I write letters to the editor for two reasons: one, I hope that it will be published. Two, even if it is not published, I believe -- as editor mates of mine have told me is the case -- that the more people write in support of one particular view, the more likely they are to carry at least one representative letter to represent that view. You hope that yours may be the one they carry, but even if not, there's a letter there reflecting your view. And if you think letters are just a means for people to let off steam, well think again, for at least here in Hong Kong, we know that government officials do monitor letters to the South China Morning Post, and often reply in the letters section or with an Op-ed themselves. And we've often seen policy influenced as a result (the Super Prison campaign being one)
But even if a letter serves only to "let off steam", then so what? That's a valuable service in its own right. One recalls a putative and venerable "Major Montague Lyttleton-Threepwood (Ret)", or some such, hurrumphing that he's so incenced why, why.... "I'm so angry I'll write to the Times".
I wrote to the International Herald Tribune (the international edition of The New York Times) about their Roger Cohen piece in which he basically labelled any and all criticism of Islam as "racist".
The letter was a shorter version of this post.
They ran a letter on similar lines, I was pleased to see, from David Rawson. There must have been quite a few letters to them expressing similar views, in order for the Tribune even to have carried this one letter -- for the leanings of the NYT's editors would be more in line with Cohen's own: that Islam critics are nothing but horrid "Islamophobes". Kudos to them at least for running this letter. Reprint below the fold...
But even if a letter serves only to "let off steam", then so what? That's a valuable service in its own right. One recalls a putative and venerable "Major Montague Lyttleton-Threepwood (Ret)", or some such, hurrumphing that he's so incenced why, why.... "I'm so angry I'll write to the Times".
I wrote to the International Herald Tribune (the international edition of The New York Times) about their Roger Cohen piece in which he basically labelled any and all criticism of Islam as "racist".
The letter was a shorter version of this post.
They ran a letter on similar lines, I was pleased to see, from David Rawson. There must have been quite a few letters to them expressing similar views, in order for the Tribune even to have carried this one letter -- for the leanings of the NYT's editors would be more in line with Cohen's own: that Islam critics are nothing but horrid "Islamophobes". Kudos to them at least for running this letter. Reprint below the fold...
LETTERS TO THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE
When Cultures Clash
Published: August 3, 2011
I take exception to Roger Cohen’s implication that resistance to the gradual imposition of Muslim values upon the West is simple racism (“The racist scourge,” Globalist, Aug. 2). Like Communism, Islam contains many political and philosophic values in conflict with Western traditions. It is incumbent upon those Muslims who relocate to the West to respect the political and philosophic traditions of the host country. A welcome reception depends on this.
David Rawson, Berwyn, Pennsylvania
