Muslims and Westerners aren't free of blame for intolerance this year ("Westerners target Muslims to perpetuate religious hate," March 21). I could fill a book full of all of the cases of Muslim intolerance of Westerners. And I could also fill a second book full of all the cases of Westerner intolerance against Muslims. It's completely absurd for anyone to list a few acts of intolerance against one's own group as definitive evidence that one's own side is the blameless victim in these cultural clashes.

These acts of intolerance are the work of millions of intolerant Westerners and Muslims all over the world. But within both of these groups there are millions more open-minded and tolerant people. We all know this, so there is no reason for Nasir Ismail to make the broad statement, "The West hates, Muslims do not."

It is eye opening for many Westerners to learn of the acts of intolerance perpetuated against Muslims, such as the ones listed by Ismail. But the solution is not to denounce an entire people as intolerant, but to speak out against the individuals responsible. The solution is to work against intolerance, whether it is at home or abroad, in our hearts or in others.