Bigotry is an awful affliction

WHAT a tragedy the Norwegian affair is (Yorkshire Post, July 25). Religious bigotry is the most awful affliction anywhere in the world and yet it seems to flourish in the most unlikely of places.

Any right-thinking person must condemn such actions. Yet what can we expect when our own England is becoming renowned for the excesses that can and do happen here, all caused by a serious distortion of faith?

We all must be on our guard and not be so reluctant to expose it when it rears its ugly head, whether we be Muslim, Christian or whatever.

I am sure that all faiths can co-exist if only the bigots would allow it.

No apology for war heroes

From: Dr Bob Heys, Bar Lane, Ripponden, Halifax.

THE delay of 17 years before the recent Ministry of Defence apology to relatives for the false allegations of negligence made against pilots involved in the tragic Mull of Kintyre helicopter crash, is, sadly, not unprecedented.

A similar apology is still awaited to descendants of airmen who lost their lives during the First World War because of official regulations banning the carrying of parachutes.

In that case, insult was added to injury by the War Office attempting to justify its ruling on the grounds that otherwise air crews might “bail out” rather than face the enemy.

The effect of this decision on morale is vividly described in the First World War diary of RAF major “Mick” Mannock VC, published in 1966.

Team effort

From: Ian Barnes, Blake Court, Wheldrake, York.

WITH regard to your article “Woman rescued by Prince” (Yorkshire Post, July 20), why was only William’s name mentioned and not all the crew?

Surely it would have been a team effort and not down to one person?