YP Letters: Leap of faith to say Britain is Christian

I’M inclined to agree with Neil McNicholas’ views on the dangers of Sunday trading (The Yorkshire Post, May 20).

But his claim that we’re still a Christian country is simply wrong. That train left the station years ago, although I could argue that it never arrived – it’s people who are Christians not nations.

Nevertheless, there has been a major decline in church-going over the last 100 years.

And so the number in the UK who are dedicated to the Christian faith, rather than themselves, is now so small that no matter how potentially valuable a day of rest and Godly reflection is, expecting Britain to be Sabbath observant in this way is completely unrealistic.

Lives snuffed out needlessly

From: ME Wright, Harrogate.

ONCE again, we read of young lives snuffed out and families devastated by the criminally arrogant behaviour of macho man, and his no less arrogant gaggle of accomplices (The Yorkshire Post, May 20).

In plain English, these four youngsters were killed, in a manner which was completely avoidable. We are told that their deaths were “caused” – as if it were little different from a measles outbreak.

This mealy-mouthed expression somehow attempts to lessen the killers’ culpabilities. The term “manslaughter” still exists in English law; why isn’t it used justifiably, in circumstances such as these?

Equally inexplicable is the judge’s decision to impose five penalty points, rather than a ban on some of those who were totally complicit in this.

Is it so unreasonable to insist that a ban should be mandatory, when anyone sticks a wanton two fingers up to the rules of the road, together with everyone on it and our families?

Fracking to fear in future

From: Sue Cuthbert, Newton on Rawcliffe.

I COMPLETELY agree with your corespondent John Appleyard’s very real concern about the possibility of fracking in Sherwood Forest (The Yorkshire Post, May 19).

As has already been mentioned by AN Burlak in your letters section, water for fracking would be taken from our domestic supplies.

Five million gallons of drinking water for one frack. Thousands of wells are planned. This is not sustainable. If the Tories get their way, most of Yorkshire and beyond will be industrialised.

Is this what they mean by the Northern Powerhouse? Who will benefit?

Road to ruin for cyclists

From: A Hague, Bellbroke Grove, Harehills, Leeds.

FOR central Leeds, the worst kept roads must be York and New York Streets. Large patches have been resurfaced yet much worse sections nearby are left. This is a waste of taxpayers’ money but extra profit for contractors.

Cyclists see this as they dodge the worst parts week after week and notice a new patch is sometimes 12 times larger than needed. So who allows this? Leeds Council or the contractors?

Calling time on memories

From: Geoff Hardwick, Seacroft, Leeds.

IT’S sad, part of my childhood has gone. The Fellmonger pub in Seacroft at the bottom part of North Parkway has been demolished. I recall going into this pub to tell my dad his dinner was ready on a Sunday.

I remember the dray horses bringing the beer and rolling the beer barrels down to the cellar. This was from 1958 onwards.

I also recall the dray horses having names and being fed with nosebags outside. Does anyone else out there remember these lovely times?

Joys of spring

From: Mrs S Brown, St Johns Close, Wilberfoss.

A LITTLE late, but can I thank everyone who has planted spring flowers in gardens, villages and roadside verges throughout the county. They have given a lot of pleasure and have been truly wonderful. Thank you each and everyone, be you organisations, clubs, councils or individual members of the public.

Why so testy?

From: Hugh Rogers, Messingham Road, Ashby.

SATs are not a test of children, but of the effectiveness of their teachers. If headmistress Jill Wood (The Yorkshire Post, May 19) made sure her charges knew this, maybe they would not get so unnecessarily upset. If she concentrated on teaching children to read, write and add up properly, there would be no need for her to get upset either.

Aitch ache

From: H Marjorie Gill, Clarence Drive, Menston.

WHY can’t people be taught to pronounce the letter “H” correctly? They almost always pronounce it “haitch” instead of the proper pronunciation “aitch”. All it takes is a look at one’s dictionary.