Wednesday's Letters: Morally fortified by Pope's visit – but who should pay the bill?

His advice on the present day "lost generations" ignoring centuries

long, religious doctrines in pursuit of momentary meaningless self-gratification rewards was very true. Many in Britain exploit all directions of imaginary happiness via drink, drugs and promiscuous living, seeking what they consider to be happiness. This they do without any thought, or even consideration, of offending others.

Those who know better will tell them happiness comes from an inner, very relaxed, gentle spirit far away from the madding bellowing crowd. It seeks no rewards except knowing they are fulfilling their God-given life among the community.

I believe the cause has been the change in educating our young. The insistence of turning our universities into degree factories – rather than highly academic, thought-developing studies – is a complete failure, a folly of the worst kind. Failing to teach children to be good citizens capable of self-control in adversity has led to a confused chaotic immorality of lost souls.

The huge turnout to see the Pope truly indicates Christianity is certainly not dead, but nevertheless is being strangled by the twittering classes.

The old adage, "Tis better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than open your mouth and prove it", is never more true. Don't talk

about something you know nothing about.

I am not a Catholic but am morally fortified to see and hear of the last week's events.

From: Len Fincham, Warrels Road, Bramley, Leeds.

From: Charles Anderson, Haxby, York.

NOW that the Pope's visit to the UK is over, with all the expense that entailed for British taxpayers, can someone explain why this four-day excursion was designated a state visit?

The Vatican has a population of little more than 800 people, and a total size of less than a fifth of a square mile. It was only invented as a country in 1929 when it was recognised by Benito Mussolini's regime. Why the rest of the world has gone along with this nonsense is beyond me. If the Church of England or the Methodists tried to set themselves up as a separate country, they would be laughed at, but somehow the Pope manages to get away with it.

When other heads of state visit the UK, their delegations might

conceivably discuss trade, defence co-operation, or tourism, for instance. How much trade can we possibly have with a country of 800 people? How many more of them will spend their holidays in Britain now as a result of the Pope's state visit? And will the British Army one day conduct joint manoeuvres with the Swiss Guard?

The Pope has as much right to visit this country as anyone else, but it is a ridiculous anachronism to consider him the head of a state, and the taxpayer should no more have to pay for his security arrangements than they would any other visiting dignitary.

From: DE Warne, New Adel Lane, Leeds.

PRESUMABLY, only practising Catholics were interested in the Pope's visit.

If they wished to, they could contribute towards his expenses but the Vatican itself is more than rich enough to pay for the visit.

Courage in not taking populist view

From: Michael Ross, Weeton Lane, Dunkeswick, North Yorkshire.

WHILE I do not always agree with your correspondent William Snowden, I wholeheartedly agree with his letter on why Tony Blair deserves better (Yorkshire Post, September 14). More than just agreeing, I would add it takes courage to overtly go against the populist views and is not without its dangers in this violent bullying society.

I have lived more than my allotted three score years and 10, but in all that time never has there been a period as now where those badly or uninformed people who shout the loudest and longest appear to believe it puts them in the right and no other view is worthy of a hearing.

I think of the anti-Blair, anti-US, anti-Israel to name but three obvious cases where the rhetoric, aided and abetted by the media, particularly the BBC, has been so one-sided and vitriolic as to be laughable were it not for the serious effects it has on public opinion.

It is good to read balanced opinions like Mr Snowden's. I wish there were more.

From: Mr P and Mrs D Phelan, Stonecroft, Bradford.

OUR congratulations to William Snowden (Yorkshire Post, September 14) entitled "Bold Blair deserves better than this bullying".

We fully agree with his views regarding the "bigoted and bombastic people". This applies in so many instances – animal rights, anti-religion (eg, the state visit by the Pope) etc.

Birds of prey not in danger

From: A Mitchell, National Gamekeepers' Organisation, Darlington,

County Durham.

CONTRARY to the impression cultivated by the RSPB propaganda (Yorkshire Post, September 1), readers may be interested to learn that no UK bird of prey is classified as "endangered". Indeed, populations of most are now at or near their highest levels since reliable records began.

As the body that represents gamekeepers in England and Wales, we are actively helping to tackle rural crime and we most certainly do not condone the illegal killing of birds of prey. But it is important to debunk the myth that there is an all-out war being waged on these magnificent birds.

