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Debating the real meaning of Christmas
From: Brian Jordan, Moorlands Crescent, Huddersfield. THE meaning of Christmas (Yorkshire Post, December 8) is a complex mix of commerce, politics and – yes – religion. The commercial aspect is obvious.
The political aspect – the "abolition" of Christmas – is the province of politically correct jobsworths.
No atheist, secularist, Muslim or Jew is offended by the celebration of Christmas, provided that it is not forced on him or her.
Their imagined objection is, paradoxically, invented by the disciples of diversity. As for the religious aspect, who can be upset by the real origin of Christmas, in the solstice celebrations of our pagan ancestors with their belief that the sun was not, after all, dead and would wax again to warm the world?
It took the early Christians a few hundred years to latch on to the idea and the date of the solstice but they got there in the end. Good for them.
From: Peter Brown, Connaught Road, Middlesbrough.
IT is often claimed that the traditional British Christmas is under threat. Those that claim that Christmas is under attack are often on the Conservative right-wing who years ago used to complain that the economy could not afford the long Christmas holiday.
The desire for a more sensible, scaled-down and moderate Christmas is not confined to the left-wing of politics.
Let's have a sensible debate about the reform of Christmas.
The gluttony that often goes on at Christmas is a type of blasphemy from a Christian point of view.
Christianity claims that it is an anti-materialistic religion. Christians, more than anybody, must be angry about the way that Christmas is celebrated and used as a excuse for gluttony.
People should be allowed more choice and flexibility in the way that they spend Christmas Day.
If there were some limited transport facilities available, people could, weather permitting, choose to have a day out by the sea or in the country.
Christians could celebrate Christmas by going to a church or cathedral in another town or city. Unless people have their own transport, this is not possible.
The great divide over police pay
From: DS Boyes, Rodley Lane, Bramley, Leeds.
WITH the police now their latest target for discrimination, we have to wonder just what our Government has against the people of England and Wales?
An arbitration board approved a pay rise, but the Government is reneging on its commitment to backdate this to its normal implementation date of September, in fact, reducing it considerably.
Times are hard, you could say, but only for the 43 police forces in England and Wales, because the seven police forces in Scotland will get their pay
rise in full as usual, thanks to our Scottish Prime Minister
and Chancellor,
Police officers have no legal right to strike, this being banned by a special Act of Parliament enacted after the one and only police strike at the end of the First World War.
Many officers then were victimised and discriminated against at the end of that dispute.
Government claims this parsimony on its part is necessary to keep within the two per cent inflation target, but no such limit will be applied to council tax increases next year, as it has already been stated that increases won't exceed five per cent – ie,
more than double the official rate of inflation.
Of course in Scotland, council tax will be frozen for three years, with us providing the money. Also prescription charges in Scotland are to be reduced now, with a view to abolishing them – you'd
never believe the UK was one country, and we all paid the same taxes.
Meanwhile, politicians reward themselves more lavishly, year on year, and do less for us. We can do without them, but the police are the only defence our civilised society has against the jungle that it would become without their efforts.
When you realise how much public money is wasted by governmental ineptitude, not to pay the police pay award in full is a disgrace. Shame on the Government.
From: M White, Dale Avenue, Burniston, Scarborough.
I APPLAUD your efforts to shed light on the appalling waste of public money by North Yorkshire Police Force and the support you have received from the Harrogate MP Phil Willis.
Council tax payers in this region have been taken for a ride by the incompetent former Chief Constable Della Cannings, ably supported by the Tory-controlled police authority and its chairwoman Jane Kenyon.
The council tax payers were told a pack of lies as to why
the police required such massive increases in the police precept over the past few years – the "command vehicles" shown to be no more than
a means to further reward senior officers.
The recent investigation and subsequent damming report into the police vehicles fiasco should have pricked the conscience of Jane Kenyon and her colleagues who should have resigned en masse.
From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
I READ that the police in England and Wales want to have powers to go on strike over pay issues. I thought they had been absent for years, which is why we don't see them walking or patrolling the streets and roads of the majority of towns and rural areas.
It also appears that 999 is no longer always an option to summons a police officer promptly. Instead, one has to call a local community number – how many people know what that is? Then, one's worry is written down and put in the "out" tray for looking at when we can find a police officer.
The Home Secretary will claim police are patrolling the streets. They may be in London – watching out in case someone throws an egg at one of our "caring" government.
Winners and losers in EU
From: Michael Swaby, Hainton Avenue, Grimsby.
