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Letters to the editor

Wounded heart

Editor:I have never been to Israel. I have never heard the Kaddish, the

mourner's prayer. I can only hum to "Shir L'shalom." My only excuse is that

I am not Jewish. I am Filipino American with a strong Catholic

background.

Yet on Nov. 4, 1995, when I learned about the assassination of Israeli

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, I could not hide my tears. I was lost in my

sadness. Rabin was not only the leader of Israel, he was also a hero for

those who dreamed of peace. Although I am not Jewish, I also feel the loss

of a leader whose love for his country and the world was untouched by fear

and cynicism.

A couple of years ago, as I slowly started to learn about the Middle

East, I raised my hands in confusion. The Middle Eastern affairs seemed

hopelessly meshed with historical arguments and decades of violence. I

almost gave up in trying to understand this complicated matter. Then, I

heard Prime Minister Rabin speak of the possibility of a comprehensive and

everlasting peace. For the first time, Rabin offered a vision that neither

Israeli guns nor rockthrowing could achieve for five decades in the Middle

East.

More than a week after I lit remembrance candles in the Simon Wiesenthal

Center and Israeli Consulate memorials, I still feel the sorrow in knowing

that Rabin never fully saw the fruits of his labor. Rather, the last months

of his political career suffered tremendous invectives and insults.

However, Rabin did not bravely struggle through the peace process to

glorify himself, he did it for his grandchildren and for his future

greatgrandchildren. He devoted his efforts to a goal that was not always

popular because he was able to see a greater end, a vision of Israel

without spilled blood and angry tears.

When Yigal Amir fired the three shots that ended Rabin's life, he not

only ended the life of a courageous leader, he also wounded the hearts of

those who truly want world peace. Israel and Jews all over the world are

not alone in mourning the loss of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.Maria Candy S. Caballero

Third-year

Biochemistry/history

Tirade does offer some hope

Editor:After Aaron Howard's tirade, ("No apologies for questioning American

way, Nov. 10) suggesting that the American way is nothing more than

everything wrong that has been done in America, he concluded his column by

essentially stating what I consider to be one of the greatest founding

principles of the American way: "Some things have got to change." And "We

... have to go at it alone."

It gives me hope that improvements will indeed be achieved if two people

whose beliefs are as different as Aaron Howard's and my own can both be

operating on the same basic principle - a principle that will drive each of

us not only to write and discuss, but to work and to change ourselves -

hopefully to the extent that we are able to change the world around us.Dena Chubbic

Graduate student

Chemistry/biochemistry