Anyone who follows the news even in passing can’t help but notice that many new mosques across the nation face blind challenges similar to the ones the Orland Park Center has faced. My thanks to Jason George for his article, “New mosque a ‘labor of love,’” (Local News, June 22) which contributes to a balanced perspective of Islamic relations in the West.

I was deeply disappointed when I opened the Chicago Tribune to find that extremist commentator Ann Coulter had resorted to baiting the widows of terrorism victims to sell copies of her new book, reported in “Coulter ridicules widows of 9/11″ (June 8).

I was disappointed with the tone and context in the article “A Crucible for Secularism” (Page 1, June19) by Tom Hundley. The article attempts to illustrate the tensions between France’s policy of public secularism (laïcité) and rising concern among France’s clergy at the declining church attendance, juxtaposing the situation of Catholics with France’s sizable Muslim population. Unfortunately, French Muslims and Muslims in general were represented in a misleading and inaccurate manner.

Jay Ambrose’s column (“Unlike terrorists, Israel fights by the rules” June 19) attempts to wipe away the tragedy of the high profile attack on Palestinian families relaxing on a Gaza beach earlier this month.

I’d like to commend CNN on this article. It focuses on the socio-economic reasons behind the militant behavior and struggle. I found your treatment to be impartial; you clearly avoided extravagant or sensationalist terms in describing the Ijaw tribal militants (who, although not mentioned in the article, are Christian / Animist).

Congratulations to Michael Tackett, the Tribune’s associate managing editor in Washington, on his wonderful piece “Melting ice with Westerners” (News, May 10). As a Muslim-American activist who spends most of his waking hours “melting ice” with fellow Westerners, I am very appreciative of an article that brings forth the moderate and refreshing views of credible mainstream leaders from the Muslim world.

I question whether the problematic practices discussed in your article should be attributed to Islam as a religion.
They are unique to the particular culture of the immigrants in question.

Letter to the editor:

It is a tremendous public disservice for the Sentinel to publish the unfounded and misguided ravings of an extremist. In a letter entitled, “Islam is What Corrupts Its Militants“(April 14), Mr. R. Sauder boorishly characterizes Islam as a “fanatical religion,” that has “corrupted the people” in an irresponsible rant that pits Islam itself, not terrorism, as the imminent threat out to destroy us.

Your article title reads: “Strife with Islam key focus of Christian meeting,” yet the vast majority of the article discusses other concerns of the Christian organization: of its 13 paragraphs, only four discussed Islam (but then you also have the pictures of the frowning Muslims). I find it somewhat confusing that you chose this title since it clearly states in the text: “…It notes that the Western values that have shaped Christianity “can lead to confrontation and conflict” with others …”

As an objective news agency, it is unprofessional of you to include speculative links to crimes: in this case there was a bomb, you have no further information, yet the last paragraph feeds the reader want you want them to focus on (that the crime must be linked some how to “Islamic” terrorists):