the letters that the Chicago Sun Times choose to publish (Sunday 7/10)

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It's Islam or us
The only good that will come out of the tragic bombings in London is that it will seep away the complacency that has infected the American public, and drive the Dick Durbins of the nation back under their rocks. It will also serve to underscore the fact that we, and the West in general, are imperiled by a barbaric religion and no amount of appeasing actions on our part will satisfy the demented followers of Islam.
The only solution is to strangle the growth of Islam in the West. It may well be that Islam will be the first religion that will have to be outlawed in the United States and, if it is not suppressed due to ''religious freedom,'' the U.S. Constitution could become Islam's ally and our death warrant.
We have to realize that Islam is the enemy and the Quran is the guidebook to the ending of our Western civilization.
Kenneth L. Bird,
Woodridge

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(the above article was included in this column of letters that the Chicago Sun Times choose to publish.

Wakeup call
The week of 4 July 2005 was a week of contrast: 4 July was a national day of celebrating our 229th birthday; 6 July was a day of celebrating the announcement of the 2012 Olympics to be held in London; and on 7 July, we were reminded that evil people place zero value in innocent lives with the bombings in London. Freedom is not free!
This comes at a time when the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps are having difficulty filling their ranks with volunteers. Recently, the Army's Chief of Staff pointed out that during World War II, our nation's population was 140 million, and we placed 9 percent in uniform. Today, our population is over 260 million, and the Army has difficulty attracting 0.0004 of that population as volunteers on an annual basis!
I am hopeful that this past week will serve as a reminder for all of us, that if we are not willing to serve and sacrifice, then our own freedoms and liberties may be very tenuous. Hopefully, 7 July will serve as a wakeup call.
Jack C. Wheeler,
Fayetteville, Ga.


It's Islam or us
The only good that will come out of the tragic bombings in London is that it will seep away the complacency that has infected the American public, and drive the Dick Durbins of the nation back under their rocks. It will also serve to underscore the fact that we, and the West in general, are imperiled by a barbaric religion and no amount of appeasing actions on our part will satisfy the demented followers of Islam.
The only solution is to strangle the growth of Islam in the West. It may well be that Islam will be the first religion that will have to be outlawed in the United States and, if it is not suppressed due to ''religious freedom,'' the U.S. Constitution could become Islam's ally and our death warrant.
We have to realize that Islam is the enemy and the Quran is the guidebook to the ending of our Western civilization.
Kenneth L. Bird,
Woodridge


Blame it on the left
Just as Stalin had his ''useful idiots'' in an earlier day to spread the virtues of communism in the United States, al-Qaida has America's far left wing, quick to spin any terrorist attack into a tirade on the evils of George W. Bush, Republicans, our soldiers, our corporations and our country in general.
Yes, dissent plays an important role in the continued health of our country. But just as every citizen has the right to their own opinion, no one has a right to their own facts. The left's continued distortion of the truth about events in Iraq, the Patriot Act and our motivations in the war on terror only aids and gives comfort to the enemy at a time of war.