ARABIA

As the daughter of a Jewish father and an American-Arab mother, I was appalled by the misguided handling of a rarely addressed, yet extremely timely subject.

The writers began well, but soon scrapped their opportunity to unveil yet another face of racism in America. Instead, they offered a disorganized, overwritten, confusing piece, that often strayed far from its subject.

Incendiary barbs flung by both Arabs and Jews at each other, the feelings of a Turkish-American woman about being a Muslim wife, the views of black Muslims--who are no more Arab than they are Swedish--have little to do with this subject and yet, were given substantial print space. Where was your editor?

And, where were the many highly literate, politically perceptive Arabs who could have deepened and clarified the subject far more effectively than many of the interviewees chosen?

LISA ROSENBERG

Venice