ALTHOUGH he tips his hand by referring to others as "fanatics", in arguing that we should avoid the euro, Jonathan Arnott makes some good points that merit further debate (Yorkshire Post, December 8).
He quotes the Bank of England's 0.25 per cent rate cut as clear evidence that being outside the eurozone is advantageous.
In fact, the beneficiaries will be debtors, and the losers savers. The European Central Bank made no cut, as currently the eurozone economy is strong, there being no Northern Rock, sub-prime issue, or debt overhang. Jonathan Arnott has extrapolated James Bovington's call for Britain to join the euro, by saying this would involve a large interest rate cut which would "lead to unsustainable inflation".
He should have added "all else being equal".
The 'sport' of slaughter
From: William Snowden, Farnley, Leeds.
ED Foster (Yorkshire Post, December 6) accuses Frederic Manby of bias and ignorance about pheasant shooting.
I am an amateur naturalist; a volunteer ranger, and a member of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. I am also a former all-round sportsman; but I deplore the annual, ritual slaughter of animals that takes place in Britain under the guise of sport.
Man has an innate instinct to hunt, for our ancestors this was necessary to survive. But modern man has no such need.
Those who engage in so-called blood sports have corrupted man's natural instincts: they conserve and kill animals, not for food, but primarily for pleasure – a sadistic and perverse form of pleasure.
Failure of Post Office to deliver the goods
From: Andy Hale, Sunnyside Gardens, Burton Leonard, Harrogate.
LAST Wednesday (December 5), a first class letter was posted to my daughter from Sandbach, Cheshire, inviting her for a job interview yesterday (December 10) and asking her to make certain preparations.
The letter did not arrive and it's only because she checked her email that she, rather belatedly, become aware of the invitation.
She was in a panic to get the necessary preparation completed in time and make arrangements to have time off work and to travel.
I can't understand how it can take Royal Mail at least five days to deliver a letter for which the interviewer paid for next day delivery. When it is eventually delivered, it will presumably be almost evening as that seems to be our postal delivery time now when mail was regularly with us by 9am just a few weeks ago.
Is this progress and better service?
Like most things with this Government, they've mismanaged almost everything so it's worse.
From: S Smith, Harrogate Road, Leeds.
IF there is only one postal delivery a day, can anyone explain why mail is no longer delivered until 3pm each day?
In the past, this was traditionally the time that second deliveries – remember them? – were made. Is this what Royal Mail chief executive Adam Crozier regards as progress?
Hamilton did not deserve to win award
From: Andrew Mercer, Oxford Road, Guiseley.
AM I the only person who jumped for joy when the smug Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, left, did not receive the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award?
Hamilton clearly expected to win the public vote. He did not. Why? Because, at the time of his book launch, he criticised those fans who wanted an autograph – and blamed them for his decision to relocate to Switzerland.
The real truth was that Hamilton has moved to Switzerland for tax reasons. Hopefully this is a lesson that sports stars should not treat their supporters with contempt.
Joe Calzaghe was a worthy winner. He has been world boxing champion for 10 years. What did Hamilton win in his first season?
Nothing.
Waving the flag for Wales
From: William Dixon Smith, Welland Rise, Acomb, York.
YOUR correspondent Aled Jones is unjust in complaining that the host nation would never countenance a Welsh nationalist symbol on the Union flag (Yorkshire Post, December 8).
After all, it once bore the Irish harp.
Had he suggested a leek, either rampant or couchant, this would not have found ready acceptance, even by vegetarians. On the other hand, the red dragon of Wales placed centrally on the red cross of St George could outrage only the most blimpish.
Indeed, since the English count it a virtue to do kindness by stealth, might it not be there already, undetected?
Singer strikes the wrong note
From: Rachel Mattey, Burley Road, Leeds.
I AM happy that Amy Winehouse's mother has written an open letter ordering her daughter to take stock of her life.
The troubled singer is a disgraceful role model for young teenagers and it just goes to show the public that abusing drugs, alcohol and your own body is sure to lead you into a black hole.
She really needs to get her act together as she has such an amazing voice and talent. It is a shame for it to go to waste.
Models of opportunism
From: Jane Matthews, Briggate, Leeds.
ED Balls, the Children's Secretary, describes the Spice Girls as role models.
Presumably this is because they – unlike others – will take part in a photo-opportunity with the Government.
I cannot think of a more appropriate choice from Mr Balls, the supposed brains behind the Brown government. No wonder it is falling apart.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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