Re: “Grassroots activists slam Youth for Christ once more” (Jan. 20, page 3)

In response to Grassroots activists slam Youth for Christ once more, published January, 20, 2011.

This article was written in poor taste and bad judgment. Ethan Cabel obviously did not have to dig very deep to find Lissie Rappaport, his “expert” on his subject.

Rappaport makes absurd claims that YFC’s intentions are to strip the First Nations people of their culture, converting them to Christianity. This is an uneducated presumption to make coming from someone who knows little about the aboriginal community.

YFC’s true intentions are to provide another drop-in centre for youth in downtown Winnipeg, with a strong focus on the indoor skate park they have been running successfully for years just five blocks away from the new location.

Rappaport compares the atrocities in the residential school system to YFC’s centre. This is exceptionally offensive to those who were victims of the abuse that took place in the residential schools, minimizing their experiences to that of an inner-city drop-in centre trying to provide a safe place for any youth wanting to make use of its facilities.

It is also greatly offensive and disheartening to the workers/volunteers of YFC who give of their time with little to no reward.

I am frustrated with the quality of writing that goes to print in this publication. It’s time The Uniter holds its writers up to a standard higher than those of a tabloid.

I would rather see blank spaces in the school’s paper than damaging and poorly researched articles like this.

Tiffany Hiebert

Published in Volume 65, Number 17 of The Uniter (January 27, 2011)