The Lost Tribes of Europe

Monday, Sep. 12, 2005
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In highlighting some of Europe's scattered diverse minorities who are working to reclaim their history and revitalize their heritage, we provoked readers' views on the meaning of ethnic identity, the dangers of division and the satisfactions of exploring other tribes' roots while celebrating one's own

It was a welcome surprise to read your feature "The Lost Tribes of Europe" [Aug. 29], about how some of the oldest minority groups are struggling to maintain their customs and culture. The concept of culture is so closely linked with language that one might argue that culture is language. It was mentioned in the article, but I find it relevant to stress how the Bretons and Basques thrive largely because of the survival of their languages. More organizations like midas (the European Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages) must be founded to help the minor languages — and thereby cultures — prosper in a globalized Europe and world.
Vinh Prag
Arhus, Denmark

Thanks for this fascinating article. As a London-based Cornishman, I'm surprised that you omitted the Celtic links between Cornwall and Brittany. Nor did you include the Catalans, whose domain stretches from around Béziers in France to Barcelona in Spain. The more that globalized trade and political union try to make us homogeneous, the more need there is for a stronger local personal identity. Even living in London, I glory in my Cornish roots. I travel widely, but the only place where tears well up is when I cross the Tamar River, the boundary between Cornwall and the rest of England.
Paul Cloutman
London

I am an outsider in Scotland 's remote Orkney Islands, where there is a huge effort to keep alive the old ways, language and mores that act as tourist magnets. Heritage is emphasized to such an extent that outsiders perceive themselves as unwelcome. The insistence on keeping the local identity alive creates problems as newcomers buy, for outrageous amounts, the crumbling buildings that represent the last-century lives of the vanishing generation. Keeping tribal cultures alive is money-draining in today's world. Doesn't it all come down to cuisine, music, dance, costume and language?
Gillian Muir
Westray, Scotland

The differences among diverse languages and cultures are fascinating, but they help maintain walls between peoples. For most of us, it's important to know our cultural identity, but at what expense do we try to keep it? If not for the constant change and development of cultures and languages, France would never have developed its identity, an identity it is fighting to retain in part with laws to preserve its language. As an American of Czech, Scottish, British, German and Native American heritage, I have found it is unrealistic to become attached to just one of these defined groups, so I have cultivated a larger sense of community tied to all of them. I don't feel less a person for it. I'm saddened by the loss of some of the smaller national-minority communities in Europe, but no more or less than I'm saddened by the changes that happen to anything that lives, grows and dies.
Darrin Maxwell
Ath, Belgium

The attitude of a dominant culture toward minorities within its borders is a measure of a country's degree of civilization. The record of Europeans in the 20th century has not been great, but there are indications that things are improving. In June the Irish language was adopted as one of the official working languages of the European Union, and special recognition was afforded Basque, Catalan and Galician. Welsh voices have demanded — quite rightly — that their language be accorded status similar to that of Irish.
Colm de Faoite
Dublin

Portugal's ethnic minorities are such a minority that they don't even appear in your article! As an example of good ethnic-minority integration, the Mirandese dialect, spoken by approximately 10,000 people in northeastern Portugal, was recognized by the state in 1999 as the second language in that area. Globalization can coexist with the cultural richness offered by ethnic minorities. History has proved the terrible consequences of oppressing subcultures that don't align with the dominant culture. Your article may help shed some light on the treasures of cultural diversity and bring more social awareness throughout the world.
Alberto Rouiller
Lisbon

Sectarian Sniping
For all its gory detail, "Killers In The Neighborhood," about the death squads in Baghdad [Aug. 29], omitted an important conclusion. The Bush Administration has indeed put unprecedented effort into the war on terrorism, especially in Iraq. But instead of quenching the passion for jihad, the Administration's heavy-handed actions have stoked it. Worse yet, the centuries-old, long-dormant hatred between Shi'ites and Sunnis threatens to spill into a horrendous civil war, with wider implications outside Iraq. And one thing is sure: appointing the same exiled career politicians to power isn't going to solve anything.
Abhishek Bhattacharyya
Bangalore, India

A Deadly Policy
The killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man the London police mistakenly suspected to be a terrorist and shot, raises important questions [Aug. 29]. Why did British police institute a shoot-to-kill policy for suspected suicide bombers when disabling them would be enough? Why pump eight bullets into a suspect when one or two would have been enough? What went on inside the minds of the police who killed Menezes? The public is entitled to be informed of all the details of this event.
Axel Beselin
Malveira da Serra, Portugal

Beyond Symbols of Support
In his column "the danger of yellow Ribbon Patriotism" [Aug. 29], Joe Klein stated that there needs to be a public acknowledgment of the agony the war in Iraq has caused. He noted that our troops just want our support. But we Americans can't provide that by wrapping ourselves in the flag, listening to patriotic songs and labeling others un-American. We need to make sure the troops have the right equipment and protection while their families back home have assistance if they need it. If there aren't enough supporters of the war willing to make the sacrifice of enlisting, then the President should find a diplomatic solution and get out of Iraq as soon as possible.
Laura Crowley
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.

I returned from Fallujah at the end of March. One of the hardest parts about coming home was facing the total lack of awareness by Americans that their country is at war. I will return to Iraq within a year for my second tour of duty. I know we are at war. That's why I went back into the reserves after being out for seven years. I know the U.S. must stay the course and win. I know we are making huge inroads and having amazing successes because I've seen them. I just wish the rest of America were aware of them.
Jodie Sweezey
Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Arlington, Virginia, U.S.

I fly the flag, put "Support The Troops" decals on my cars and talk to my children about the brave men and women who are fighting for our country. I know these efforts are superficial, but I'm at a loss as to what else I can do to show my appreciation. If I were an entertainer, I would be over there; if I were a defense contractor, I would work overtime; if I were a politician, I would make sure the troops had everything they needed for their mission. But I'm none of those. I am just an American citizen whose love and gratitude run deep but I'm afraid far too silently to matter to those who really matter.
Michael deZonna
Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S.

Klein is correct about two things: our troops worldwide need support, and the President is guilty of "a failure of leadership." But not because he hasn't whipped up patriotic fervor for the war. Bush's basic failure is that he heads the most incompetent Administration in U.S. history, one that makes mistake after mistake without changing course or admitting error. I am a U.S. Marine veteran. I have great respect for those who serve in legitimate conflicts to stop aggression, defend our nation against attack or help others when the decision is based on facts, not deliberate lies. Iraq is not any of those. I was against this war long before it began. I fully believe that peace is patriotic. I will never give my yellow ribbon patriotism to this embarrassing Administration.
Ralph L. Belknap
Antibes, France

I read Klein's column with interest and sympathy. American commentators assume that the U.S. has to stay in Iraq because it is the only nation capable of sorting things out. But peace in Iraq cannot be achieved by the use of U.S. arms, and any so-called Iraqi institutions set up by the U.S. will never have credibility. Iraqis aren't stupid. They can spot a puppet government as easily as the rest of us. The option that must be explored is bringing in other — perhaps even Arab — countries or the U.N. to try to bridge the gap. That would involve cooperation with the rest of the world, and the Administration would have to give up any plan to have Iraq as an oil-rich client state.
Dan Inch
Liverpool, England