The boycott of an international conference on racism under auspices of UN by some so-called 'civilized countries' exposed their racist attitude towards humanity. Of course how can someone accused of incarcerating innocents on fake charges and killing civilians using drones can hear protestation of the 'uncivilized' third world countries? The Western countries apparently thought the Muslim countries would try to force UN to ask Israel to stop racism against Palestinians. They also had suspicions about Muslim countries asking for a UN ban on any diatribes against Islam. This is strange; anti-Semitic statement by anybody is met with furore while accusing Islam of being violent has become a fashion in Western countries. All those who were criminally involved in Islam-bashing ganged up and boycotted the seminar on the pretext that Iranian President will use this occasion to deny Holocaust. What a childish excuse This boycott of UN seminar has made it clear to the world that the West who championed itself as the 'civilized world' is not quite so. They talk of democracy and free speech but they themselves do not have the stomach to hear criticism of the other side. They ran away, didn't they? -SHAH AFFAN, Toronto, Canada, via e-mail, April 23.