Tolerance by all

Regarding Lynn Tatum’s Saturday guest column [“Doing as Jesus would do”], I agree with him for the most part, but I have two problems with his commentary:

He seems to paint all Christians with the same brush (like all Ku Klux Klan).

And he should be calling on Muslims to exhibit the same standard of tolerance he’s asking of Christians. Like it or not, Muslims have hijacked the freedoms that Europeans and Americans offered to spread their religion, eventually insisting on sharia (Islamic law) when their numbers are large enough to assert themselves.

Being vigilant isn’t hatred, Mr. Tatum. Tolerance between Christians and Muslims should run both ways.

Hallet T. Allen

Robinson

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I disagree strongly with the views of Baylor scholar Lynn Tatum, who compared Christian opposition of the New York City mosque to the Quran-burning nuts in Florida and the abomination called the Ku Klux Klan. Nice try.

The standard operating procedure of the “far left” is characterization of free speech in opposition to theirs as hate speech, bigotry and racism. I oppose gay marriage. I don’t hate gay people. I oppose the mosque near ground zero in New York City, but I don’t hate Muslims nor do I wish them any harm. But erecting a “Monument of Conquest” near the site of the 9/11 assault on America is an act of hatred and defiance, in my opinion.

Jamie Amos

Woodway

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Lynn Tatum is quick to accuse all who are against the New York City mosque of hating all Muslims. He seems to single out and assume that anyone who’s against the mosque is a Christian. And yet those of other religions are against building it there, as well.

It’s not necessary to hate people or their religion to not like or appreciate what they’re doing. Not even all Muslims are in favor of building the mosque at the proposed site. It’s true there are Muslims who are not terrorists, just as all Christians aren’t members of the Ku Klux Klan. But you also don’t see Christians building shrines to the KKK, either.

The 19 terrorists behind the Sept. 11 attacks were Islamic. It would seem that “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” should be a two-way street. In an attempt at healing the wounds of Sept. 11, those proposing the building of the mosque should consider that the families of those killed near there nine years ago do not want the religion of those terrorists honored in any way.

Rita W. Jones

Axtell

Uniform school dress

Last Friday I was at Alta Vista Park, which also serves as the Alta Vista Montessori Magnet Elementary School playground. I couldn’t help but notice the different clothes children were wearing due to the new uniform policy.

I applaud Waco ISD and other school districts that have adopted the uniform style dress code. It’s sad that our society has allowed individuality to get so far out of hand that we must regulate how schoolchildren dress. This policy should bring some respect back to school and help all concentrate on children’s education.

Patrick Bell

Lacy Lakeview