Readers' corner
Who they were
Sir-- There exists no shred of evidence to support the allegation that 19 named Muslims committed the mass murder on 9/ 11. Their names do not appear on passenger lists. No one saw them board the "hijacked" aircraft. Their bodily remains were not identified at the crash sites. Mohamed Atta, an Egyptian national, was vilified as the leader of the mass murderers, though his father found this allegation outrageous. Atta was not the type who would commit a suicide operation and did not possess the required skills to steer a passenger aircraft into a building. There exits no evidence linking him to the actual crime. For all we know, he may have been killed by US agents. Elias Davidsson
Reykjavik
Iceland
Equally impossible
Sir-- It is not true that a completely settler colonial project can only work by getting rid of the original inhabitants. The Normans -- and the Anglo-Saxons before them -- settled in England without exterminating the Celts. Central America is still full of native Americans. Muslims tried to exterminate native Indians (killing about 80 million of them) but failed. Not a happy outcome, but the resulting society is quite mixed. Many more examples can be found. I will agree, however, that Arabs are largely unable to assimilate within Israeli society and the reverse is far, far truer. How then do you propose to create a society in which both groups have equal rights? It's impossible, you know it, and you're just a propagandist preaching to the choir.
Jeff Myer
California
USA
Understandably tense
Sir-- About three years ago when I was living in Alexandria someone told me, "I love Egypt but the future is so dark." At that time I asked myself why is this person so negative, but now that I myself am living and working in Egypt I see what he meant by this.
The Egyptian people are amazing and maybe if they just try to be more tolerant towards their fellow men it would help. The traffic and the sheer number of people in the streets of Cairo to get to work in the morning is something that you have to experience and that alone takes a lot of stress to get to work on time.
All over the world countries have their problems and obviously in Egypt because of the lack of work and opportunities, which is an issue to a lot of families, stress becomes a problem. A person has to be in that position to understand and I sympathise with the local people as I know it is not easy especially if you are the only bread winner the family is dependent on to take care of them.
Elizabeth Morrison
Cairo
Egypt
Kurdish to the core
Sir-- There has been too much talk about Kirkuk lately. Turkey is at the forefront of those voices objecting to the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution. This is considered by Kurds as blatant interference in Iraq's internal affairs. Regarding Kirkuk, the Kurds are committed to Iraqi unity and its constitution. Historically, Kirkuk has been part of Kurdistan as it is geographically. We challenge those who claim otherwise to come up with the proof against mountains of evidence that support Kurdish claims. If Kirkuk was not Kurdish why would Saddam have Arabised it? Read the formation of Iraqi state history in 1921 and the annexation of southern Kurdistan in 1926 including Kirkuk. Kirkuk was Kurdish before the Ottomans and before the establishment of Iraq and Arabisation.
Eamad Mazouri
Detroit
USA
Jews as presented
Sir-- The stereotypical portrayal of any group of people should be roundly condemned. Crude portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the West (not only in Hollywood) has a long, repulsive tradition. Just as repulsive is the frequent portrayal of Jews in Arab and Muslim media. Whether in Egyptian television series that depict Jews in the most diabolical manner, or the frequent commentary on Arabic TV and radio about how Jews are descended from "apes and pigs" or are the most deceitful and treacherous people ever, or what not. Anti- Jewish cartoons in the Arabic press are so similar to that once found in the media of Nazi Germany that Goebbels would be proud of.
Yitzhak Santis
California
USA
Churches for sale
Sir-- I remember once while in Montreal, Canada, I saw an advertisement on a small old church asking for a buyer. I was astonished and amazed how a church could be put up for sale. When I asked if the new buyer must use it as a church, I was told that the buyer can use it as he wishes. He can even transform it into a Buddhist temple if he wanted. They told me nobody now goes to churches like before. This is what is happening to Christianity, while on the other hand Islam is booming. People by the thousands are converting to the Islamic religion every day.
Cherif Loutfi
Cairo
Egypt
Al-Ahram Weekly reserves the right to edit letters submitted to Readers' Corner for brevity and clarity. Readers are advised to limit their letters to a maximum of 300 words.
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