[casi] Letter to the Editor-in-Chief

[H Sutter <citext@DELETETHISchebucto.ns.ca>]

Dear List Members,

Since some people advocate a US attack as a 'fast way'
of lifting sanctions, motives should perhaps not be
completely ignored. Anyway, I hope the List Manager
doesn't mind this one too much.

It's a motive you've probably never heard before. And it
touches on something that came out in the open when
Bush started his war machine back in 2001: prejudice
and Islamophobia.

One of the Bush's "unspoken" motives says the Globe and
Mail's former bureau chief to Washington is birth control:
By invading Iraq the US hopes to decrease the Arab
birth-rate in the Middle East (via democracy). And this
might be convenient for Israel. The mind boggles.

Here is his idea:

     <start quote>
     "Arab population increases threaten to swamp the
     Jewish population within Israel's borders. The hope
     that Arab fertility rates may decline by introducing
     democracy to the region through regime change in Iraq
     is an unspoken motive behind U.S. determination to
     oust Saddam Hussein. Confidence in the ultimate
     revenge of the cradle consoles Arab extremists. Fear
     of North African and Middle Eastern hordes swamping
     their homelands stokes anti-immigrant xenophobia in
     Europe."
     <end quote>

So I wrote a letter to the Globe's editor-in-chief, asking
him if they have any editorial guidelines on ethnic bias.

And if anyone feels like sending him a letter or an email,
please do. - egreenspon@globeandmail.ca

At the peace demos in Latin America one slogan said:

!!!POR UNA NACION HUMANA UNIVERSAL!!!

Regards,
Elga Sutter


Here is the letter I sent:

Edward Greenspon
Editor-in-Chief
Globe and Mail
444 Front Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada, M5V 2S9


Dear Mr. Greenspon,

Re:  "The great demographic revolution", by John Ibbitson
      Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003

Parts of this article reinforce, however unintended, the
hostility and prejudice known as Islamophobia. And I would
be interested to know if the Globe and Mail has any
editorial guidelines, or codes of ethics regarding ethnic
bias. Ironically, it was published on the day millions of
people world-wide united in their desire for peace.

The article claims, innocently enough, that today's
newspapers are strongly influenced "by the depopulation
trend: American-European tension, Islamic terrorism,
Iraq...".

"Islamic terrorism" has become the media's catch phrase.
And it serves well to inflame the masses and foster
prejudice. Logically, it is a misnomer - as 'Christian' or
'Judaic' terrorism would be.

In the West, "healthy birth-rates" create economic
prosperity - breeding to replace consumers:

     "For a developed economy, population decline means
     economic decline.

     "No wonder France and Germany are being crabby toward
     the Americans: The United States remains the only
     industrialized nation with a healthy birthrate
     (thanks mostly to Hispanic new arrivals), which only
     helps to widen the gap in prosperity and power
     between the Old and New Worlds."

But in the Arab world, Mr. Ibbitson seems to be saying,
they breed to replace 'terrorists': "Confidence in the
ultimate revenge of the cradle consoles Arab extremists."

So the US hopes to lower birth-rates by attacking Iraq:

     "Arab population increases threaten to swamp the
     Jewish population within Israel's borders. The hope
     that Arab fertility rates may decline by introducing
     democracy to the region through regime change in Iraq
     is an unspoken motive behind U.S. determination to
     oust Saddam Hussein. Confidence in the ultimate
     revenge of the cradle consoles Arab extremists. Fear
     of North African and Middle Eastern hordes swamping
     their homelands stokes anti-immigrant xenophobia in
     Europe."

This is certainly a unique motive for military aggression.
By invading Iraq, Mr. Bush would also solve Israel's
Palestinian 'problem': stop them from multiplying. (Didn't
Hitler have similar ideas?)

(It should also be noted that in Iraq itself the US
administration has been practising a gruesome form of
birth control for 12 years: the genocidal sanction regime.
Children die of waterborne diseases, leukaemia, kala azar,
or malnutrition. Previously extinct diseases have been re-
introduced into Iraq because of lack of insecticides and
may spread throughout the Region.)

Incidentally, while prejudice is certainly prevalent in
Europe, the term "hordes" is restricted to English, and
more specifically here to Mr. Ibbitson.

But open Islamophobia has become socially acceptable in
Canada, Europe, and especially the US following the events
of September 11, 2001. And it is endangering the lives of
many Canadians of Arab descent: A 15-year-old boy was
beaten unconscious by his classmates. Many more such
'incidents' followed. People have been physically and
verbally attacked; mosques and community centres have been
burnt down or vandalized.

The media, including the Globe, has done more than its
share in fanning the flames of hatred. Is that the kind of
spirit to promote in a multi-cultural society?

Abroad, such views will invariably shape Canada's image as
arrogant and racist. And why should people stereotyped as
"hordes" want to do business with Canada? No doubt they
prefer to deal with countries where courtesy towards other
cultures is a given.

Still, the Globe's viewpoint may serve as a deterrent to
prejudice. For that reason, I have decided to share it
with the world, including the newspaper offices of the
"Middle Eastern hordes" referred to.

Sincerely,





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