Letters
"…so one-sided it falls off my bookshelf."

Adjective, approach err
Many thanks for the article about Richard Shweder's project on the way Muslim Americans seek to adapt to U.S. culture ("Keeping their Religion," August/02). But please note that no matter what a woman does, she cannot be Islamic. The correct adjective is Muslim.

Is there not a flaw in this project insofar as Shweder et al. are trying to determine what is or not in keeping with Islam on the basis of what particular groups opine? The most such a procedure allows one to say is that according to group x, wearing a veil has nothing to do with established Islamic practice or, alternatively, has everything to do with it. Not eating pork and marrying within the faith are quite other matters insofar as there is scriptural basis for these being demanded of Muslims.

Charles Butterworth, AM'62, PhD'66
College Park, Maryland