Les bros et les sis

In regards to the squabbles about French and English [[e]mail, July 27], in my heart there really are none. It seems quite clear to me that most of the bickering stems from a political and economic source, which are two very horrible ways to put language into perspective. Yes, the government is in the hands of a bunch of separatist elites, who in all likelihood don't even give a crap about their people. They have the power and anyone on the outside is seen as the enemy, and what better line of division than language? The bureaucrats and their friends profit from keeping the population at each others' throats. Hey, guys and girls, wake up and smile and sing and dance! Nous sommes tous des freres et des soeurs!

--Special K

China's right

I have been to China eight times. China does not prevent religious expression, as is insinuated in your article ["Gonged in China," July 20]. I also found widespread tolerance of gay life. They do restrict illegal activities by superstitious messianic cults, as do several European democracies. China-bashing is a popular sport in the conservative USA where I live. Sects like evangelicals, scientologists, Temple Solaire, Moonies and others are dangerous threats to democracy and, as a gay man, I am aware from articles in the International Herald Tribune that the Falun Gong cult is as homophobic as the American evangelicals. If they threaten gays, then I welcome China's crackdown on them.

--Armand Boulay, California (in Montreal for Gay Pride 2000)

Berating beauty pageants

I would like to thank you for your courageous defense of the commodification of sex [Kristian Perspective, "Ugly Revenge," July 20]. Labelling everything that is not a purely market force as "politically correct" is an excellent technique, obviating the confusion I would experience were you to employ argumentation which was in any way different from that of the National Post or Alberta Report. I am particularly impressed with Mr. Gravenor's method of pretending to be too dull to make the connection between economic disparity and the kind of "escape route from poverty" which sports and beauty offer. So clever to support industries which, for each "uplifting success story," leave thousands striving pathetically to conform to the standards of a vapid career! So many more anti-intellectuals to appreciate his posturing! So much room for a weak writer to become a columnist!

--Peter Hewlett

Save the trees, please

The destruction of much of Quebec's northern boreal forest mentioned in your article "Chainsaws need not apply" [July 20] is tragically related to the one property distinguishing humans from other mammals: money. Life is sold and destroyed for big bucks, including of course, human life, and in the case of the forests, part of our own life-support system.

The boreal forest, and all the animals and plants in it, are real natives of Quebec, true Québécois, let's say. But they are not the kinds of Québécois, nor is their culture among the types of culture our nationalist government is interested in protecting. We have no equivalent of Bill 101 for the protection of endangered forests, no "tree police." The language of the trees is not deemed worthy of support. Awareness of forest destruction is growing, albeit too slowly. We need a broad-based nature conservation movement which will act on behalf of the forests. There are enough people in Quebec with that perspective. They only need to get themselves together.

--Shloime Perel

Corrections

We neglected to mention that last week's cover shot of Miguel Graça was shot at Restaurant Pacific on Mont-Royal, and that the stylist at the shoot was Catherine Lemire. Also, in Michael Citrome's article "Radiation Trepidation" [July 27], it is mentioned that only Bell Mobility offers the Motorola STARTAC phone, when in reality, Rogers AT&T Wireless does too.