To the editor:

David Burress’ letter of Jan. 15 on intolerance claims valid criticism “is always limited to clearly identified statements or actions of specific persons or organizations” and “Any critical statement that applies categorically to all members of a religious group is bigoted on its face.”

Burress offers five Cal Thomas quotes and concludes Thomas’ “hateful remarks” have no place in a “generally tolerant community like Lawrence.”

That sounds like political correctness, stack-the-deck-in-your-favor double-talk to me. Does Pope Benedict XVI’s claim that jihad is the essence of Islam make him a bigot?

Muslim scholars debate the dominant place of war as a means of controlling inter-group relations and controlling scarce resources in desert environments. The Koran’s assertion (II,193) that believers must “Fight them (the unbelievers) until there is no dissension and the religion is entirely Allah’s” commands war. The warfare between Muslim communities (hatred of apostate Muslim regimes AND their entire populations) often ends in murderous campaigns. One example is the zealot Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s horrific actions against Iraqi Shias. Are the clearly identified statements and actions of his group as they hacked off Nick Berg’s head an example you had in mind?

One of Thomas’ assertions (not hateful, to me) that you quote, “There are no ‘moderates’ at least none who have the power to make peace,” is becoming a reality as radicals gain ground in the aftermath of military disasters in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

Tolerance doesn’t stoop to name-calling and prohibitions on a free press.

Stu Nowlin,

Lawrence