YP Letters: Fight against prejudice goes on

From: David C Glover, Vice-Chair, Calderdale Police Division Hate Scrutiny Panel, Baker Fold, Halifax.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the march on Washington, D.C. in this Aug. 28, 1963 file photo.  The march was organized  to support proposed civil rights legislation and end segregation.   (AP Photo)The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the march on Washington, D.C. in this Aug. 28, 1963 file photo.  The march was organized  to support proposed civil rights legislation and end segregation.   (AP Photo)
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the march on Washington, D.C. in this Aug. 28, 1963 file photo. The march was organized to support proposed civil rights legislation and end segregation. (AP Photo)

“INJUSTICE anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” were the words of the late Martin Luther King, written when in jail. He worked hard against racial prejudice in the United States.

But are we prepared to stand up and fight discrimination and prejudice today? Consider the following three issues.

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An American Presidential candidate has declared he does not want any more Muslims immigrating into the United States.

Last year, West Yorkshire Police failed to recognise the religious hate crimes carried out against Nissar Hussein, an Asian Christian in Bradford, until he was seriously injured and hospitalised in November.

The Anglican Church still shows clear prejudice against gay men and women in its ranks.

Do we find these matters involve acts of discrimination, which the world needs rid of? Of course, there are risks: Martin Luther King was assassinated because of his brave stand. But should that stop us speaking out?

Concerns on private police

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From: Mark Burns Williamson, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire.

I AM writing in response to recent reports of private funding to pay for police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) which has understandably raised concerns that people are paying twice for their police force, which is not the case.

For the record, 450 of our 565 PCSOs are paid for in collaboration arrangement with other bodies, including local authorities, housing associations and parish councils. Our partners currently contribute between 20 and 30 per cent of the funding for each of the jointly funded PCSOs. This means out of the £17.8m funding for PCSOs, 17 per cent, or just over £3m, is funded through partners, the rest is paid out of the West Yorkshire policing budget. This reflects the positive collaboration with partners to enhance community safety.

West Yorkshire Police also receives £1.37m funding for 26 police officers from partner organisations including Housing Associations, Local Authorities, Leeds Bradford Airport and a few other organisations. In addition to this West Yorkshire Police receives £1.04m as a 50 per cent contribution for 51 safer schools officers.

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This partnership funding contributes just over £5.45m which is less than 1.5 per cent of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) budget.

Wake up call on EU exit

From: Gordon F Partington, Ashgate Avenue, Chesterfield.

AT last the truth has been revealed. Just like the baby Jesus at Christmas, a new light in a dark world – the recent contributions by columnists Bernard Ingham and GP Taylor (The Yorkshire Post, January 6) are “wake up calls” to all of us as to what damage the EU has done to Great Britain, and will do so in the future, with its legal directives.

The Yorkshire Post’s readers are not fools. David Cameron and Her Majesty’s Government cannot reverse these directives or stop any future ones.

The only way to save our country is a ‘no’ vote in the coming European referendum.

Education is not training

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

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THERE are two main reasons for the deficiency in staff in the NHS. The first is the amount of unnecessary paperwork. At a hospital stay, I saw a charge nurse spend seven hours doing nothing but write notes, most of which I suspect will never be read. The second is a high level of education, such as a university degree, being required of nurses. My cousin went from secondary school to nursing school in Hull and ended her career as a sister/matron. I left school at 14 to become a farmers’ boy, later an apprentice coach builder. National Service led to the police where study enabled me to become an Inspector. Education is good, but the right training far better.

Deadly drivers in the dock

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

FAMILIES fighting for tougher sentences for dangerous drivers will have to wait until 2017 before any change in the law is finalised (The Yorkshire Post, January 12).

It seems that matters have been delayed by a change of Justice Secretary. Michael Gove, the new postholder, “is very open to hearing from MPs who raised this issue”, and around 20 MPs met him to explain the importance of increasing sentences passed on drivers who kill or seriously injure someone.

Isn’t it already blindingly obvious that the sentences are totally inadequate, and common sense surely tells us that these urgently need increasing?

Baffling Bowie

From: John Watson, Leyburn.

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WHILE regretting the death of anybody in this world, I couldn’t understand why the death of David Bowie preceded everything else on the news. If Bowie and his fans are a taste of what is to come in this world, may the Good Lord help us.