Letters to the Editor

Could it be that Muslims place far more emphasis on religion and the afterlife whereas the western cultures have tended to live more for the "here and now" and gone down the road of technology and progress in order to give them a high standard of living?

I should imagine that following a strong faith such as Islam is very gratifying and gives one a sense of inner peace which is an advantage over the generally shallower spirituality of the West.

However, I suspect that it's not so much the West's undoubted past mistakes in dealing with Islamic countries, the differences in ideology and religion, past colonialism etc. that promote such hatred along with the effigy and flag-burning, but something far more basic - simple pure jealousy.

Before descending into mutual hatred, BOTH sides should consider this wise quote: "If we were born where they were born, and we were taught what they were taught, we would believe what they believe".

C R Meeke, Albert Avenue, Idle.

SIR - I think Zahir Bashir's letter re discrimination against Islam is totally out of order (October 8). I have never heard anyone discriminate against Islam because of the religious element.

The aspect of Muslim culture that concerns people is not the religion but the constant demanding of special schools for Muslim girls, the failure to integrate at the older end of the Muslim population and the sadistic tradition of "forced" marriages (as opposed to arranged marriages with the bride's consent!).

When a Pakistani tells me that he is British and not Pakistani, then I will know that that person's loyalty is in the right place.

The majority of people in this country have no axe to grind against any minority religion.

Phil Boase, Elizabeth Street, Bradford 12

SIR - May I urge your readers to join a demonstration called by CAAB (the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases) tomorrow.

As part of an International Day of Protest Against the Weaponisation of Space, it will start at 10am outside the main entrance to the American National Security Agency Spy Base at Menwith Hill.

This base is a vital cog in the wheel of the US Missile Defence System known as "Star Wars" - an insane concept which could not have prevented the dreadful attacks of September 11.

Indeed, it has been suggested that the potential of American domination of space could have been a trigger to the terrorists involved in the New York atrocity.

Because of the new desperate situation created by the bombing of Afghanistan, the demonstration will have a wider remit. May I call upon those who believe that retaliatory violence is creating an even more violent world, to join us tomorrow?

If you believe that the one million dollars wasted on each cruise missile fired should be spent on feeding starving people in Afghanistan, please come and share your thoughts.

Christine Dean, Garnett Street, Otley.

SIR - All those in Bradford who are protesting about the actions against the Taliban should be here to see the devastation caused by bin Laden. The smell now in lower Manhattan is overpowering from bodies rotting under tons of rubble.

How dare people say we cannot go in and bomb. The terrorists didn't care when they took 6,000 lives. All of them were innocent also.

Bin Laden said he is not afraid to die. Well, where is he hiding then? Come out of your foxhole, you coward. Whatever it takes, no matter how many bombs, terrorism has to be wiped out. Tell the bleeding hearts to come here to New York and dig. See how they feel then.

And now bin Laden has said all Muslims are to rebel against the American people. He is a sick person. God help the entire world, because he wants to end it.

Diane Duguid, E.4th St, New York.

SIR - Once again Bradford Council has gone for the outsourcing option, spurning local workers, rejecting local solutions to our problems, and putting its faith and money into the wrong hands.

Surely, if Bradford has any chance of becoming Capital of Culture, we must look to our strengths. Bradford Festival has been a fantastic home-grown event, developed over 15 years. This year's Mela was a positive triumph in the midst of unrest and division. The decision to award the contract to UZ Events will result in further job losses for Bradford, a loss of confidence, and undermine, rather than enhance our chances of Capital of Culture status.

Ronnie Fieldhouse, president of Bradford Trades Union Council, Chapel Street, Bradford 1.

SIR - I would like to record my disappointment at reading that the Bradford Festival will no longer be running events in the city over the coming years.

Through working alongside the festival team on attachment, I have seen first-hand just how committed and hard-working they were in creating absolutely spectacular events in Bradford.

The 2001 Festival perfectly illustrates the hard work and imagination put into the events and for the Council to change such a magnificent team and hand over the contract to an outside company cannot be right.

Dawn-Louise Kirton, Tudor Barn Court, Wrose.

SIR - On the subject of Terrorvision and the comments in the T&A that it will be a long time before Bradford sees another band of their ilk.

I do believe that I have seen the next 'Terrorvision' - in the shape of The Negatives! They have big songs with big choruses, lots of cheeky charm that we loved Terrorvision for and, with anthems like "We Are From Bradford", they are surely the new 'Terrorvision'.

I have seen The Negatives twice now and I can honestly say that they are better than most of the rubbish that passes for music today.

So come on Bradfordians, let's hear it for our own local pop talent that we can be proud of - The Negatives.

Gemma Bancroft, Ladyfield, Thornton.