"I particularly appreciate that you included Co-owner Ramsey Zeid’s comments, where he described this incident as “a hate crime” and emphasized that “it’s all about intimidation and silencing" them. Unfortunately, when Palestinians are given a voice in the media, their stories are often buried at the very end of articles, making it easy for readers to overlook their perspectives."
October 29, 2024
To:
Chris Kitching, Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
Mark Hamm, Editor-in-chief, The Winnipeg Sun
Dear Mr. Kitching and Mr. Hamm,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my thanks for your recent article titled “Police investigating after Stars of David drawn outside Palestinian-owned grocery store” published on October 28.
In a media landscape that often portrays Palestinians as aggressors and sources of hate, it was refreshing to read your article about an incident of anti-Palestinian racism targeting a Palestinian-Canadian family who owns a grocery store, where over a dozen Stars of David were drawn on the sidewalk.
I particularly appreciate that you included Co-owner Ramsey Zeid’s comments, where he described this incident as “a hate crime” and emphasized that “it’s all about intimidation and silencing" them. Unfortunately, when Palestinians are given a voice in the media, their stories are often buried at the very end of articles, making it easy for readers to overlook their perspectives.
If you allow me to add a suggestion of framing this incident as part of the larger problem of anti-Palestinian racism, which the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA) describes as behavior that “silences, excludes, erases, stereotypes, defames, or dehumanizes Palestinians.” By making this connection, you can help readers understand the ongoing hate faced by Palestinians. Unfortunately, many Palestinians or their supporters have faced professional, personal, and legal backlash for their solidarity, their stories ignored, and their motives mischaracterized
Thank you once again for reporting on this hate crime against a Palestinian family fairly and in a balanced manner. Please continue to cover issues that are often silenced or overlooked in the media.
Warm regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East