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Norway: Terror now

Blaming Islam for terrorism is like blaming Christianity for the senseless slaughter committed by a Norwegian Christian fundamentalist (A Nation Of Peace Shattered - Front Page, July 23). Now I know how some Muslims must feel when the insane actions of a few get attached to the faith of the many.

Rev. John Van Sloten, New Hope Christian Reformed Church, Calgary

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A Norwegian official, after the recent bombing and shooting: "It seems it's not Islamic-terror related. This seems like a madman's work." John McCain, when asked if Barack Obama was an Arab: "No, ma'am, he's a decent family man." Perhaps there is a trend here?

Sally Reid, Victoria

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There is no excusing the vicious terror attacks in Norway. Only a seriously perverted mind could conceive of murdering innocent people for the sake of any cause.

The cause in this case is likely Islamic immigration to Europe and the Americas in the past few years.

Electing left or right-wing parliamentarians is a valid and democratic way to induce political change. Resorting to terrorism is not, no matter the perceived injustice.

Len Bennett, Montreal

Terror then

The publication of the picture of the destruction of the King David Hotel (A Moment In Time - July 22), and the loss of 91 lives therein, brought back sad memories.

As someone who had been brought up to deplore anti-Semitism in all its forms, I was confronted with a challenge to my support for Israel as a state. No country had been more receptive to the Jews than Britain.

At its root was violence and terrorism. Sadly, "sow the wind and reap the whirlwind."

Malcolm Muth, Port Dover, Ont.

Crime beat

While Jeffrey Simpson lambastes the federal government for its refusal to consider the evidence of falling crime rates when pushing its "tough on crime" agenda, he fails to commend them for consistency (Tories Judge Evidence Of Falling Rates As Inadmissible - Comment, July 23).

Consistency in government policy is so rare. Yet this government is an evidence-free zone when it comes to prisons, safe injection sites, asbestos, the climate crisis and environmental assessments. Surely, it should be commended for that.

Or perhaps not. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen."

Elizabeth May, MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C., Leader of the Green Party of Canada

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Police-reported crime statistics should not be treated as being equivalent to the Canadian crime rate. It is encouraging to see police-reported crime show a further decline (PM's Agenda Decried As Crime Falls - July 22).

This must, however, be tempered by the results of the Canadian Criminal Victimization Survey, which showed that crimes being reported to police actually decreased to just 31 per cent in 2009 from 34 per cent in 2004. Over two-thirds of Canadian property and violent crimes are never reported.

Bernie Magnan, chief economist, Vancouver Board of Trade

On the lam

Now that the federal government has compiled and publicized a list of 30 most-wanted "suspected" war criminals (Tories Release List Of Most-Wanted War Crime Suspects - July 22), I look forward to Jason Kenney and Vic Toews releasing similar lists of most wanted but already "clearly identified" income-tax evaders, environmental polluters and workplace safety law-ignorers.

The lists would no doubt be much longer, and the treasury returns could also be much greater. Then again, the "satisfy the conservative voter" payback would be non-existent.

Harvey Krahn, Edmonton

Those iconic Jets

I can't say I much like the Jets' new logo (Jets Logo Takes Military Look - Sports, July 23): It looks like it was designed to please Don Cherry.

But even if it wasn't, I just wish the designers had taken what seems like the obvious step. If they had to go on about heritage and history, and if they had to have a symbol of a jet on the logo, why didn't they select the Avro Arrow?

Nigel Brachi, Edmonton

Selectively great

As John Allemang scans the field of greatness (A Question Of Greatness - Focus, July 23), his reflections are largely limited to just one part of the global ballpark: Europe and North America.

Alexander the Great gets consideration, but not Genghis Khan, whose empire was far greater than any person before or since. The Borgia and Medici popes get a quick look from the coach, but not Buddha, who was a pretty heavy hitter. Lincoln, Pericles, and Churchill are among the candidates for history's Cooperstown, but not Gandhi or Mandela. Like the so-called World Series, this world is unnecessarily small.

Daniel Wood, Vancouver

Red River woes

No one begrudges the need in Alberta's Special Areas for water for domestic and livestock use (Quenching An Age-Old Thirst - July 23).

But Special Areas have a land mass of some 5 million acres with a population of only 5,000. Irrigating even part of this arid land is nothing short of an irresponsible use of water.

An old agreement with Saskatchewan and Manitoba apportions 50 per cent of all eastward flowing waters that cross interprovincial boundaries. In the past the Red Deer River has subsidized the Bow and Oldman Rivers to meet the apportionment, because the Bow and Oldman help irrigate Alberta's southern regions.

It is no wonder there is concern all along the Red Deer River basin.

Lorna Watkinson-Zimmer, Red Deer, Alta.

Stiletto attack

Somehow your article on cottage style (Cottage Style Grows Up, Goes Glam - Style, July 23) ended up in the wrong section; it should have been in Comics.

If anybody showed up at our cottage in that little checked cotton dress and four inch heels, she would be laughed off the dock.

Paula McPherson, St. Catharines, Ont.

Remembering Elwy

After reading your obituary of Elwy Yost, TV Ontario host (Movies Came To Life On Saturday Nights - July 23), I got the giggles remembering his interview with a senior citizens' kazoo band.

While 30 or so seniors hummed through their vibrating toy kazoos, Elwy, with a twinkle in his eye and barely able to control himself, stood in front of them and congratulated them for their fine music. A priceless moment.

Warner Winter, Toronto

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A sentence in a letter to the editor by Bernie Magnan on Monday should have read, "Over two-thirds of Canadian property and violent crimes are never reported," but, owing to an editing error, did not.

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