Letters to the editor January 14
Multidimensional journalism
In response to several items presented in your Dec. 31 article, “Pitt News editor joins campus journalists on Israel trip,” the article discusses an educational seminar in Israel for American college journalists and editors under the auspices of Washington-based Project Interchange.
With regard to the mission of Project Interchange, I would like to clarify that the organization develops seminars for the sole purpose of providing opinion leaders (in this case, college newspaper journalists) with a first-hand understanding of and perspective on Israel. We urge participants to come to their own conclusions regarding a wide array of issues, and do not encourage any one opinion over another.
As such, Project Interchange supports the practice of multidimensional journalism. We find satisfaction in nuanced and comprehensive reporting on Israel, as it broadens public discourse by balancing a media stream that tends to focus heavily on regional conflict.
Thank you and all the best.
Amit Katzir
New York
(The author is a spokesman for Project Interchange.)
Von Brunn’s death a ‘relief’
It is wicked to celebrate the death of a human being. Nevertheless, I must express my relief and gratification over learning that the accused Holocaust Museum shooter and murderer, James von Brunn, has died in prison at the age of 89.
The individual who took the life of an African-American security guard and terrorized countless others on June 10, 2009, at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, was a twisted personification of evil. Had he stood trial, it would have been an expensive, fruitless charade and would have provided him a prominent forum to spew the racial and anti-Semitic venom for which he was known.
The man who sought to spread hate through a violent and senseless act has met a just and appropriate end.
Oren M. Spiegler
Upper St. Clair
Grandmother teaches good lessons
I Googled my beloved grandmother’s name today and found your [Jan. 7] column, (“Yitta Schwartz leaves greater gift than tragic story”). Thanks for bringing her up in good.
As I knew her (by the way, I knew her well and spoke to her a lot), she would have been very happy to inspire someone and especially if some one learns something good from her life.
She never spoke about her years in World War II and whenever I asked her “how did you survive with your small kids and husband?” She always answered me, “not because I was smart.” She never wanted to bring up bad memories and make people feel she’s a pity.
To see now people are taking good lessons from her life, I want to thank you. That was her best wish; she was the biggest Jew lover I ever met and found.
Joseph Lebovits
New York
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