Confirmed incidents are much lower than the RSPB suggests, according to

official police statistics, and form just a fraction of wildlife crime. Moreover, persecution has not increased despite a massive growth in bird of prey numbers over recent years.

The public should be wary of claims made by the RSPB about birds of

prey. The sad fact is that a host of other, less photogenic birds really are in serious trouble, but never seem to get anything like the same attention.

Car parking charges unfair

From: David Ashurst, Walnut Avenue, Shireoaks, Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

HAVING recently spent a week holidaying with my daughter and husband and taking two cars to stay at Staithes, North Yorkshire, we were very bitter at the fact that all the official council (Scarborough) car parks had fixed minimum charges, ie, 3 for four hours – which is grossly unfair.

Our frequent sightseeing visits and shopping trips were of no more than one to one-and-a-half hours duration, but we found nowhere to pay a lower fee for the shorter stay time.

I would ask, is it fair to charge people in this way when a much fairer fee would be 1 an hour and only use whatever you need?

Our visits around the areas included several visit to Whitby, Runswick, Filey and Robin Hood's Bay as well as Scarborough.

We would welcome comments from the parties involved.

'Luddites' stir up trouble

From: David W Wright, Uppleby, Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

MARK Stuart (Yorkshire Post, September 13) is totally correct in his appraisal of the antics emanating from the 42nd annual TUC conference and the blatantly confrontational Luddite ramblings of the leaders, who appear to be stirring up trouble and adding to the UK's economic problems.

Yes, Mr Stuart is quite right to emphasise that the trade unions are a legitimate part of our political system and should never again be allowed to become the dominant force within it as they were in the 1960s and 1970s.

In these troubled times, we all have to pull together and act

responsibly. In the unions' case, the TUC should be aiming to co-operate with the Government while simultaneously representing the interests of their members instead of fomenting dissent and trouble.

This blame culture is harmful to fabric of society

From: David H Rhodes, Keble Park North, Bishopthorpe, York.

WHEN the Government legislates to provide the population with care from the cradle to the grave, it can only be detrimental to the thinking

process and the planning of your own way through life. This is now encompassed in the private sector where easy riches are promised by no win, no fee compensation claims, irrespective of their merits.

I question the moral depth of these services. On a TV advert, an alleged qualified artisan is shown to be claiming for a ladder fall and insists he was given the wrong type of ladder. To my mind if he doesn't know to check his equipment then he's not qualified to do the job. Likewise, the woman whose arms are so laden she can't see ahead – not even an optician could save her from her own stupidity.

With companies struggling to stay in business and thus provide employment, these apparently malevolent and time-wasting claims add unnecessary pressure. Even when not guilty, some companies may settle as it is less stressful to do so. When a fee is levied there is a chance that the litigant may consider more carefully before proceeding.

I grew up in a period where you were responsible for your own actions.

The blame culture was in its infancy and the mentality of pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again prevailed. It served myself and a generation well enough.

Putting a brake on police costs

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

THERE are savings to be made in many areas of the police service. One area where I would suggest is police vehicular requirements.

Why do the chief officers need bigger cars? Why do beat officers not have small cheap-to-run models? Why is it necessary to have numerous police cars and vans parked outside police stations if there is no-one to drive them?

Why do we need so many layers of decision making in criminal cases where the offender is arrested? As a station sergeant, I decided whether there was enough evidence to take the offender to court but now they have decision-makers, evidence evaluators and the Crown Prosecution Service, all doing the one job. No wonder criminals are seen to get away with offences.

Celebration a bridge too far

From: Halvor Tasker, Headlands Grove, Ossett, West Yorkshire.

I HAVE just visited the attractive town of Hebden Bridge for the second time this year. I find that it has a remarkable anniversary. The stone foot/packhorse bridge in the centre of town is 500 years old this year.

I did not see the slightest indication of a celebration, which I

thought would have been worthwhile to a tourist town. I know there is another date cut into the bridge's stonework but this may indicate repairs – 400 years ago. My indication came from a tiny modern plaque, not at the busy town centre end of the bridge, but at the

forgotten "other end". It said the bridge was built in 1510.

I wonder if we could get away from the streets of commercialism sometimes and celebrate the worthwhile in our history that still has something to teach us – about a way of life.