Letters

I appreciate the challenge editors face, given the immense pressure on the news media to self-censor, and the avalanche of misinformation regarding the genocide in Gaza, and those who oppose it.

However, under the guise of neutrality, the story in The Express News Group newspapers [“On Sag Harbor’s Wharf, Weekly Vigils Reflect Global Strife and Local Anguish,” 27east.com, August 21] reveals a striking editorial bias, made evident by the choice and placement of photographs, the choice of examples and quotes, by an inaccurate premise, and, in The Sag Harbor Express, by the final quote.

There is nothing equal in a genocide. And there is nothing similar about the behavior of the two groups standing at the wharf on Sundays.

For background, the Israel support group announced publicly, shortly after East End for Peace & Justice began its vigil, that it would meet at the exact spot and same time the ceasefire group had begun meeting. We moved across the pavement, in front of the windmill, not to be diverted and to keep the focus on our call for ceasefire.

However, for months, counter-protesters repeatedly stood directly in front of speakers reciting the names of those killed in Gaza or reading a poem by a Palestinian poet, often putting a phone right up to the face of the speaker, taunting us with slurs. Only recently, following a meeting with the mayor regarding safety concerns, did members of the other group lessen their intrusion in the vigil.

Your article reports that an antisemitic slur was yelled out of the window of a car at the Israel support group. That is unacceptable. But why no reference to the crude verbal attacks regularly hurled at the peace and justice group and against Palestinians? No mention of Islamophobic slurs, including verbal assaults on passersby wearing a niqab? Nor a word about Jewish members of our group being told we’re not really Jews?

The article reports, “It gets nasty sometimes: People have been spat on. People have been called racial slurs.” The truth is, one group is doing it, and one group is on the receiving end. None of our participants has intruded on the other event, spat at, sworn at or taunted anyone from the Stand With Israel group.

The closing quote in The Express article sums it up, coming without context. Are 77 years of occupation, airstrikes, checkpoints, bulldozed homes, constant imprisonment with no due process, torture, no equal rights not relevant in a discussion of how to end the suffering?

All things are not the same.

Kathy Engel

Sagaponack