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Public
Affairs
West Hollywood City Council is planning a monument to the Red Army, the LA
Times, the
Santa Rosa Press Democrat and other media recently reported.
The LA Times also recently
published a letter of protest
concerning the planned memorial from the Principal of LA's Lithuanian
School Marija Newsom.
The Executive Committee of the Lithuanian American Community, Los Angeles
Chapter, calls on all Lithuanian-Americans to write letters of protest to
West Hollywood Mayor John Duran, asking the City Council to show greater
sensitivity to the feelings of Angelenos hailing from countries for whom
the arrival of Stalin's Red Army troops were but the start
of a new tyranny. We need to make our voice heard in the Mayor's office,
emphasizing that a Red Army memorial would be deeply hurtful to all who
have suffered as a result of
Soviet occupation and a sign of callous insensitivity on the part of the
City of West Hollywood.
Sample letter:
Mayor John Duran
City of West Hollywood
8300 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Dear Mr Mayor:
I was deeply hurt to learn that the City of West Hollywood is planning a
monument to the Red Army. While I understand that Red Army veterans are
proud of the defense of their homeland from Nazi Germany, the arrival of
Red Army troops in Lithuania and other Eastern and Central European
countries was but the start of a new tyranny claiming the lives of
millions of victims.
Stalin's record of mass murder and oppression in Eastern and Central
Europe rivals the damage and destruction wrought by Hitler. Councilman
Jeffrey Prang's proposal for a monument to the force that made this
possible and his declaration that
it was a force for "peace and justice" demonstrate a grave insensitivity
to the victims of Soviet communism and a callous disregard for the history
of Soviet occupation and
rule in Eastern and Central Europe.
I respectfully urge the Council to reconsider the proposed monument in
light of the feelings and memories of Eastern and Central Europeans.
Perhaps the Council could at least change the nature of the monument from
praise for the Red Army
to a more general dedication to all the peoples of Russia and Eastern
Europe who fought against Nazi aggression.
Sincerely
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Galerija
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