Let Us Defeat Hate

With violence and bloodshed dominating the news, reading newspapers or watching TV is no longer a pleasant hobby, but a depressing experience that one faces with dread and apprehension. War here, there and everywhere. Violence is eating up all that is left of our world.

The reports of the recent bombing in Riyadh and the shootout in Jeddah caused me great sadness. I was a resident in the Kingdom for over 10 years and during my stay there, I considered it the safest place on earth. Violence was unheard of in those days and crimes were rare events. That those days are gone and people have to live in the shadow of terrorism is a tragedy. However, surrendering to this new culture is not an option for any one of us, for Saudis or Filipinos like me, or anyone else. There is no country that can claim to be free from this cancer. Shooting down a few terrorists will not solve the problem. The only solution is for all of us to ensure that our societies do not provide terrorism a fertile soil in which to grow. Hatred and lack of tolerance are what breed and nurture terrorism, and this is what needs to change. The efforts of governments alone will not bring about this change. If we want evil to be exterminated, we should start by looking at ourselves. It is within the power of each one of us, regardless of our status, to turn the tide. Let us learn, and teach those around us, to respect and love one other. We must be open-minded and free from prejudice, be it religious, linguistic, racial, cultural or whatever. We should not coerce others to accept our beliefs or systems. If we want our governments to act in a certain way or want to change the government itself, we should not act like animals. We must act as rational human beings and negotiate in peace.

History has taught us that violence does not bring happiness. It yields only chaos and pain, for both victor and vanquished. Finally, we must pray for a peaceful and safe world. When we allow passion to govern our actions and settle scores through violence, let one thought guide us: What kind of a world do we wish to bequeath to our children — a world of love and happiness or one of hatred and misery?

Nesrin B. Cali • Philippines published 1 May 2004

Murder of Civilians

Muslims claim that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. But to most non-Muslims, it appears as a religion of violence and intolerance because of the failure of normal Muslims to control their deviant terrorist extremists. By their silence, normal Muslims give their consent to terrorism against innocent civilians. Where are the mullahs denouncing terrorism in Arabic so that Arabs will know that it is against the teaching of Islam? Nowhere to be found. And where are normal Muslims reporting terrorist activities to the civil authorities, so that it can be stopped? Nowhere to be found. Where are the fatwas calling for Muslims to live in peace with non-Muslims? Nowhere to be found.

Observing this, the non-Muslim world, which is the majority of mankind, asks, “What kind of a religion is this that causes nothing but pain and misery?” Can you blame them? You who claim to be Muslims: Read your own book, the Qur’an. Stop enabling the terrorist deviants to continue.

Yes, the state of Israel is a blot on all mankind, led by sinners and hateful persons. Yes, a deluded Crusader, in alliance with the criminal Sharon, leads the United States. But do these facts justify murdering thousands of innocent civilians? Murder of civilians is not the way to justice. We must find a better way.

Bill McGinnis • United States published 1 May 2004

Without My Consent

As I listened to a discussion about the Middle East on BBC radio Sunday morning, I couldn’t help but wonder why the Israelis don’t get it. The person speaking for Israel said that when the Palestinians stopped teaching their children to hate Israel there would be a better chance for peace. As an American I was never taught to hate Israel. What has caused me to question our country’s unwavering support for Israel is their endless persecution of Palestinian people in the occupied territories. Extrajudicial assassinations, house demolitions, confiscation of land, uprooting of olive groves, the killing of innocent men, women and children are not the actions of a partner in peace. Israel itself has made enemies of the Palestinians and all who sympathize with them, by the cruel and heartless use of its mighty military power against these hapless imprisoned people.

What bothers me the most is that a big hunk of my tax dollars is used to support these ugly, misguided war crimes without my consent.

