In a recent column, “Leaning over Backwards Indicates Head Not Screwed on Straight,” Mona Charen commits the ultimate journalistic sin: rushing to issue passionate verdicts on a subject matter she fails to afford due research.

While proponents of racial profiling such as Jonah Goldberg argue that racial profiling “makes sense” and therefore should be allowed into the policies of law enforcement officials, in actuality, racial profiling is inefficient in terms of security, and illegal in terms of law.

I found Steve Huntley’s glorification of Israel’s “restraint” in its war against Lebanon to be both ludicrous and offensive. In his Aug 17th editorial, “[t]he civil war you should worry about,” Huntley contends that Israel should be commended for its practice of restraint, because had it not done so, the streets in Lebanon “would have flowed with blood.” Huntley’s standard for restraint is about as low as Genghis Khan’s.

I am writing to express my consternation over the arguments raised by Mr. Charles Krauthammer in his July 31, 2006 article titled “Judgment on Israel-Hezbollah”.

I disagree with Rex W. Huppke’s characterization of terrorism as a new and increasing threat in his piece “Fear of terrorism as a fact of life” (Perspective, June 25). The attacks of September 11, 2001 did not represent a fundamental change in the dangers Americans face; rather it reminded them of a threat that has always been present. This threat of terrorism is, and always has been minute.

A recent article, “Mixing politics, education in Bosnia,” (World, June 25) in the Chicago Tribune bothered me quite a bit. While the article referred to Croat people as “Croats” and Serbian people as “Serbs,” it never seemed to fail in it’s reductionism of Bosnians as simply “Muslims.”

Friday’s front page article “FBI: Sears Tower Targeted” (June 23) displays several examples of negative stereotypes against Muslims and alarmist reporting.

I response to the article, “FBI: Sears Tower Targeted” (June 23), I would like to commend the FBI for taking the steps necessary to secure our nation, resulting in the apprehension of seven members of the “Sea of David” cult. It is worth noting, however, that the actions and beliefs of these cult members stray greatly from that of the Islam practiced by the Muslim citizens of this country.

“A crucible for secularism,” by Tom Hundley was an incendiary piece of journalism that offends the ideals of a pluralistic society, and characterizing religious people – both Muslim and Christian – in a negative light (Page 1, June 19). The tone of the article uses the classic “us versus them” schoolyard tactic to pit Islam and Christianity as competing for the supremacy of Europe and then dismisses both as thorns in the side of secularism.

Reading uplifting stories in the Chicago Tribune is nothing new to me. Neither is reading uplifting stories about Muslims. However, reading uplifting stories about Muslims in the Tribune, astounding! In this light, I wish to applaud Tribune Staff Reporter Jason George for his enlightened article about the creation of the Prayer Center of Orland park (Local News, June 22).