I REFER to the story Will Love Conquer Critics? (LET, May 3) about the film Love + Hate.

It is of course, possible that Mr Salim Mulla, secretary of Lancashire Council of Mosques, was being ironic given the dramatic theme when he states "as an organisation we wouldn't support a film like that, the feeling among the Muslim community wouldn't support a film of that nature.

"The Muslim community would prefer marriages within their own community.

"But in reality that doesn't happen and you have to accept that."

However, since he is reported to have said it, let's assume that he meant what he said.

Two things spring to mind.

A film like what precisely? Has Mr Mulla viewed the film? If not, we are by definition in the realm of prejudice, he has pre-judged the film.

More importantly, the unguarded remark is often devastatingly revelatory of the deeply held, but unexamined beliefs that we use to interpret the world.

One interpretation of the play might be that Shakespeare, writing as long ago as 1562, wished to portray as lacking in humanity and productive of tragedy the very beliefs that appear to underpin Mr Mulla's view of the world.

That these views are still current in the 21st century, implicitly or explicitly, is truly shocking. Here they appear to indicate an ugly yearning for racial exclusivity, even purity. We all know where that leads.

Such views will make happy only those sinister organisations that will seize upon them to make their case.

DAVID M PUGH, West View Place, Blackburn.