Politics is a rough old game and those who put themselves forward are all volunteers.
If they get a bashing from time to time or when the elctorate decides to chuck them out on their ear they will get no sympathy from me.
I had no sympathy for Jim Murphy when he came to Dundee, got on his soap box and told all and sundry that Scotland is better as part of the UK.
And those who gathered around him to take a different view are entirely right to do so.
What I object to is the manner in which they did it.
Some of those who disagreed with what Murphy was saying screamed obscenities in his face.
As I said, I have no sympathy for Murphy – he is big enough and tough enough to look after himself.
But I worry about the effect this sort of intimidating behaviour has on others.
We received letters at The Courier today from decent people airing genuine concerns about the prospect of independence asking us not to print their names and addresses, in some cases even contacting us to cancel a letter because they were afraid they would be subjected to intimidation and bullying.
What happened to Murphy troubles me for another reason.
A great many people for a very long time have been working very hard to build the reputation of Dundee.
The image of someone being vilified for their political opinions – an image circulated around the world – does nothing for the reputation of Dundee.
Those of the Better Together persuasion have condemned the treatment meted out to Jim Murphy in Dundee. They would, it suits their political ends.
It would be nice to see some well known local names of the Yes persuasion do likewise.