BRAMA, Feb 18, 2005, 2:00 pm ET
Letter
To the Editor of The New York Sun
Reverse Bigotry - Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right
Regarding your February 2, 2005 editorial "Good Question" you call on
President Bush's White House to adhere to thorough and careful review
processes of its prospective appointments whether they are for incidental
delegations or high level administrative posts. You correctly point out
the embarrassment incurred by the administration by unquestioningly
parading Bernard Kerik as the Department of Homeland Security Secretary
nominee.
Further, it is correct to criticize the appointment of Ukrainian-American
Mr. Myron Kuropas and his bigotry against Jewish people and the propriety
of his appointment to a Colin Powell-headed delegation to Ukraine
President Viktor Yushchenko's inauguration. There certainly were far
better Ukrainian-Americans recommended for this group which were passed
over by the White House .
However, your editorial writers diminish their main point by becoming lax
and detouring into gross imprecisions and harmful stereotypes by claiming
"... widespread collaboration by Ukrainians with the Nazi war against the
Jews. ..." and invoking anti-Jewish events from over 350 years ago and
their relevancy to the present day to underscore Mr. Kuropas' questionable
suitability.
While there was some (not "widespread") Nazi collaboration, large numbers
of Ukrainians were also victims of the Nazi regime whether in death or
concentration camps, or displaced to be slave labor in either Austria or
Germany (you do correctly point out the incarceration of Viktor
Yushchenko's father at Auchwitz - one of many).
It is fair to criticize those who trumpet bigotry and punish those who
commit crimes, but it is not fair to characterize an entire people by the
beliefs and acts of individuals.
Max Pyziur
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