Ease Christians' plight

April 10, 2003

Dear Sir,

Of course the Government is not anti-Christian, but its actions may lead people to think so. With most of our Christian churches relying on Ministers from abroad to help our community one can only hope that Government will now extend a helping hand, and that some of the problems Bermudian Christians are encountering will be eased.

W. S. ZUILL SR.

Smith's Parish

Bermuda deserves better

April 10, 2003

Dear Sir,

Your front page article yesterday entitled, "Rector Given Arrest Threat" should send a shiver down the back of all freedom-loving people in Bermuda. Bermuda's Constitution and the Human Rights Act enshrine the right of religious freedom in our society. If an individual is threatened with arrest for practising his religious beliefs and convictions at a time and place of his own choosing, then clearly religious freedom is not being respected by this Government. In a free society, religious freedom is a right that should go beyond all other Government considerations.

What is equally disturbing is the way that the Government chose to go about making this threat. The Government had several days to resolve this situation in discussions with the hierarchy of the Anglican Church. Instead they chose to make this threat at the last possible moment. Calling someone at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning and threatening them with arrest one hour before they were to attend a church service is something you expect from a totalitarian regime. The lack of respect and sensitivity shown by the Government in this situation is a sad reflection on the new Bermuda. The people of Bermuda deserve better.

FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

Warwick

Despicable behaviour

April 10, 2003

Dear Sir,

How low have we sunk that an arm of Government could threaten a Canon of the church with arrest for doing his job? It has obviously escaped the lame-brainer who perpetrated this outrage, that a minister of the Church is duty bound to do just what Alan Tilson was trying to do - take a service in a church without a minister.

This threatening act was a direct and sinister interference in the working of the Church. It was an insult to Bishop Ratteray and worse still, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is entirely responsible for the regulation and administration of the Church of England.

One has to wonder what would happen were in similar situation to arise within the Church of Scotland, which has, as far as I am aware, no Bermudian ministers - or with any other church for that matter.

Bishop Ratteray was quite correct when he said, in today's Royal Gazette, that this action was "unconscionable" and reminiscent of Nazi Germany. How right he was. My word for it is despicable.

The Bishop would be perfectly within his rights not just to call on Government to stop interfering in Church affairs in "such an objectionable manner" but demand a complete withdrawal of this perfidious policy. Let us hope that wise counsel prevails and the demand is not necessary.

What, I wonder, would have happened if Canon Tilson had gone ahead anyway? I doubt he would have remained in custody for long and without doubt public reaction would have been a good deal stronger than the flood of letters your Newspaper will doubtless receive.

The whole miserable matter is made the more appalling because it was done to the nicest, kindest and most gentle of men.

ANTHONY GOODFELLOW

Paget

Let good fathers in

April 8, 2003

Dear Sir,

In the last 16 years, my son has seen his father three times and I've received $0 in child support. So the question is, what's more important to me? The answer may shock a lot of single mothers, but I would rather my son's father be a part of his life. Don't get me wrong, I could use the child support, but it hurts me more to watch my son suffer because his father hasn't bothered to call, write or come to see him. I say this to say that I am so sick and tired of selfish mothers ,(and you know who you are), who are only out for revenge.

There are good fathers in Bermuda! I have witnessed first hand how some single mothers, despite getting child support every month, refuse to let the father be an active part of their child/children's life. So what if you and your child/children's father parted on bad terms. A lot of fathers love their child/children and would do anything for them. The only way the father can see his child /children is through a court order. You refuse to let him call to talk to his children and you also refuse to let your child/children call him.

You conveniently forget to tell their father about PTA meetings, sports or any other special events, knowing full well they have no way of finding these things out on their own. The only time you call him is to complain or to ask for money.

So what's the end result after all of this? Your child/children grows up feeling unloved and rejected. They also can end up hating you. If you see yourself as this type of mother, stop it! Put all ill feelings aside and do what is best for your child/children. They need both parents in their lives. You have more than I or my son have ever had.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Pembroke

Not all mothers are best

April 3, 2003

Dear Sir,

It is long over due that some judges in child custody cases become educated before making any rulings.

