OWEN Kelly (Letters, November 22) questions if Shelter Scotland is in danger of politicising our cause, a reaction prompted by Shelter Scotland’s wrap-around advert on its legal action against Glasgow City Council.
Far from being political, standing up for people’s housing rights is precisely what we exist to do. We believe it is right that we intervene where the powers that be will not.
Perhaps Mr Kelly’s mind will be put at ease with some additional context. Shelter Scotland has been engaging with Glasgow City Council for six years. No other council in Scotland has this scale of problem. We have met with both elected and council officials on several occasions, presenting research evidence and to try and resolve the problem. Finally, we contacted the council in August informing it of our intention to take legal action and got no reply. So, going to court is our last resort and the decision was not taken lightly.
We are asking the people of Glasgow and Scotland to join the action by donating to our legal fighting fund so that we can deliver justice for the homeless people of Glasgow and continue to stand up for individuals’ legal right to a home wherever in Scotland that is denied.
Graeme Brown, Director, Shelter Scotland, Edinburgh EH2.
Time to protect redheads from bullying
MANY sections of society have laws to protect them against abusive behaviour but it is odd that red-headed people are still ridiculed and in some cases physically attacked with no recourse to anti-discrimination protection.
Schools are probably the worst offenders. My granddaughter at secondary school is constantly goaded by pupils who say it’s "kick a redhead day", "redheads are from hell" and "ginger" is only another way of saying the banned "N" word. My granddaughter and those like her cannot help their hair colour any more than a person from an ethnic background can help his or her appearance. This constant drip-drip of nastiness can cause mental health issues which are nowadays so prevalent.
As the Scottish Government is so keen to make laws protecting nearly every aspect of life, it is time it started clamping down on this behaviour.
Isla M Macgregor, Glasgow.
A more frugal period
IN the "good old days" when people made-do-and-mended we young ladies, of around 12 years of age, and possibly rather shell-shocked at the discovery, were sent off to school with those Terry nappies, saved by our frugal mums from the days when we were babies.
No sanitary pads or tampons then, just having to cope with the folded nappy and (my own mother's bright idea) a pair of my little sister's rubber baby-pants to make sure that no embarrassing leaks took place.
I do not suppose that they would have been able to afford "period cups", or even proper pads then, but the arrangement we had was kinder to the planet as those 'nappy-pads' were soaked, washed and (yes) ironed by my dear parent.
Still, it was very interesting to read about those period cups as they seem like a good idea ("Switching to reusable period cups is easier than you think", The Herald, November 21) but I cannot say that I am sorry to have missed out on the necessity to try one.
Thelma Edwards, Kelso.
Soldiers carrying politicians’ burden
MY soldier son and his fellow officers weren't the kind of ingénues who joyously marched off to the First World War but graduate entrants well aware of the Iraq War's dodgy legality. They were simply caught up in yet another dirty little post-imperial war at the behest of a Prime Minister they didn't trust with rotten kit funded by a Chancellor intent on running an invasion on the cheap.
Mindless political incompetence made a shambles of post-war Iraq and set the Islamic Crescent ablaze, leaving our soldiers trying to contain the chaos. Valid accusations of human rights abuse must be addressed ("British military may be probed by ICC over alleged war crimes", The Herald, November 19) but this should have been done long ago. What is truly deplorable is that the politicians who created this blood-drenched shambles have swanned off into the sunset.
Rev Dr John Cameron, St Andrews.
Andrew’s victims
REGARDING Alan McGibbon's letter (November 22) as to a royal pay cut following Prince Andrew's "voluntary" stepping back the answer must be in the affirmative. Whilst I doubt HRH will suffer any personal deprivation many of his staff coterie are now surplus to requirement. Thereby the demand on the public purse is indirectly eased. Another instance of the effect on innocent persons by Prince Andrew's reprehensible behaviour both during and following the Epstein saga.
Allan C Steele, Giffnock.
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