
Who gave Green Leader Sonia Furstenau the mandate to negotiate with Premier David Eby? Certainly not the constituents of Victoria-Beacon Hill.
K.H. Demmler,听Victoria

Countdown to U.S. election
Dear Editor:
The campaigning goes on. The polls go up and down like a yo-yo. Whosa国际传媒 winning is anyonesa国际传媒 guess at this point.
However, there are some twists and turns. Especially for Donald Trump. Irrespective of his speaking faux pas while he is giving his conspiracy rantings, Trump is showing his true colors.
Trumpsa国际传媒 stand on gun control is well-known. He seems to downplay the severity of mass shootings and other fatal gun issues. However, he recently asked the government for a military plane to continue his campaigning until the election saying that Iran is out to assassinate him.
His Secret Service detail has ramped up protection protocols to the nth degree (more guns). He stated that he should have a military plane just as V.P.. Kamala Harris does. Such a request has never been made before and will, in all probability, not be granted. V.P.. Harris, because of her official position, uses a military plane, the Airforce 2.
Itsa国际传媒 interesting that Trump is an NRA sanctioner. He doesn鈥檛 seem to think that AR-15s are a problem. If that is so, why is he requisitioning bullet proof barricades around platforms he speaks from in various venues between now and the election in 8+/- days. He made a statement that he felt that any migrant that killed an American citizen with a gun, should be shot.
He has questioned, through comments and innuendo, the mental capacity of Harris. Her mental and physical condition has been made public. Trumpsa国际传媒 mental condition and physical condition has not been revealed.
There would seem to be something to hide with these issues. His casting of aspersions regarding Harrissa国际传媒 fitness might be a smoke screen to cover his own inadequacies.
The one aspect of Trumpsa国际传媒 that has not changed is his hyperbolic lie-telling.
Exaggeration is something that Trump unceremoniously pats himself on the back for. Such things as crowd size at venues, world recognition (Nobel Prize etc.) and comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln and any other self-serving issue that makes him feel important.
He revels at being a legend in his own mind. He should be campaigning for the position of CEO, bagging division, for the largest fertilizer producing company in North America (CF Industries Holdings Inc.) With his line of 鈥渉eifer-dust鈥 all crops would be bumper crops!
May the U.S. Constitution be preserved!
Ron Barillaro,听Penticton

Players starting to look scruffy
Dear Editor:
As someone who enjoys Major League Baseball, I read with interest 听the story about the New York Yankees written 听by The Associated Press in the Oct. 25 edition.
George Steinbrenner, principal owner and managing partner of the Yankees from 1973 till his passing in 2010, probably would not win any citizen of the year awards, but he certainly knew how to field a team of well-turned-out players.
His policies of no long hair, beards or piercings could benefit the league as a whole. Don鈥檛 know what possesses the majority of players to look unappealing, with silly haircuts including dreadlocks, motley senseless tattoos and letsa国际传媒 not overlook the assortment of intruding chain jewelry.
Come on MLB, letsa国际传媒 straighten up and fly with a more pleasing on the eye athlete. NHL could also do with some grooming help.
Paul Crossley,听Penticton

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