Mirror reviews biased against Christians

I am shocked and angered at the total lack of professional journalism by music reviewer Johnson Cummins. His review of WOW 1998: The Year's 30 Top Christian Artists and Songs [Rating: 666/10, Compact Discs, Feb. 26] was the most biased, ignorant and childish review I have ever read in your publication. I think we all know by reading his review where he stands on religion, but did he even listen to more than the first two songs?

If Cummins thinks rock 'n' roll is about "people marrying their 13-year-old cousins," then it is a shame, because rock 'n' roll is about a whole lot more. Cummins says in his review, "When I think of Christians making music, I think of nuns clutching acoustic guitars singing 'Onward Christian Soldiers.'" Poor Cummins. As someone involved in music journalism, I thought he would actually know something about music--but then again he is so narrow-minded I will have to forgive him for his ignorance. Eric Clapton's hit "Change the World" was written by born-again Christians Tommy Sims and Gordon Kennedy, who have also played with Garth Brooks, Pat Benatar and Bruce Springsteen. Elvis Presley won only a single Grammy in his career, and it was for his gospel album. Pete Townsend said in a 1989 interview that rock 'n' roll was born in a small black gospel church. In case Cummins does not know who Townsend is, he was the lead guitarist and songwriter for one of music's biggest acts ever, The Who.

According to Billboard magazine and SoundScan figures, the largest growing form of music is the Christian music scene. Cummins also suggests that rock 'n' roll does not need "the safe warblings" of Christian bands. I recommend Cummins actually review the album instead of discuss his anti-religious views. Even better, he could take a course at Concordia entitled The History of Popular Music: 1940s to the Present.

--Ron Weeks

Fish is not a vegetable

I always considered the Mirror a vegetarian friendly paper but a recent review ["Only the succulent survive," Chez la Mère Michel, March 12] disappointed me. The resto was described as being "vegetarian friendly" because it served fish and seafood!

This indicates the author and editor are unfortunately unaware of what a vegetarian eats. I'll give you a hint: vegetation. Something that has roots.

I am a strict vegetarian and am tired of being asked if I eat fish. I think one of the reasons people keep asking that question is because such out-of-touch comments about vegetarian-friendliness are still being printed in your paper.

--Helen Gebhardt

The problem with advertisers

I agree wholeheartedly with letter-writer Manish Patwar ["Too much radio overkill," March 19], who says our airwaves are devoid of musical variety. The problem with most youths my age is that they are too influenced by peer pressure and are not willing to think independently or take time to develop their own musical tastes. And the problem with advertisers is they think only young people, especially men, are the kind of consumers that will be influenced by commercials and be willing to buy their products and services.

In fact, most of the people with steady sources of income or those living in affluence are middle-aged or old. These people love music too and listen to it if stations play their kind of music.

Advertising to the young is often akin to brainwashing. Wasn't it Stephen Leacock who said, "Advertising is the creative process of arresting people's intelligence long enough to make money out of it"?

--Jeff Falaba

Gay community a perpetrator of isms

A friend of mine, who happens to be gay, told me recently that many of his white gay friends had stopped talking to him because he had sexually become involved with an African-Canadian gay man. It just surprises me how a group that itself has been so viciously treated in the past, and still is not respectfully treated by many, can be racist. Doesn't experience teach people anything? These are probably just a few people, but nevertheless they are a microcosm of society as a whole. This entire situation bears out the old saying: the only lesson that history teaches is that men do not learn from history.

This topic needs to be discussed within the gay community. Also needing discussion in the gay world is the topic of rampant ageism, even more so than in the rest of society. And last but not least, gay rights for people outside of North America and Western Europe, namely in Africa, South Asia, East Asian countries and Eastern Europe must be discussed. Why is it that in the most overcrowded countries, where the need for new babies is the lowest, discrimination against gays and lesbians is ironically the highest? We live in a multicultural society and the gay community must wake up.

--Sammy Marouflin