Letters

The Struggle Within Islam

"The task of moderate Muslims has become much harder, but we must redouble our efforts to reclaim our faith from those who defile it."
HASAN ZILLUR RAHIM
San Jose, Calif.

Your story described a battle for the soul of Islam between tolerant moderates and hateful extremists who are a threat to all [Sept. 13]. You seemed to link religious piety with violence and terrorism. That is a simplification, and it misses the point that faith and consciousness of God make people, especially devout Muslims like myself, better individuals. My faith teaches me that one day I will be held accountable for my actions in front of the Almighty and that I must do as many good deeds as possible. I realize this is not true for extremists like Osama bin Laden, but millions of other people of faith and a majority of Muslims feel the way I do.
EHSAN POONAWALLA
New Brunswick, N.J.

Although I am a Christian, I do not view my beliefs as superior to those of Muslims. Nor do I think all Muslims are like the very small minority of extremists. The so-called fundamentalists who would kill because they say Allah told them to are not true religious believers. They are murderers. Let's call them what they are and give them the punishment they deserve.
DAVID PRICE
Austin, Texas

Why is every wrong thing done by Muslims automatically blamed on Islam? Does anyone imagine that there would be instant peace in the Middle East if all Arabs were to convert to Christianity? Would Palestinians have more positive feelings about being dispossessed if they were all Christians? Would Iraqis feel better about years of crippling sanctions and bombing if they were of another faith? Would they look more kindly upon the torturers at Abu Ghraib? No. Palestinians and Iraqis would be committing the same violence but perhaps using biblical verses to justify it. Rather than analyzing the holy books of each religion, it would be more productive to address the social, economic and political reasons that motivate people to commit violent acts.
SARAH AZIZ
North Haven, Conn.

There are parallels between fundAmentalist Christianity and radical Islam. Both see no valid interpretation of Scripture other than the literal one. Both use propaganda and fear to win over skeptical moderates, and both see religious compromise as a sign of weakness. The rise of radical Islam along with unbending, uncompromising tactics within the U.S. by neoconservatives is a recipe for disaster. The U.S. war on terrorism simply fuels the flames of hatred in the Middle East. I have trouble deciding what scares me more, radical Islam or fundamentalist Christianity.
LESLIE B. STAHL
Cincinnati, Ohio

Islamic countries have a long, violent history of internal struggle. Most people know better than to get involved in a domestic squabble. Rather than lose more innocent Western lives, why doesn't the U.S. just withdraw and let those people fight it out among themselves?
SAM WARREN
San Diego

Your article described an Iraqi father's concern over his son's practice of Islam and referred to the son's wearing a long beard and traditional Islamic robe as "trademarks of Islamic fundamentalists." That was very misleading. Wearing beards and dressing in traditional clothing are practices of many mainstream, devout Muslims who have nothing to do with extremism or terrorism. The vast majority of Muslims who wear beards, dress modestly and avoid alcohol, tobacco and other unwholesome things are peaceful, devout people.
FARAH HAQ
Tully, N.Y.

Of Life and Law

You asked, appropriately enough, "does the Koran Condone Killing?" [Sept. 13], and then focused primarily on the beheading of hostages in Iraq. Why not ask whether the Bible condones killing and explore the bombing, shelling and deaths of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq? From the fire bombings of Dresden and Tokyo to the nuclear holocausts of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the U.S. appears to have no particular scruples about causing civilian deaths.
DENNIS GREEN
Alameda, Calif.

Does the Koran condone killing? Clearly the answer is ambiguous at best. Many Muslims, particularly in the West, are embarrassed by seemingly contradictory verses in the Koran. The real story is the growing number of apostates in the Muslim world and the deep anguish of former Muslims who have left their faith because they can no longer reconcile many of the teachings of Islam with basic humanistic values. Reform will come to Islam, and it will come from the West.
LEN ELEAZAR
New York City

The Beslan Massacre

If the tragedy of the school siege in Beslan, Russia [Sept. 13], does not open everybody's eyes, fill everyone's heart with anguish and stir people's souls all over the world, then we will never be able to solve any of our global problems. We should be united in our feelings of absolute horror at the senseless killing of children, no matter what our culture, religion or nationality. It should be our utmost priority to prevent such tragedies from becoming a common occurrence. We must rely on the wisdom and moderation of our leaders to create a better world for all. We have to make sure children the world over keep dreaming, hoping and making plans for their future and do not grow into embittered adults, following the example of those who took their childhood away.
ELISE FURLAN
Ithaca, N.Y.

Where do Islamic and Chechen terrorists get the idea that the world will tolerate their taking children as hostages? The leaders of Islam must join the world in condemning the terrorists and the actions that took place in Beslan. They must forcefully declare that such acts cannot continue.
MARY RIEDER
Eyota, Minn.

Conventional Warfare

In "Tearing Kerry Down" [Sept. 13] columnist Joe Klein called Senator Zell Miller's speech at the Republican Convention the "ugliest" he had ever witnessed at a convention. I felt the same way, and I have been watching political conventions since 1964, when I was a Barry Goldwater supporter. If I had been a Republican delegate this year, I would have walked out on Miller's tirade. That would also have spared me Dick Cheney's speech employing the politics of fear. To slot Miller with his venomous attack in the national spotlight as the keynote speaker says a lot about George W. Bush's campaign strategy.
LOWELL KLESSIG
Amherst Junction, Wis.

The Democrats are kidding themselves if they think the Republican campaign team will play fair. John Kerry's advisers must remember past attacks in other campaigns. Kerry needs to fight fire with fire.
JIM KARAVITE
Royal Oak, Mich.

Klein criticized the Republicans for engaging in attack politics. But what about the Democrats' efforts to dig up President Bush's National Guard service record in order to unearth something sinister? Why doesn't Kerry focus on his record and talk about what he would bring to the American people if elected? Instead, he seems to be running on his Vietnam military service. Who truly cares what either of these men did 30 years ago? We should judge them on their actions, positions and records over the past few years. Some people change their lives, views and general conduct (i.e., they mature), whereas others always plug along in the same fashion.
RALPH ELLIS
Pinehurst, N.C.

Klein stated that the Republicans' strategy is to demolish Kerry, but all they are doing is attacking his policies, which are fair game during an election. It is Kerry who is trying to demolish Bush over personal matters, not vice versa. Most Americans respect Kerry's military service and do not doubt his personal courage. It's a pity Kerry's policies do not reflect his personal attributes.
DAVE WERMAN
St. Charles, Ill.

As the gap between the extreme left and the extreme right grows ever wider, the rhetoric becomes louder, shriller and more grandiose. It takes a bomb of an accusation, no matter how ridiculous, to get anyone's attention nowadays. The voters have heard little or no objective discussion of the platforms of the two presidential candidates.
MIKE STEMPO
Bethlehem, Pa.

Taste Infraction?

Serena Williams' selection of tennis apparel is completely appalling and a disgrace to the sport [Sept. 13]. Most of what she wears looks as though she has rummaged through the clothing rack at a prostitute's yard sale. I didn't even allow my 6-year-old daughter to watch women's tennis at the U.S. Open because of that. What's nextmen wearing spandex and tube tops? I respect Williams' abilities as a tennis player. She is phenomenal. But does her excellence as a player give her a free pass to desecrate the sport with her tacky outfits? Whatever happened to classic tennis whites? Tennis courts are for playing the game, not for mounting a fashion show.
LISA WALTERS
Bethlehem, Pa.