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It's time Britain put up the 'No vacancy' sign
From: David W Wright, Little Lane, Easingwold, North Yorkshire. WE must be mad – £36m has been paid out to failed asylum seekers for them to set up businesses back in their own countries (Yorkshire Post, December 17) and the following day we learn that English is not the chief language in a third of Bradford's schools.
But don't fret, for the local authority is to spend 10.7m to build three new schools to cope with the newcomers, while teachers' unions estimate that teaching a single non-English pupil would cost as much as 30,000 per year.
Is it any wonder then that the UK is looked upon as a haven for scroungers and immigrants wishing to abuse our now over-used generosity and welfare systems?
Surely, it is right that whenever a person wishes to migrate, for whatever reason, that they firstly learn the language of the host country before they even attempt to enter, and then be fully prepared to assimilate and integrate when they arrive.
But nothing will change until we leave the EU and regain complete control of our borders and we repeal the numerous Human Rights Acts and Refugee Conventions.
From: Keith Schofield, Barugh Lane, Barugh Green, near Barnsley.
BEING a Labour voter, I am disgusted by the failed immigration system in our country.
The Government, Opposition and do-gooders are not listening to the majority of people who want a stop to immigration only on a special circumstances agreement.
A message should go to the politicians to put up a "no vacancy" sign, saying full up. All our facilities – transport, housing, hospitals, police etc – are all being pushed to the limits by putting a strain on our resources. Stop now for the future of our children and grandchildren.
I am not a racist and I believe that all people should live in harmony, but the people of this country do not want it covered by a sea of concrete, full to overflowing with people. Action and honesty is needed.
If the politicians cannot see a problem arising in the future, they must all be idiots who are doing their utmost to destroy our beautiful country.
Let's not be so hard on religion
From: Andrew E Smith, Chapel Hill Road, Pocklington.
I MUST take issue with John A Franklin's attempt to associate "Uncle Joe" Stalin with Christianity rather than atheism (Yorkshire Post, December 13).
In his biography Young Stalin, Simon Sebag Montefiore tells us: "Stalin did not qualify as a priest, but the boarding-school educated him classically – and influenced him enormously. Black Spot (Father Dimitri) had, perversely, turned Stalin into an atheist Marxist..."
There is no doubt that tutors in his seminary had a malign influence on him but it is quite clear that Stalin, during his malevolent rule of the Soviet Union, managed to eliminate 20-25 millions of citizens (including suppressing the church and murdering priests) after rejecting his religious upbringing.
So, let's be honest and mark that particular genocide down to a good old-fashioned atheist and not try to spin it otherwise.
As for Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and their ilk, they might be described as "Catholics", but none of the above can, in my book, be described as Christians.
From: Chris Schorah, Gascoigne Avenue, Leeds.
JOHN Franklin suggests that my reference to the troubles caused by the atheistic regimes of the 20th century would include those of Tito and Mussolini (Yorkshire Post, December 13). Actually, I had in mind Pol Pot, Mao Tse-tung and, yes, Stalin.
The alleged religious affiliations of Stalin, or indeed Hitler, mentioned by John Franklin, simply strengthens one of the points I was making. This was that when the essentials of the Christian faith are ignored or distorted by those with immense power, any amount of evil can arise, whatever world view the perpetrators claim to hold.
From: Rory Egan, Barnoldswick.
THOUGH not a religionist myself, I do find myself amazed by the anti-religious attitudes expressed in your letters column recently.
I have had the good fortune in my life to meet many inspiring people, who give their time and lives in the service of others, often inspired by their various faiths, and, in climes and regimes less "cushy" than ours, risking their lives and health in the process.
Would Messrs Briglin and Quarrie (Yorkshire Post, December 5 and 15) give religion blame or credit for this?
It is reliably attested in socio-psychological studies that 20 per cent of any population will gravitate to any ideology, religion or "-ism" which confirms the attitudes and prejudices with which they started.
This kind of fundamentalism, with its circular, self-proving logic, inevitably leads to an inability to see anything but black and white, intellectual and emotional immaturity.
Messrs Briglin and Quarrie would do well to get out more, perhaps doing their bits for the service of humanity, then they may begin to see the world in all its colours.
To quote the apostle Paul – for whom I hold no brief in other matters – "....if you have not love, all is as the sound of tinkling brass."
From: Ken Hartford, Durham Mews, Butt Lane, Beverley.
HAVING spent from 1945-1957 (immediately post-war) in Singapore and Malaya, I agree wholeheartedly with Lei-Ling Chang's letter (Yorkshire Post, December 14).
Were all religions to recognise that the spiritually enlightened people with names like Mohammed, Jesus, Dalai Lama, etc merely brought
or bring a message about a natural power (which most humans now call a spirit), and its three dimensional (not dualistic) existence,
we would all recognisethat life is one power, made up of water, air, fire and earth.
These wise leaders all recognised both their privilege and their responsibility to deliver this message (as people like Archbishop Sentamu and the present Dalai Lama do).
Questions of security
From: Michael Green, East Side Court, Pudsey, Leeds.
