US backlash

Pastor Terry Jones should feel ashamed of his actions (your reports) in threatening to burn a copy of the Koran.

His outlandish remarks have served only to offend the international community, adding to widely held anti-American views.

I have a high respect for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf who has agreed to move a mosque, which was originally to be built near the site of the September 11 attacks in New York. This imam is a true peacemaker, making a concession for which he has no obligation, no duty and no legitimate reason.

The emotional backlash of September 11 is like that of a child crying about a wound that has healed; the child remains fixated on the fear felt when the wounding occurred. As with children, the small, but loud section of the US population, still screaming over its old wound, needs a new distraction, but who can play the role of the parent?

As an American living in Scotland, I often find myself as an involuntary ambassador. There is never a shortage of news events for the locals to question me on, and it is nice to provide a broader picture of American culture. My hope is that the wider American community will not be judged on the incompetent actions of a small (but disproportionately loud) subsection of the population.

BART CRITSER

Carlogie Road

Carnoustie, Angus