Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – The article covering the recent Facebook page with sexually explicit photographs of women as young as 14 seemed to suggest that the key thing wrong with the situation is a breach of privacy women being seen as a commodity; encouraging the sexualisation of women. It is harassment and intimidation.
No-one in the article expressed concern that so many young women think it’s acceptable to send pictures of themselves like this to men who obviously have so little care for them that they’d share the images with others.
We give children as young as five sexually graphic imagery as part of the health education programme in schools to normalise sex and sexuality for them.
By the time they get to the age of 10, most children in Dundee, thanks to the council, will have seen a cartoon of a naked couple (not necessarily married) chase around a bed with a feather and have sex in two positions.
Then we’re all surprised when the same children think that sexual imagery is so normal that they send sexually explicit pictures of themselves to each other.
Perhaps it’s about time to rethink the health education programme and teach chastity and abstinence instead of normalising sexual imagery from as young as possible.
Maybe then young women will have the self-respect that is necessary to instil the sense of respect in men that is so evidently lacking.
Clare McGraw.12a Castle Terrace,Broughty Ferry.
MP’s name carried a fair bit of clout
Sir, – Suddenly about five or six weeks ago the street lights in our cul-de-sac failed. Constant attempts by residents to get Fife Council to sort out the situation were met with courtesy, promises, a very brief appearance by workmen, but still no return of the lights.
As we have children and at least half-a-dozen pensioners in the 17 houses the dangers of the situation are obvious.
On Wednesday I decided to get in touch with Menzies Campbell, MP. His assistant Donald Lothian raised the issue on the residents’ behalf and lo and behold workmen arrived the next day. Later that night we had all four lights working.
Now, not even Mr Lothian claims that his was a sort of Divine intervention but it is certainly interesting that things happened so quickly after the MP’s name entered the fray.
So I have now suggested that if that name carries such clout perhaps he should take over as Prime Minister and cure the country’s woes as quickly as he cured ours!
And just in case you are wondering, I have no connection whatever with the Lib Dem party but have found that this is the second time the MP has been involved in solving a problem for my wife and myself.
Ian Wheeler.Pennyacre Court,Springfield, Fife.
We need the facts to decide
Sir, – The debate about Scottish independence in this letters column is too often conducted by questioning the level of patriotism, veracity or intelligence of the people involved, instead of on the basis of hard facts. I am prepared to be convinced by hard evidence, but certainly not by intimidation or vague appeals to the heart.
At the moment I am pretty much undecided, but I am open to reasoned argument. It is not because I am not patriotic, but because nobody seems to be prepared to answer the hard questions honestly.
Can we please have a debate based on facts and not on ”Braveheart” appeals to the emotions. And please, stop the personal attacks on those who disagree.
Both sides need to tell us the facts and then we will decide. That’s how democracy works, after all.
(Captain) Ian F. McRae.17 Broomwell Gardens,Monikie.
Deaf grateful for this service
Sir, – We refer to your recent article concerning council services for the deaf and would like to point out that many deaf people have used these services and been grateful for the help receive.
We have not found them to be ”patronising”, but very willing to cover all our requirements.
In fact, they often provide the only means by which some deaf people can cope with the bureaucratic requirements of the state and local government.
To remove those services will isolate those people and deprive them of the help they need.
Robert Burnett, Gordon Burnett. 35 Camperdown Street,Broughty Ferry.
Only option is to leave EU
Sir, – In his excellent letter concerning the inability of our Home Secretary to deport Abu Quatada, George K McMillan asks who runs this country.
Since the Treaty of Maastricht was signed in May 1993, this country has effectively been run by the EU.
Almost every decision we make has to comply with whatever ruling the EU has made on the subject.
The only way to reverse this is to leave the EU.
Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.
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. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.