Editorial

You'd be surprised how often friends of the magazine complain because we have printed an article with which they disagree. Sometimes they are really irate about it. Okay, dear friends, let's run through this again.

Peace Magazine is an open forum. We think the world could use more publications that offer space to a variety of perspectives. Lots of other people agree, evidently, because they turn out in droves to hear Noam Chomsky say so. Chomsky came to Toronto and said it again recently- that the press in a free society can be pretty similar to the press under totalitarianism. Writers and editors censor themselves, toe the line, and print only what is considered "acceptable."

We try not to do that. We do our best to publish any point of view that is coherent, whether we agree with it or not. Of course, we do reject some stories - usually because they go over old ground without adding anything new, or because of glaring factual inaccuracies. (Usually we can't check facts because we don't have the staff to do so, but sometimes the errors become apparent.) We count on our readers to chime into a debate and correct errors that they think they detect.

So please, if you disagree with something we publish, we hope you will write and say so, giving your reasoning. In a democracy, open dialogue is essential. We don't all have to agree. We do have to confront our disagreements and stay with the discussion, even if it is difficult. That's called peace!

In this issue you will find food for much thought. Besides a piece on Chomsky, we have an astonishing report on Burma, plus an interview with Slavenka Drakulic about the war in the former Yugoslavia, plus a fascinating piece about the drug business in Colombia and its effects on kids. And there is news about the campaign to outlaw land mines. Read on!

Peace Magazine Jan-Feb 1995

Peace Magazine Jan-Feb 1995, page 4. Some rights reserved.

Search for other articles by PMag staff here

Peace Magazine homepage