I am reacting to the interview printed by The Prague Post ("Battling biennales," News, June 1–7), and in this connection I would like to state immediately that the attitudes and opinions of Mr. Švestka, which are presented in this interview as information, are misleading, erroneous and confusing: Mr. Švestka states in one interview that the National Gallery has made several — and I quote verbatim — "beginner's mistakes" in that it invited many artists to cooperate and then was unable — and again I quote — to say "no" to them.

The National Gallery in Prague did not approach and invite "artists," as Mr. Švestka states, but curators. These curators were invited to submit artistic projects.

The artistic projects submitted by the curators (in other words, again not artists) were then judged by a team of foreign experts/directors of important world galleries. Only projects thus selected and approved became part of the Biennale, by which I mean the International Biennnale of Contemporary Art.

As far as concerns the first paragraph, which forms a sort of introductory plateau to the whole interview, where the general director of this elite cultural institution is unjustifiably attacked again and again — I can only state the following: The tragedy of our society is the fact that, deprived by the totalitarian rendering-down of opinions, it now makes itself out to be democratic, but it compeletly bypasses the democracy typical of advanced nations in its absence of noblesse, humility and the ability to accept human and artistic quality without envy. The result is something in the way of pseudodemocratic attitudes, which in their assaults, however, lack any aspects that might be taken at all seriously.

Petra Jungwirthová

Sudeten controversy

Multiculturalism is nothing more than a "feel good" effort to Balkanize areas within individual countries. As far as the Sudeten Germans go, look through their flagship Web site to find the Nazi propaganda promoted and offered for sale:

Jan Moravec

It is remarkable that the Czech Republic has been allowed into the European Union despite the fact that the government has not yet rescinded the Beneš Decrees ("Rethinking the postwar expulsions," News, June 15–21). These decrees are contrary to everything the EU represents.

One can only wonder: What are the Czechs afraid of?

It should also be pointed out that Sudeten Germans were already treated as second-class citizens in the 1920s, long before Hitler came to power. How do the Czechs justify that in their history?

Strange how people fight over European claims on European land, yet non-Europeans currently take land from you through unwanted immigration. Europe cannot remain Europe if non-Europeans become the majority in your lands. Did the millions of Europeans who died this past century (on both sides) die in vain? Who was the real victor in these fratricidal wars?

Things are not as they seem via mass media and the establishment's politically correct history books. Will the common man in Europe wake up before it is too late and has been ethnically cleansed from his homeland?
Tristan Hans
United States

Fare game

In your article on transport tickets ("Beware or be busted," News, July 6–12), you quote Josef Hocek, head of Prague's transport control department, who insists that ticket checkers are honest. "We don't tolerate thieves in our profession," he says. "Such a person would be fired immediately."

Prague's transport controllers are notoriously dishonest, as many Czechs and foreigners know very well. The cause is easily pinpointed — controllers work on a percentage system, and there's no one controlling the controllers. Example: to meet their quotas (or percentages), controllers routinely forge fake unpaid fines. Even mainstream Czech news media has run stories on the problem.

For that matter, didn't it occur to your reporter that the "tolerance" shown to a foreigner by the controller in your article might have been a special show just for him? I know of a recent foreign visitor who mistakenly used a limited transfer ticket for a longer tram ride; when the controllers learned she was 100 Kč short of the 400 Kč fine, they took her off the tram. Would you call that "tolerance"?

Why do the Czechs cling to an old secret police–style honor system? They could make a lot more money by installing turnstiles like the rest of the world does. Is it just a nostalgic leftover from communism?

Climber controversy

Why should this climber apologize to the Chinese officials? ("China accepts climber's apology," News, June 22–28). Did the Chinese officials apologize to the Tibetans when they did not get permission to invade them?

Red return

I am a Czech citizen who emigrated to Canada in 1968 due to the invasion of our beautiful country by the so-called friendly communist countries ("Communists look to emerge from red corner," Opinion, July 6–12). Do not support or allow communism to come back; it is an evil force that must be defeated. Did you not learn by the bad 40-year experience of communism's enslavement, trickery and murder? Why do you try to reward them for the wrongs they have done? I personally will do anything to prevent them from coming back into power again. Death to communism, at home and in China.

Communism committed excesses in both Hungary and the Czech Republic, but most of these were in its incipient phase, while the clear tendency in the former Eastern bloc was to liberalize and gradually tolerate freedoms.

Democracy doesn't have a better record in its beginnings: slavery, mass murder of natives, war, institutionalized racism and sexism, and more. And remember, this form of government developed over a much longer time than communism. Where was democracy after 50 years, may I ask?

Why do we always choose the worst examples of communism to define it, and the best examples of democracy for the same purposes? How does Stalin "represent" communism, when he killed more communists than anyone else? Why aren't Mugabe or other African dictators seen as consequences of democracy and its flaws?

Why do these critics not mention Allende's Chile, or the "terrible communist regime" that has brought Moldova back on its feet, without violating any human rights?

If people keep looking for alternatives to the most mainstream democratic parties, such as with the KSČM [Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia], perhaps that's due to their disappointment with the way democracy is carried out. It should prompt people to look for flaws and solutions in democracy, rather than assaulting those who disagree with its current form.

I am 25 years old, not a communist, and not even left-wing. I am disenchanted with the lack of serious debate regarding the past or a serious critique of the present.

EU coexistence

Thank you, Peter Josika ("Playing the blame game," Opinion, July 6–12). Long overdue — yet still ahead of our "cleansed" Czechia — to have a look at life elsewhere and learn from it.

Bravo! An excellent, thoughtful article. I especially agree with the fact that Switzerland, the oldest and most durable confederate governance, is an excellent example for addressing minority and coexistence issues.

It remains to be seen if the European Union transforms into more than an economic union. If it does, then integration, or rather, acceptance and management of minority and cultural issues, will be of utmost importance to maintain the vibrant fabric that Europe can be.

I think the entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union will lead to the realization of the Czech people that Czechs and Germans were both perpetrators and victims.

The whole misery started when the German Austrians were denied self-determination. As the petitions in the archives of the League of Nations prove, the Germans had a pretty rough time in the interwar years. The central government treated them as second-class citizens and the discrimination against them was systematic.

Then came the Munich Pact, the German occupation and all the horrors of World War II. I hope for both sides that sincerity and openness will replace mistrust and enmity.

Beer blends

Add "Bull" ("Magical blends," Night & Day, July 6–12) to your recipe list — I learned this recipe from my grandmother (so the recipe is at least 100 years old): Half beer and half grapefruit juice; if possible, freshly done. Add some sugar if too acidic and/or some ice cubes to really cool it. A wonderful summer drink.

I've just enjoyed reading your article online regarding the use of beer as a mixer. May I also recommend the "Guinness Black Russian"? It's a shot of vodka with a shot of Tia Maria/Kalhua (coffee liquor) topped up with draft Guinness or Kelt.

Czech TV control

The last issue of The Prague Post features an article by František Bouc ("Unplugged," Business, July 13–19) in which Czech Television is spoken of as "the nation's government-run television." This is not a correct definition of the broadcaster's status since Czech Television is a fully independent broadcasting company — a public service television set up for the public, financed by the public and controlled by the public. It is independent of the government, Parliament and president, of all political parties as well as churches or any other private interest groups or shareholders.