LIKE almost everybody these days, William Durward (Letters, April 9) fails to understand the meaning of “oxymoron”. Confused by a vague impression drawn from the last two syllables of the word, they fail to grasp the significance of the first two. An oxymoron is not a contradiction in terms. It is an apparent contradiction the illuminates a greater truth. It is a positive figure of speech, and a good thing. Literally the word means “pointedly foolish”.

The classic example is Shakespeare’s “parting is such sweet sorrow”. Sorrow seems the opposite of sweetness, and therefore contradictory. But if you’re Romeo saying goodbye to Juliet knowing that you will meet again tomorrow, it is indeed “sweet”.

Mr Durward’s grasp of political reality is as confused as his understanding of figures of speech. Independence in Europe is no contradiction, but an everyday reality for every member state of the EU. Estonia has a smaller population than the former Strathclyde Region and is a proud and independent nation in the EU. Likewise Malta, which is the same size as Aran, and so on.

Our present impotent position in the UK where we are permanently outnumbered and dominated by English MPs shows that this is no “partnership of equals”, but mere subjugation.

The results are obvious – and horrendous. It is not Brussels but Westminster that imposes nuclear weapons of mass destruction on us, and gives us, at Coulport, the biggest arsenal of hydrogen bombs in Europe. And it is not Brussels but Westminster that takes us into illegal wars on behalf on Big Oil and sends our young men off to die in foreign lands.

I suppose these monstrous transgressions make the philistine misuse of the term “oxymoron” seem relatively minor. Still, it is as annoying as it is predictable.

Brian Quail,

2 Hyndland Avenue, Glasgow.

Read more: Letters: Second EU vote is now the only option

WITH reference to the Rev Dr John Cameron’s letter (April 8), I am not raising a toast to Nato. It is sad to read a letter from a Christian minister in support of an organisation which supports first strike nuclear weapon use. This could lead to the end of his God’s Creation as retaliatory strikes destroy us all. Mutual assured destruction has always and been and still is no way to keep peace.

Money spent on the arms race is causing poverty in the countries involved. The UK alone is spending £206 billion or more on renewing its nuclear capabilities whilst being unable to finance the decommissioning of old submarines, something which was promised in the Non-Proliferation Treaty signed in 1972. The killing power of UK weapons has also increased, ignoring another promise. Meanwhile the UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is being ratified by the sane governments of the world.

Sandra Phelps,

10 Kelvin Drive, Glasgow.