“Berkeley’s Islamic Awakening,” Feature 6/3
They’re All Extremists
Loved the article by Don Lattin about the two with-it Berkeley
Muslims offering a more inclusive path than that offered by “some
Shiite extremists.” In Islam you are either a believer or not. If not,
“gorments of fire have been prepared for the unbelievers … those who
deny our revelations burn in fire.”
I’m enclosing some anti-Koran writings. I’m more inclined to give
the enclosed writings credence than that of some convert apologist.
Islam is insane.
I submit that Hamza Yusif and Zaid Shakir keep their mouths shut
when they are around not just “some Shiite extremists,” but around most
Moselm Imams.
What’s the use. Change your name, dress funny, oppress women, get
into the religious swing. It’s okay because other religions do it, too.
Do these guys also believe that when their prophet died, he got on a
horse and ascended into heaven?
Why should anyone believe what these guys say? Just look at what
Islam does.
Bill Hoch, Oakland
“Tigers, but Ladies Too,” News, 6/17
Carano vs. Santos
Yikes! Your interesting piece on the local female mixed martial arts
scene wonders if there will “be a place for these fighters to compete.”
You must not have known that the first-ever major MMA card with a
women’s main event — to be broadcast on Showtime — will
take place on August 15 at San Jose’s HP Pavilion: Gina Carano vs.
Christiane Santos for the Strikeforce 145-pound championship.
Let the record show that Carano, who is good-looking and
charismatic, also has credible world-class skills, with a background in
Muay Thai, an Asian striking sport in which she competed before turning
into female MMA’s first crossover media star and glamour girl.
“Conviction” Carano against “Cyborg” Santos is one of the most eagerly
anticipated men’s or women’s events of 2009.
Irvin Muchnik, Berkeley
“Racial Tensions Boil Over at Berkeley High,” News, 6/17
Words Matter
I am a 51-year-old African-American human rights/civil rights
activist. I was born and grew up in the segregated South. Predicting
what happened at Berkeley High School is why for years I have
pleaded with (and to no avail) African-American teens to
avoid use of the words nigger and niggas. If a subculture
desensitizes itself to degrading words, why would that subculture
expect others to behave differently? Eve Shames, the
student school board representative, said it best: “He said
something really stupid … but he has been getting the message for
four strong years that it is okay to say it.” I believe that
certain words cannot be redeemed. It’s been 46 years since I first
heard the word nigger, and I still wince whether I hear it in a song
lyric or from the mouths of children. Words matter. Select them
carefully.
Alfreda Wright, Oakland
“The Battle Over Biofuels,” Feature, 6/17
What About Biodiesel?
Interesting article on biofuels. However, in the second paragraph,
you lump biodiesel in with ethanol but never again in the article. You
also fail to mention that biodiesel is often made from recycled cooking
oil, like the biodiesel sold commercially in Berkeley. Vehicles running
on biodiesel run twice as efficient as comparable gas or ethanol
vehicles.
The main reason the City of Berkeley ended its seven-year experiment
with biodiesel was because of their use of lower-grade biodiesel with a
high bacteria content that was causing mechanical issues with their
vehicles. Although European cities use biodiesel, Berkeley was the
first city worldwide to use the fuel for its entire fleet, and at
least two other cities, Telluride, Colorado, and Coconut Creek,
Florida, have also followed suit.
How about an article dealing with the pros and cons of
biodiesel?
Jim Scott, Berkeley
Corrections
In our July 8 cover story, “What Is Killing the East Bay’s Soul Food
Restaurants?,” we mistakenly stated that Lam Toro is closed when in
fact it is still open.
In our July 8 music story, “Oakland Metro Operahouse Returns to
Form,” we misspelled the name of the Fleishhacker Foundation.
