HOW sad to read that one of the few Scots statesmen has in fact feet of clay ("Lord Steel suspended over child sex abuse scandal", The Herald, March 15). It was his statement that "It had nothing to do with me" after hearing from Cyril Smith himself just what his pleasures, no peccadillo this, happened to be, that grated the most.
"For evil to prevail it is only necessary for good men to remain silent" seems to sum up the situation.
Perhaps the young victims did not cry loud enough to be heard by him.
Robin Johnston,
Barcapel Avenue,
Newton Mearns.
An attack on family values
THE smacking controversy (Letters, March 15) is part of an attack by statist governments and secular "progressives" on the institution of the family. Parental authority is a major obstacle to their agenda because active, involved parents resist attempts to influence their children’s beliefs and value systems without their knowledge and approval.
The Church of Scotland has waded in with its take on "what Jesus would have said". In fact there are 47 verses in the Bible on the subject of discipline best summed up in Hebrews which criticises parents who fail to express their love for their children by careful, attentive discipline. Looks like the Free Kirk ("God supports parents smacking their children, church tells MSPs", The Herald, March 12) is biblically correct,
Rev Dr John Cameron,
10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
YOUR correspondent David Roche states that smacking inevitably escalates into violence. This is a most peculiar interpretation of human behaviour. Since the overwhelming majority of parents are loving of their children we don't need these liberal do-gooders interfering in the lives of families. Please find something else to moan about.
B McKenna,
Overton Avenue, Dumbarton.
Off the roster
THE finest, most disciplined army in the world, we are frequently told. Surprising, therefore, that your extensive coverage of the Bloody Sunday prosecutions ("'The Bloody Sunday families are not finished yet'", The Herald, March 15) makes not a single mention of the role of the commanding officers or their political masters on the day. One of them, Captain Mike Jackson, would rise to become General Officer Commanding, the highest military ranking soldier in the Kingdom. What was he doing on January 30, 1972? I think we should be told.
John Patton,
50 Fir Park, Tillicoultry.
Cuban heels?
A READER jokes that all we had to worry about in the 1960s was the threat of a nuclear holocaust (Herald Diary, March 14). In 1962 I was a student at Glasgow School of Art. During the Cuban missile crisis a large satellite dish appeared on the roof. It caused quite a stir as some students thought it was an early warning system.
Fed up with listening to rumours. I went into the office and inquired, only to be told that Come Dancing was going to be relayed from The Locarno in Sauchiehall Street.
Myra Gartshore,
16 Barloan Place, Dumbarton.
Background check
A BACKDROP to the interminable TV interviews in the foyers of Westminster are the number of people apparently aimlessly moving about. Some are no doubt merely posers intent on "getting on the telly". I also note that some sport shoulder bags and rucksacks. From a security point of view, surely such items should be temporarily confiscated at entry?
Allan C Steele,
22 Forres Avenue, Giffnock.
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