Enlightening journey

Travelling by a City taxi cab, I became engaged in a very interesting conversation with the driver who was a Muslim.

He told me that he had just returned from a prayer meeting at his mosque, and that an Imam from Manchester had previously attended to address the congregation and had condemned the Manchester bombing atrocity and the perpetrators.

The driver was genuinely concerned, and our conversation progressed to my asking him about Ramadan.

He told me that he was fasting until the evening and was having a tiring day.

In my ignorance I remarked that it would all be over when he had his evening meal – to which he replied that Ramadan lasted for a month!

I told him that I thought the local Muslim community attended their Mosque services in greater numbers than church followers of the Christian faith.

To compensate for my ignorance of his religion, I was able to enlighten him about an expression he could not understand. He told me that one of his fares had just got married and held a hen night. He thought it was something to do with the feathered variety! I explained the meaning of both hen and stag nights to him and our journey to The Star concluded all too quickly.

How refreshing to speak with someone of a faith, often maligned by association with the small minority who perpetrate these bombing attacks in the name of Islam, who cares for his fellow human beings. If all people could share their views like we did, in a friendly and informative manner, there is indeed enlightenment at the end of the road.

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5

Same old claptrap

Yet another attack and yes, we have vigils and services etc and these are good to support victims etc. Then we hear the same old claptrap from politicians etc.

We stand together, we will not be beaten, and we must learn lessons.

Well how many lessons will it take before strong action is taken? We need zero tolerance.

Why have several hundred Jihadi fighters been allowed back. They should either be imprisoned,or deported with no return allowed. They should be rounded up immediately. Then we have 2-3000 on watch or surveillance. Round these up, tag them and if they do anything, tell them their entire family will be deported. A better idea would be to let SAS loose to sort them out. No more hiding behind PC and human rights.

Finally, we need more police etc. Cut overseas aid by 70 per cent to pay for this and help our NHS. This is also why I vote Ukip. Because they are the only ones with backbone to do this. They are wrongly accused of racism. It is not racist to protect ourselves?

The dogooders and liberal softies have had their day and it does not work.

Shoot to kill is required more. If Corbyn was in charge, events like the London attack would be worse.

Sheffield

Terror spreads but so does love

Once upon a time, but not so long ago.

People were friends and no-one was foe.

But somehow that all changed, when we moved to the modern age.

Once upon a story in a fairy tale land we all had our story and we all had our stand.

But everything blurred when we came back to the real world.

Can’t we have a world with no fights, no bombs, no guns, no murder and no frights.

Oh can’t we have a world with no terror keeping us up at night.

Because I worry for the kids of our age, their futures slowly falling down, they’ll be scared to leave the house incase something’s going off in there town.

Terror spreads but so does love so we say a prayer to the ones above because they lost their lives for having fun, oh terror spreads but so does love.

So we need to do something now, stop the terror somehow so we can live a free life.

Let’s take a deep breath and stand our ground.

Terror spreads but so does love so say a prayer to the ones above, they lost their lives for having fun, oh terror spreads but so does love.

T Mitchell, aged 10

S12

I’m all for Louise Haigh

A quick note, Louise Haigh for Labour leader.

Danny Delker

by email

Political correctness

The answer to J Bunting’s question, (letters, June 7, 2017), is political correctness.

People are frightened to say what they think for fear of being accused of being racist, unfortunately.

Greg Chapman

Little Norton Drive, Sheffield, S8

Animal welfare

Mike Maas is quite right to say that animal welfare should have been an issue in the election, and to identify the significant threats to animal welfare set out in the Conservative manifesto, but he is wrong to say that animal welfare wasn’t mentioned in any party campaigning. (Star Letters, June 5, 2017).

My election address, delivered to every home in the Sheffield SE constituency, featured my pledges about animal welfare, to:

n Oppose the repeal of the hunting bill.

n Continue to campaign to stop the ludicrous and expensive badger cull.

n Fight the illegal international trade in ivory and endangered species.

n Vote to ban wild animals in circuses.

Clive Betts

Labour MP in Sheffield South East

Terror attack

Following the London terror attack onJune 4 , the third such attack in three months.

These evildoers would constrain our choices with false dilemmas.

To cower under one dictatorship or another.

Shout down all others, or be silent. Close doors

Against the unwanted guest. Love hatred, or be hated.

Preserve liberties or lives. Embrace division or death.

If we must choose, then let it be the well-meaning

Muddle of democracy, not the calculated order of tyranny;

The kindness of strangers, not the sideways glance at a neighbour;

Courage, not compliance; resistance, not reaction;

Bridges, not walls. Guiltless joy. Hope and love.

J Robin Hughes

Towngate Road, Worrall, Sheffield, S35