Movies and Minorities: A Sad Story
The first two sentences in Michael Wilmington’s Dec. 22 review of the movie “Come See the Paradise” reflect as much insensitivity as I’ve seen in The Times in quite a while.
Wilmington describes as “unlucky” the deaths of millions of Eastern European Jews in the systematic campaign of extermination by the Nazis. On the other hand, he says that the internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War resulted “simply” in a loss of their rights, status and dignity, making them more lucky than the Jews.
I am not sure why Wilmington felt the need to attempt a comparison of the pain of different groups and different experiences, which does little but evoke understandable tension and anger.
I have often appreciated Wilmington’s reviews, and I certainly hope that his ill-chosen words have not captured his intentions.
EUGENE S. MORNELL, Executive Director, Commission on Human Relations, County of Los Angeles
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