Rioting never a proper response
When Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, I was a 8-year-old residing in Washington. I remember the rioting, looting, burning buildings, curfews and the National Guard patrolling the streets. Rioting and looting was not justified then nor now. King lived a committed life of nonviolence and intelligent problem solving. He did not promote violent retaliation for injustice, though he was mistreated and arrested numerous times. King never condoned rioting and looting over reason. Therefore, retaliatory rioting and looting was not an okay response for the death of King and it is not an okay response for the death of Freddie Gray or anyone else. The Ferguson and Baltimore riots were only successful in showing opportunistic individuals as lawless morons deserving of incarceration. If that was its purpose, then mission accomplished.
KEVIN PALMER, MARTINEZ
Muslim women are not equal
I found Azizah Kahera’s view distorted to assert women share equally with men. (“How the Quran views Women,” Atlanta Forward, April 30). Where does she read of “woman’s elevated status and rights?” Can we turn a blind eye to Sura 4:4: “Men are the managers of women. Those who you feel are rebellious, admonish them. Send them to the couch or beat them.” In the Middle East, I have witnessed women suppressed to “mindless nonentities” with no voice or rights. Equality doesn’t include the barbaric mutilation of a young girl’s genitalia or stoning to death women accused of adultery. Often women are treated as property by the male in charge. This attitude extends into Africa and Asia. In Saudi, a woman cannot process a drivers license, passport or vote. For people to perpetrate the deception that Muslim women are equal are ignorant or, in the least, lack understanding and awareness of Islam’s tenants in literature and doctrine.
SUZY DAVIS, SMYRNA
Unfair NBA playoff schedules
I didn’t believe it when my son told me that the NBA would not allow a Warriors versus Hawks championship series. Now I wonder whether he was right. On Friday, it was announced that either Game 7 in Round 1 or Game 1 in the semifinals would be played. The Hawks were given fewer than 36 hours to recover before playing Sunday in the semifinals. No other victor from the first round had the same turnaround. Note that the Clippers, who finished on Saturday evening, had almost 48 hours to recover and with no travel back to Los Angeles. Being fair in setting schedules is important not only to prevent team bias but also, and more importantly, to support player health.
MARJORIE A. SPEERS, ATLANTA
