Do Islamic Players Lack Sensitivity or Do Their Critics Lack Tolerance?

Re “Taking the Intifada to the Football Field,” Dec. 7:

What a contrast between the Dec. 8 article about the Orange County Islamic Foundation’s denunciation of the recent bombings of synagogues in Istanbul and a mosque in India and the deliberate offensiveness of the Muslim football team names that honor terrorists.

Whatever the translation of “Intifada” and “Mujahideen,” these names are associated in the minds of most Americans with the death of innocent women and children through malicious acts of terror by death-enamored fanatics.

What were these young men thinking to act against the advice of their advisors and choose names that would exacerbate any negative feelings against the Arab community in Orange County?

The citizens of Orange County have tried to minimize any retaliation against and to be sensitive to the concerns of the Arab community as a result of the Sept. 11 and attacks against Americans abroad. We deserve some sensitivity in exchange.

These spoiled children of privilege need some lessons in cultural sensitivity.

Judith Fenton

Costa Mesa

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I am outraged by the way people are reacting to the Muslim football tournament. I don’t think that the players meant any offense by the names they chose. It’s absurd that people think “Mujahideen” was chosen as a team name because it is linked to a terrorist organization.

It saddens me that people who live in America, a country that prides itself on freedom, would try to take away freedom of speech.

People are being intolerant of others and their choice of team names. Just because there are Muslim extremists doesn’t make every Muslim a bad person, just as not every German was a Nazi.

Erika Pfotenhauer

Irvine