Teri Scatchard • Vermont, US published 1 May 2004

The Way Out

This refers to the article “The Way Out, America!” by Khaled M. Batarfi (April 25). Before people can answer the question “What do you want?” they have to be free to answer. Iraqis have not been free and are not today. They live in fear of being seen to take the Americans’ side. That, they fear, will cost them their lives. Suppose they held an election today and 80 percent of the people said they wanted a democracy and they wanted freedom of speech and religion and they wanted the US to stay until the government was in place to help rebuild. Would Sadr and the other extremists put away their weapons and cooperate? No. They would claim the results were false and manipulated by the Americans and they would continue their killing. How do you deal with people like this? They use mosques to stockpile weapons and then condemn anyone who attacks a mosque for not respecting the sanctity of places of worship. They do not want freedom for Iraq and they don’t care what the majority wants.

Steve Merrick • United States published 1 May 2004

Tax on OFWs

Kim Henares, the Philippine revenue official who is pushing for a tax on overseas Filipinos, shows what a simpleton he is by blaming the tax exemption as the cause for low revenue collection. Before “punishing” us for the crime of earning money by honest work, he should investigate the Bureau of Revenue personnel and find out how they are allowing the really rich to get away without paying full taxes. They should also go after big crooks especially Lucio Tan. What has happened the case against him for tax evasion? President Arroyo should kick Henares out. She does not have to worry about his replacement. Any donkey would have more sense and brain.

Rolando M. Aquino • Dhahran published 1 May 2004

Malpractice in Hospitals

The report “Malpractice Blamed for Death in Hail Hospital” (April 27) goes to show that the best of facilities will not guarantee reliable medical care unless there is a mechanism to make sure that only true professionals are allowed to work with human life. The incompetent have no business to be in an operating theater.

The government has spared no expense in making the latest medical technology and equipment and the finest talent available to people in the Kingdom. That we have specialists and facilities that rank among the best in the world is proved by achievements such as complicated heart operations and the separation of Siamese twins performed in our hospitals by our surgeons.

So what tragedies such as those in the report indicate — an elderly person losing his life due to the neglect of the doctor, for example — is not a lack of ability, but a lack of care and commitment. There needs to be a mechanism to carry out stringent inspections of facilities and safety standards as well as evaluation of doctors and other professionals to ensure top-quality medical care. Only then will people have confidence in our hospitals and professionals.

Abdul Majid Aslam • Jeddah published 1 May 2004

Abaya Gang

There is a limit to one’s sympathy for the victims whose stories were written in “Abaya Gang Busted in EP” (April 27). Isn’t it odd how easily the men were “lured” into secluded locations when they thought they were going to meet a strange woman? Somehow it strains the imagination to believe that their intentions were entirely innocent. While I do not mean to blame them for being the victims of crime, neither does it seem that they were thinking with their heads when they showed up for a rendezvous with a mysterious “female” who turned out to be a member of a criminal gang.

Brenda Gant • United States published 1 May 2004

Safety of Students

Parents of the International Indian School, Dammam, offer their heartfelt condolences to the parents of the little boy who lost his life in a bus accident. While it was the carelessness of the driver that was the immediate cause of the tragedy, the school authorities need to explain why there was no conductor on the bus. Parents have been repeatedly demanding that every bus should have a conductor to help children board and alight.

It is common knowledge that most bus drivers ignore safety rules. Immediate disciplinary action should be taken against such people. Rules and regulations that are applicable to drivers and conductors should be exhibited in all buses and the SAPTO management should be made aware of this. Most of the conductors presently employed just sit in their seats and do not help the children. Furthermore, since most do not understand English or Hindi, it is difficult for parents to communicate with them. There should be complaint-and-suggestion boxes in all buses. Also, there should be more personnel posted outside the school to regulate the arrival and departure of buses at school gates.

My request to parents who drop their children by car is to obey the traffic regulations posted by the school. Many parents enter one-way roads from the wrong direction. More speed bumps are required outside the school premises including the KG section and the villas rented by the school. Another cause of accidents is the heavy bags that children carry, which make it difficult for them to get on and off buses. This has to be looked into immediately by the principal and the management committee and a solution has to be found soon.

The community as a whole should work on this problem facing the school and should give the safety of our children top priority.

C.G., Other Parents • Dammam published 1 May 2004