The one, the other
No nation comes into existence or continues to exist because it has a “right to exist” (To Talk Or Not To Talk – editorial, June 2). And no nation goes out of existence because it loses the “right to exist.” Nations come into existence, continue to exist, and go out of existence based on shifting combinations of socioeconomic, political, diplomatic and military realities.
Focusing on the “right to exist” issue is not helping the Israeli cause. Hamas has recognized the current reality of Israel and is offering a truce. Regardless of whether Hamas ever recognizes Israel’s long-term right to exist, Hamas will not be a threat to the existence of Israel as long as the other factors are in favourable balance. The real danger to Israel lies in refusing to negotiate an end to the occupation.
Miriam Goldberg, North Vancouver
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It was remarkable to see your editorial referring to the charter of Hamas, without referring to the platform of Likud, which refers to the settlements being a “clear expression of the unassailable right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.” Likud’s coalition partners show even more intransigence in accepting moves toward peace. Is it not enough that Canada has a government that supports Israel, right or wrong, that our national paper has to editorialize in this manner?
Masud Sheikh, Oakville, Ont.
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Hamas’s statements of accommodation with Israel are falsehoods, based on the Islamic principle of taqiyya, which permits and mandates deceiving one’s enemy. Hamas’s goal, as reflected in the recent articles in your series on the movement, is the eradication of Israel.
Hamas and Fatah will do and say whatever is required to achieve forcing Israel back to pre ’67 lines. Then, in due course, they will do everything in their power to undermine and eventually destroy Israel. In the case of Hamas, were it ready to accept Israel as a Jewish state, it must fully nullify its covenant.
Abraham Cohen, Thornhill, Ont.
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Israel refused to talk to the PLO until they renounced violence and recognized Israel’s right to exist (including on land from which the Palestinians were forcibly removed). Mahmoud Abbas followed those marching orders. For that, he got ongoing settlement-building in occupied areas. Hamas may have unrealistic goals, but they are not stupid.
Suleman Remtulla, Mississauga, Ont.
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Raccoons, humans
Lawyers for Animal Welfare (LAW) applaud the police for reacting quickly to horrifying reports that a Toronto man was allegedly beating a family of baby raccoons with a shovel-like tool (Humans Draw First Blood In Toronto’s War On Raccoons – June 2).
It’s essential Crown prosecutors pursue all cases involving animal-cruelty charges vigorously. Society must send a strong message that harming animals will be met with heavy sanctions.
Camille Labchuk, LawyersForAnimalWelfare.com, Toronto
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If a family of rats were infesting your backyard, would it be acceptable to use a shovel to beat them and, if so, what is the difference between rats and raccoons? Both are vermin, both are a nuisance and a danger to public health, both have populations that are exploding in urban environments. Raccoons are bigger and have pretty dark eyes, but then again, rats probably make better pets.
Of course, there are legitimate arguments about what is acceptable “culling” and what is gratuitous animal cruelty. But taking someone away in handcuffs for dealing with vermin seems ridiculous and is, by the way, human cruelty.
Stephen Gash, Mississauga, Ont.
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A mom raccoon recently took over a corner of our shed as a maternity ward. I was told by Toronto Wildlife services that removing her and her family was going to be costly ($400, plus $100 per baby), and she’d probably be back. Not news.
What is news, however, is that we all have a powerful weapon in the war against raccoons at our disposal. One of the wildlife people told me raccoons don’t like the sound of voices, and advised me to put a radio set to a station with a lot of low-volume talking in their proximity. I put a radio tuned to CBC near to them, and faster than you can say Stuart McLean, the mom raccoon moved off with her babies, back to the ravine.
They also don’t like lights at night. We leave an exterior light on in a raccoon-vulnerable area. No more raccoons.
Elizabeth Laregina, Toronto
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No more, please
Does anyone, except another politician, really think we need to spend money on more of them (Tories To Add To Commons Seating Plan – June 2)? What happened to less is more?
Emily Russell, Fredericton
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Old, young
Gordon Gibson (No Room In The Middle Of The Road – June 1) advises Liberals to “focus on the young (who are the future) instead of the old (who are the past, but have the votes).”
The old are not “the past,” they live in the present, where all of us, young, middle-aged, and old reside. Yes, they have votes; shouldn’t they? As for the young being “the future,” yes, they will be alive 20 years from now while most of those who are now old will not be. But they are not in that future yet, they are stuck in the present with the rest of us, and all of us together, young, middle-aged and old, surely have to try and make that present as good as it can be for the entire community.
Policy that sets young against old is offensive.
Patrick O’Flaherty, St. John’s
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Dust in our eyes
I applaud Margaret Wente for bringing to our attention the vacuity of Tim Hudak’s platform (Gossamer, Fairy Dust And Chain Gangs – June 2). Comparing an absent political vision to mythical entities is right on the mark. But it makes me wonder what Ms. Wente might have been thinking when, in the course of criticizing Dalton McGuinty’s energy policy, she refers to his closure of “perfectly good coal-fired power plants.” With ever-worsening climate change, there is no such thing as a good coal-fired power plant. Talk about gossamer and fairy dust.
Byron Williston, Waterloo, Ont.
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Okay, I get it. Tim Hudak, bad choice; Dalton McGuinty, bad choice. Ringing silence about the NDP. It’s going to take a legion of fairies, dust-bearing or not, to entice those of us who remember the last NDP government in this province to go that route.
But wait. I must have inhaled too much dust – the terrestrial kind; my wife made me help with the cleaning – because for one scary moment, I thought the world might have tilted and Ms. Wente had crossed to the Orange Side. Please ask her to weigh in with her views on that front. God forbid we have in her an agent for Orange?
John Hall, Toronto
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Done with dusted
If I see another picture of someone dusting the Senate or vacuuming the Commons every time these Houses return to sit, I am going to storm barricades or something. This is getting to be the biggest photographic cliché in the business. Something must be done! Please find another image to show us when Parliament resumes. Run a contest. Show the gargoyles on the Hill. Anything but the cleaning.
J.D.M. Stewart, Toronto
