Religion’s bad name

(Re “Suzuki’s imagination”, letters, the Local, Feb. 6) 

I would like to supply just one example of which Suzuki speaks. 

I remember James G. Watt, US Secretary of the Interior from 1981 to 1983, who was very pro-development and anti-environmentalist. You can draw your own conclusions from some of his quotes: “My responsibility is to follow the scriptures which call upon us to occupy the land until Jesus returns.” “I never use the words Democrats and Republicans. It’s liberals and Americans.” “If the troubles from environmentalists cannot be solved in the jury box or at the ballot box, perhaps the cartridge box should be used.” “We will mine more, drill more and cut more timber.” 

Of course, people of mainstream faith hold to the concept of stewardship of the earth for future generations. It is the fundamentalists who get into positions of power that can give religion a bad name. 

Patricia Keene, 

West Sechelt