Guardian Published Rubbish
E Subject: Julia Pascal's diatribe
Hilda M. Foley
Letter to the Guardian
July 17, 2003
Letters@guardian.co.uk
Dear Editor:
It was shocking to read the outright lies in Julia Pascal's letter about
her attendance at the International Children's Festival in Sibenik,
Croatia. One could not possibly address all the allegations she made as
the letter would become overly long. Here are a few: She wrote about
seeing "burned-out Serbian villages on the Adriatic coast". Fact is,
there never in history have been any Serbian villages on the Croatian
Adriatic coast. The Croatian Serbs lived in the Dalmatian hinterland,
from which, during the Yugo/Serb aggression against Croatia of 1991-1995
they ethnically cleansed the total Croatian population of some 200,000
people and looted and burned down their homes and properties. It is from
that occupied area of Croatia that Serbs shelled almost daily Croatia's
coastal towns and villages, including Sibenik, the site of the Children's
Festival, and not sparing even the 15th century cathedral, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. These kind of lies she has spread simply cannot be
ignored.
It seems the only people she talked to were some disgruntled Serbs,
complaining about their pensions being cut in half. Well, they can join
the rest of Croatian pensioners. Thanks to Serbia's and their 5th column
and paramilitary's aggression, Croatia has suffered much economic and
material damage resulting in the states' drastic pension reductions for
everyone. Of course, how would Ms. Pascal know that?? It did not stop her
though from badmouthing Croatia!
Furthermore, Ms. Pascal could only find "Nazi Croats" with the "U" sign
for "Ustasha", referring to the Ustasha Nazi puppet regime of WWII,
notwithstanding that even during WWII only 2% of Croatians supported
that regime. Of course how would she know ....?! As for the supposedly
antisemitic remarks, they are simply preposterous! Except for the said
Ustasha puppet regime of WWII, Croatians as a people have never been
known to be antisemitic.
Let us hope that Ms. Pascal will never be invited to Croatia again, as
she badly misused Croatia's hospitality that thousands of her countrymen
enjoy each Summer. By the way, this same lady asked the festival
officials for a three day extension of her and her groups' stay, which
was paid by the festival sponsors! Strange indeed!
Sincerely,
Hilda M. Foley
National Federation of Croatian Americans
13272 Orange Knoll
Santa Ana, Ca 92705
714 832-0289
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,997925,00.html
Dear Editor in Chief,
To my enormous surprise, I read you published letter from Ms. Pascal about International Children's Festival in Sibenik, Croatia. If it was a local newspaper that had no reputation I would still be astonished and when I read it in Guardian I was even more astound. You are losing your reputation RAPIDLY by publishing PURE rubbish full of incompetence and hate. The list is to long even to start. Check on your own and that should be an editor's job anyway. Mistakes happen and I am aware of it. I make them on a daily bases.
Please let this one NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN
Nenad Bach
Editor in Chief, CROWN News
Croatia.org
Letters@CroatianWorld.net
