For whom is the newspaper the immigrant is necessary? The answer: it is necessary for all! When the newspaper was created, we did not suspect just how necessary it was! Now when we receive letters or phone calls asking for help, we understand, that all these people, irrespective of those who reproach us about what we do or those who asks us to help - require help and support.
Yes, from time to time, we make grammatical and spelling mistakes in the paper, the only thing we can do about it is to apologise to readers and to work on it harder in a future. However, we are still proud of the huge voluntary effort of people, which embodies this newspaper. We are proud of each of our volunteers who spare the time and share their skills to serve the common good and to help make useful information available to others.
We will not have it said that at present there are none nor will there ever be communities of immigrants in Cork. We are not writing for a nonexistent reader or to fill an empty void, in fact it should be realized by our detractors and those who question the wisdom of producing a multicultural paper that there are a minimum of 19 immigrant communities and minority groups in Cork. Indeed, no one can deny, that Cork has in recent times become a multinational city and therefore requires a media that is responsive and attentive to the needs of these communities.
Most letters that we receive try to show us that we are pretending that the integration of immigrants into Irish society is fine and wonderful; that in Cork there is no hostility to immigrants, no racism. We shall answer simply: each stick has two ends! On the one hand stands racial hostility; on another one is very positive and friendly atmosphere. Yes we may shout about racism in all its forms but what result will there be at the end? The most important thing we want to tell our readers: we are not adjusted aggressively and we do not pretend that all is perfect. We simply look at racial hostility from another side. We understand that individual persons who are ‘concerned’ about immigrants (some who may even be hostile at times) actually deserve sympathy just as immigrants do.
Generally however, these people are very poorly informed, they do not know the facts and most likely are afraid of their own ignorance. Here we act as means of an explanation and submission of the necessary information, so if there is something interesting to the reader we’ll be glad if you write to as and point it out. Or if you are feeling lonely and scared you could also participate as a volunteer, in such this important project for Cork as a multicultural newspaper which EXISTS to cater for two communities - Irish and immigrants!
