On closure of nightspots

The demands for the closure of all nightspots by "fundamentalist" groups reminds me that no religion has a monopoly on such extremism. The Puritans who ruled England briefly in the 17th century objected to the thought that "someone, somewhere may be happy", as H.L. Mencken once put it, and banned carols because in those days caroling also involved dancing. And you never knew where that might lead! Had they been in power long enough they would probably have insisted on shrouds as the popular costume with exemptions for striped shrouds on birthdays and feast days.

On a more serious note, one also detects double-speak among the Indonesian antinightspot faction. When the coordinator of the Semarang protesters is quoted as saying "If this warning goes unheeded, we're not responsible for any violent action by the people against these nightspots" isn't this just simple incitement by someone who is not prepared to take responsibility for whipping the mob into a lather. Shades of East Timor, perhaps?

DAVID JARDINE

Jakarta