Suffer the humiliation

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Re: Editorial-David Ahenakew

The writer takes strong exception to the above, asks for his side to be heard.

Indeed Ahenakew may or may not be the portrait of tragedy, but should that render him immune from criminal prosecution? Is Canada not a country where law is the great equalizer, for Native, non-Native, police, civilian, Christian, Jew, Muslim, disbeliever? Where does Ahenakew get special privileges? Had the situation been reversed (a non-Native leader spewing bigoted remarks about Natives) would your editorial be as understanding?

His humiliation in attending court? Part of the lesson this racist might learn for shooting off his mouth? His humiliation as your leadership and other Natives distanced themselves? His humiliation on losing his positions and status? Pity Ahenakew's slights received, he should have thought before speaking.

Your question, if justice is about punishment or rehabilitation. One is remindful in your editorial that if Ahenakew believed what he said, 50 years in jail wouldn't change his mind. Why shouldn't he be then held accountable, do his time if he did the crime, defended by an able Jewish criminal lawyer, one of the people he so vehemently slandered?

Incidentally, your point of the parliamentarian and his free mailing privileges brings to mind the obvious. Who is paying Mr. Gold's account? Is it some Native organization that could have better expended monies otherwise? Can Ahenakew state by affidavit or statutory declaration all the fees are payable by him personally? No pro bono Native lawyers willing to fight his strong cause?

Was your publication on the whole not of some merit, your comments would have been ignored. There are many issues where Jews and Natives stand together. Maintain that unity; do not divide us with irresponsible comments from Ahenakew like leaders or those i5n his support.

Kalmen N. Goldstein