YOUR reporter Joanne Ginley, in a recent feature on the risks arising from HMRC's data loss, quotes Barry Stamp's advice to us not to respond to telephone calls asking for confirmation of bank passwords and other
personal details.
"Banks would never do this," he says. Oh yes they would.
Someone telephoned me not so long ago from my own bank but would
not discuss anything with me without my giving personal details, which
I refused.
Having the same belief as Barry Stamp, and fearing a fraud, I queried this with the bank.
I have a letter from them confirming that they do
always ask security questions when they ring you: "I understand you were advised that you would never be asked security questions on an outbound call – this is incorrect."
So if we take Barry Stamp's advice, our banks won't talk to us either!
From: P Wade, Locksley Gardens, Birdwell, Barnsley.
WE have recently been made aware of the vulnerability of digitised personal information held by Government departments which have strict controls, auditing regimes, data protection laws, financial regulators, etc.
But how well are the off-shore offices and call centres beyond the jurisdiction of our free press faring in these matters?
Can we assume from their silence that our personal details which banks, insurance, and utility providers are clamouring to hand over are being handled any better?
Endorsement for the pleasures of cycling
From: Colin Foster, Scalby Beck Road, Scalby, Scarborough.
it was good to see your Motoring correspondent, Frederic Manby, extolling
the pleasures of cycling (Yorkshire Post, December 26).
As an active cyclist for more than 50 years, I can heartily endorse his enthusiasm.
I'm sure that more people would be attracted to cycling if they knew about pleasant routes away from dangerous traffic.
The extensive Sustrans network, which he refers to, offers safe cycling routes throughout the country. An extra initiative has been to promote safe routes to schools.
Another network is called the National Byways and indicates rural routes along quiet roads with loops for out and back rides.
All these are identified by signposts, and maps are available.
Some local authorities produce maps of urban cycle routes, including Leeds, Bradford and Kirklees. These are useful for commuting, as well as pleasure rides away from heavy traffic.
Tourist Information Centres are usually a good source of cycle maps.
With our concerns for the environment and for personal well-being, the freedom and pleasure of cycling should be more widely enjoyed.
A half-hour cycle ride every day is far more beneficial than a weekly bash at the gym – and it's free.
Good teachers, not class sizes, the key to learning
From: Betty Marsden, Keeling Street, North Somercotes, Louth, Lincolnshire.
I DISAGREE strongly with David Quarrie's comments (Yorkshire Post, December 19) that smaller classes, below 25, would improve standards of education.
I was a teacher, in Yorkshire, many years ago, when standards were high.
I taught a class of 52 children, all aged 10 years. They were all literate and numerate.
We did not have teaching assistants in those days. The most important thing is a good teacher, dedicated, of sound education, which passes to the children.
Since leaving Yorkshire and coming here to Lincolnshire, I have been approached by many parents to give tuition to their children. They are all children from small classes, with teaching assistants, so that obviously has not improved their standards.
Between teaching and retiring, I was a civil servant, so something is amiss when a former teacher has to be relied upon for extra tuition.
Good teachers are needed, and no matter how large the class, good teachers will succeed.
At another school, I taught the scholarship class and enjoyed a 98 per cent success rate. All pupils have done well since leaving school.
We need to get back to basics.
When I was a pupil, in Wakefield, classes were large then, but we were all well educated, could read, spell, add up (no calculators), write neatly, knew our multiplication tables, etc.
I am so pleased that I received a good education in Wakefield schools.
Call for capital offence vote
From: Roger M Dobson JP, Ash Street, Cross Hills, Keighley.
HOW many more murders are there going to be in Yorkshire, and indeed in England and Wales, before the 650 bumbling fools at Westminster (our MPs) realise that the majority of the people in this country want a referendum on the return of capital punishment.
Anyone with any doubts on the matter has only to speak to parents and relations of those who have been murdered.
Unsung heroes
From: Don Burslam,
Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.
AT this time of year, it is particularly apt that we should pay a warm tribute to all those unassuming folk who keep our everyday routine on track all year round.
I am thinking of the bus drivers, the dinner ladies, the newspaper boys, the ambulance personnel and the nurses and countless others.
What a topsy turvy world we live in when TV "celebrities", pop stars, footballers and other over-exposed personalities hog the limelights on huge salaries. Many, of course, end up with gongs. If the whole lot went on strike tomorrow, they would soon discover how dispensable their talents really are.
Scent packing
From: Tim Mickleburgh, Littlefield Lane, Grimsby.
YOU report (Yorkshire Post, December 27) on the success of Boxing Day hunts going ahead following the Parliamentary ban.
But those of us against fox hunting were never opposed to the kind of drag hunts now taking place. Indeed, we often suggested them as an alternative to the killing of live animals in the name of sport, which was what we objected to.
If today's huntsmen and women are happy to chase a scent instead of a fox, then long may they continue to do so.
Ban honours
From: JD Anderton, Oriel Grove, York.
A RECENT report on lack of social mobility, like several others with similar themes, has highlighted our low position in league tables when compared with other European countries.
Surely a possible remedy for these social inequalities is to start at the top and phase out honours, titles and the monarchy itself.
I write as a septuagenarian – and a one-time military conscript – who over the years has seen little merit in any of the aforementioned features of our society.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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