Letter to Ms. Magazine

The following letter was sent to Ms. Magazine by Laura Gottfried, a graduate student at the University of Connecticut. (We don't only play basketball.)

The letter was sent by email to each of the following:

contentsuggestions@msmagazine.com
letterstotheeditor@msmagazine.com
jstites@msmagazine.com
mkort@msmagazine.com
kspillar@msmagazine.com
mcicero@msmagazine.com
schung@msmagazine.com
kbonk@msmagazine.com
jhahn@msmagazine.com
mkort@msmagazine.com
jstites@msmagazine.com

Copies were sent to each of the following:

ehelling@feminist.org
ecarmany@feminist.org
dgaines@feminist.org
sgilligan@feminist.org
dtwersky@ajcongress.org

Dear Editors and Publishers of Ms. Magazine:

I was very disappointed to learn about your refusal to run an ad featuring the dynamic, courageous women in the Israeli government.  No nation has had to face such extraordinary racism, extremism, and blatant double-standards in order to achieve its rightful place on the world map.  Some historical, archeological, and demographic FACTS to consider:

• The Jewish people are the longest continuous inhabitants on the land, despite it being carved up and given to many of their various occupiers over the centuries.
• Israel takes up one TENTH of ONE PERCENT of all land in the Middle East.
• There are over 50 Muslim nations in the world.
• The name "Palestine" comes from the Hebrew word "Pleshtim," and is actually the name Emperor Hadrian gave to the Jewish kingdom that he conquered in the 2nd century CE.

Anyone who is a true human rights advocate (even if those humans happen to be Jewish) would agree that just because native people have been conquered or kicked off their homeland, this does not negate their claim to it - no matter how small their numbers have become due to centuries of persecution - or their "dhimmi" status (look it up) under Muslim/Ottoman rule in this case. But I guess the oppressive nations surrounding Israel, as well as groups that share the same ideals (like you) won't stop until they've turned the world against that last little tenth-of-one-percent piece of land...in the name of "peace". Wow.

Oppressive Muslim nations like Syria, Iran, Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, etc. support the Palestinians because they hate Israel – they hate that Arabs live freer lives there than any other nation in the M.E. Saudi Arabia recently punished a woman with 200 lashes - her crime? Speaking out against her 7-man gang rape. What happens to Bangladeshi Muslims who simply wish to learn Israel's point of view? Look up Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury and find out. And what do you think of Darfur - you're aware that that is Muslims killing Muslims, right? And that Israel was the FIRST nation to respond to it? Why don't you print that??

So keep opposing the one nation that actively strives for peace and freedom. Oppressive nations everywhere thank you.

P.S. I've posted this on my MySpace blog to inform all of my friends of your blatant racism: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=80941520&blogID=346500988. I do research before forming opinions on international issues that affect peoples lives. And I certainly do not buy into the level of racism you display. I speak for myself and several friends already - you've lost many readers and will continue to lose more.

Sincerely,
Laura (Michener) Gottfried
Grad Student, Judaic & Middle Eastern Studies, University of Connecticut
http://www.myspace.com/lauramichener