Most of the time the mother is given custody of the children in the belief that she is the best caregiver.

Not all mothers are the best caregivers. Some hardly take care of the children at all, they leave this to full-time nannies and babysitters. The rest of the time the fathers care for the children's feeding and bathing etc.

There are some wonderful caring fathers out there who have been caring for these children since birth: Feeding, diapering, comforting and playing with the children etc. Give them a chance. Plus some wives don't wish to do it.

Some mothers use the children to get what they want or by threatening to take the children to another state or country, the reasons for this vary:

1. To get more money;

2. New boyfriend; or

3. Just to aggravate the situation.

They do this knowing full well that if the father goes to court the judges always rules in the mother's favour, not in the children's best interest.

Please judges do not take these children away from good fathers the children need them.

NO NAME

USA

Looking for the beef

April 12, 2003

Dear Sir,

I would like to know if there is a Consumers Affairs Department in Bermuda and if there is can they do anything about the people who makes and sells pies, namely $5 for a beef pie and $3 for a beef patty. The most you get is pastry that is very greasy full of colouring and a dark looking grainy looking like (please use your imagination). In other words your don't know what it is you are eating - that is the beef patties. The Beef pies are sweet pastry, canned vegetables and if your are lucky you may get a drop of spaghetti meat in your pie with sauce.

If there is someone out there who can respond to this letter please do.

WHERE IS THE BEEF

Pembroke

The real reason for war

April 5, 2003

Dear Sir,

The motivation for the United States' war in Iraq is often the subject of debate. I do not doubt that US political and military leaders believe in what they say - that war is a means to liberate the people of Iraq, and secure a peaceful and democratic Middle Eastern region - because they must justify to themselves why they choose to invade an impoverished nation. This thinking - taken from an extremely privileged world-view - is by its nature a minority opinion, but it is nonetheless made to represent the majority. It is disseminated into society through various media and through a kind of reverse representative democracy until it is established as the dominant and easiest rationale.

As an American in Bermuda I would like to say that I do not share the opinion of the American government, as many Americans and many more around the world do not. If the situation is looked at in historical aggregate then the US and not Iraq is the bigger threat to peaceful world order. The US supported and aided Saddam Hussein in the 1980's Iran-Iraq war when his government was as repressive as it was a couple of weeks ago, and when he liberally deployed his stocks of so-called weapons of mass destruction on his enemies.

The US was the chief architect and enforcer of UN economic sanctions following the 1991 war, which resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe and at the very least 500,000 deaths. The US hardly favours the liberation of the Iraqi people, but operates for its own sake in establishing and maintaining hegemony in vital world areas. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the recent history of Iraq.

Once Saddam Hussein's government is disposed of, the US will free up a huge reserve of oil kept out of the world market by the UN oil embargo. The US will doubly profit from this resource: an increased supply of oil will lead to a stabilisation of price per barrel, vitally important to the US economy, and by situating its own corporations to get production contracts, which are now being vied for.

Most importantly, the US will gain a sort of neo-colony from which it may project its political and economic power across the Middle East. The common denominator of US-Iraq relations over the period of Saddam Hussein's government is this: so long as Iraq has remained US-friendly it has received US blessings, otherwise it has been made to suffer gross consequences. This equation is certainly more motivation for the US takeover than George Bush's notions of "right", "freedom" and "security".

TRAVER ALEXANDER

Hamilton Parish

Thanks for returng keys

April 9, 2003

Dear Sir,

I would be most grateful if you would allow me to use the Gazette to express my sincere thanks to the thoughtful and considerate person, who was kind enough to hand in a set of keys at the Police Station on the morning of April 8. Unfortunately, the record of this kind person's name was misplaced, preventing me from contacting them personally to express my gratitude.

Thank you so much for the time you took in going to the Police Station, saving me a much greater amount of time and hassle that it would have taken to replace the various keys. You are a most considerate person whose kindness is much appreciated.

JOHN R. WEALE

Southampton