MY father, long-time dead, served in the Merchant Navy 1939-1945. He was passionate about two things; Russia's sacrifice in eliminating the threat of Nazi domination, and his dislike of John Wayne. The latter because he considered him, rightly or wrongly, a draft dodger, a McCarthyism clype, but probably worst of all – a “wooden” actor.
The criticism of Alex Salmond's media involvement in Russian media has shades of McCarthyism. I do believe however it is more than a little justified. Another of Pop's favourite sayings was “don't judge a man by what he says, judge him by his actions”, something that Neville Chamberlain failed to appreciate in 1938. If we follow this mantra we quickly cut through the “fake news”, or propaganda.
Dictatorships are not unique to any single society or country. Democracy can be undermined insidiously; the easiest of lies is the one we all want to believe. President Putin's Russia is now getting pretty close to being a fascist state. Under his stewardship Russia has been successful at pulling the wool over the eyes of politicians, statesmen and western democracies.
Kenny MacAskill's article (“Why I condemn fake outrage over Salmond TV show”, The Herald, November 14) blaming the UK Government for not finding Mr Salmond a job is unjustified. Britain and Europe are now less secure than a decade ago due in no small part to the self-inflicted wounds of the political divisions exacerbated by independence and Brexit.
Russia first wants its empire back; Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic States to name but a few, but if allowed it would not stop there – a big bear is encroaching our backyard and I for one want my children to enjoy the freedoms valiantly bestowed upon my generation.
Robert Gemmell,
14 Bramble Wynd, Port Glasgow.
FOR Kenny MacAskill to describe criticism of Alex Salmond's decision to host a show on Russian TV as "an outpouring of vitriol" is straight from the SNP handbook, where even the mildest criticism of the SNP is described as vitriolic. Vitriol, sulphuric acid, is a pretty nasty corrosive substance to say the least, Apart from anything else, to misquote: "Why should the SNP have all the best words?"
Bill Kennedy,
2 Brandon Gardens, Cambuslang.
IT is a shame that Alasdair Galloway (Letters, November 14) expended so much time and energy in writing about Alex Salmond's show on RT.
He destroyed his well-built-up argument with the phrase the "BBC World Service, which is funded by the UK Government to an amount comparable to Russian government funding for RT".
Er, no it is not. The World Service is now funded in its entirety from the licence fee with no central Government funding.
Perhaps Mr Galloway was peddling fake news?
Gregor McKenzie,
19 Allendale, East Kilbride.
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