War Crimes

"Accused Nazi guard Demjanjuk deemed fit for trial," the headline proclaimed, grabbing my attention.

I took the bait and clicked the link, wondering what shocking deeds this former Nazi guard had committed. As I read the article, my feelings changed. I realized John Demjanjuk was a Ukrainian accused (a word my eyes skipped over in the headline), not convicted, of "being complicit in the murders of 29,000 Jews." By the time I finished the article, I recalled one of my favourite children's lit. books, "Hope's War" by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. That book, which I first read as a sixteen-year-old (one year older than the book's protagonist), made a huge impact on me. Now that I think of it, reading "Hope's War" is probably the reason I eventually decided on a career in journalism. It taught me that there are two sides to every story and each side needs to be given a voice. The book's controversial storyline is not unlike the news story I read this morning. In Demjanjuk's case, I can only hope that all those involved in his trial remember to weigh both sides with equal fairness and justice. Background on "Hope's War."