The Courier’s week ends with how Jesus may have reacted to today’s bankers, allegations of torture at Guantanamo Bay and the possible dangers of following Ireland’s example.
Jesus would have shamed bankers Sir,-Does Dr John Cameron (November 16) have to keep reminding us that he was once a parish minster?
I wonder what kind of a parish he worked in? It must have been a wealthy one.
I can tell him this. Jesus was not a Conservative. He threw moneylenders out of the temple, upsetting their tables and scattering their wealth.
If Jesus was here now, in the flesh, or if more people were in touch with His spirit, He would be banging on the doors of some of the big banks because they have caused our current position.
He would be telling non-doms to do the right thing and pay their tax in the UK, where they make their money by the efforts of UK workers.
The benefit cuts, rightly or wrongly, are to patch an £80 billion hole in the public sector borrowing requirement.
The total cost of the banks bailout was £850 billion, so I would suggest to Dr John that he first has a look at getting our money back from the greed merchants, and second, go and live in a parish where there is poverty and squalor and see the marvellous lives that people lead on £65 a week.
There are not enough jobs in the UK to take up the unemployed. Our manufacturing jobs have gone to Europe and the Far East.
K. J. MacDougall.3 Logie Avenue,Dundee.
Come clean on heritage plans
Sir,-Just when Dundee appears to be re-establishing itself, there is a threat to blow it off the rails (November 16). Successive councils have allowed historic buildings to be destroyed and Dundee’s history to be lost.
Now, it appears, there is a possible threat to the Mills Observatory and the McManus galleries.
These buildings are a significant part of Dundee’s historic heritage.
We are told that they may be put into the care of a trust but what is expected of a trust that cannot be accomplished by our council? The buildings belong to the people of Dundee and their care is vested in our council.
Before this proposal goes any further, we should expect to be given explanations of what is likely to happen to the two buildings.
If they are passed to a trust, with the possibility of entrance fees, we should be made aware of the situation.
It is imperative that the council let us know their broader plans, rather than letting snippets of options to creep out piecemeal.
(Dr) Hilda D. Spear.20 Kelso Place,Dundee.
Why secrecy over detainees?
Sir,-Will we ever now get at the truth about any allegations (November 17) of UK Government complicity in torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay?
UK justice secretary Kenneth Clarke wants to avoid long, drawn-out legal battles that might damage national security.
So payments are made to individual litigants to buy their silence pending Sir Peter Gibson’s inquiry next year.
But much of that inquiry will be held behind closed doors again, because it is feared national security might be compromised. The whole thing is a body blow against open government and those who feel torture is abominable.
Of course, there are those who feel that, in certain circumstances, torture can be justified.
George W Bush claimed recently that it may well have prevented terrorist attacks on London in the aftermath of the attack on the Twin Towers.
Nobody can claim the moral high ground on this.
Most people would defend torture if they believed it could prevent an atrocity.
They would almost certainly do so if it protected their family.
The point is that, given the controversy, there is little to be gained by secrecy.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court.Glenrothes.
Danger in Irish example
Sir,-The Republic of Ireland is in a bad way. During the boom times, Scottish nationalists pointed to prosperous Ireland as an example of what a success Scotland would be if not tied to England.
The nationalists still advocate closer ties with Europe and cutting ourselves adrift from England.
Ireland’s fate is as clear an indication as we can get of what is going to happen to Scotland if we, too, go down the same road.
By cutting the ties with England and committing ourselves to Europe, Scotland would be thrown into the maelstrom of European politics and economics with far less independence and more undemocratic dictation from above than ever we have experienced as part of the UK.
The crisis in the Irish Republic shows only too clearly what will happen to us if we continue to support the SNP at the ballot box.
The last person to leave Scotland will not need to turn out the lights there will be none left burning to douse.
George K. McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.