Sir,- I am amazed, after a peaceful holiday free of newspapers, that the ding-dong battle between the Rev David Robertson (October 7) and the Scottish Secularists is still going on.
Both sides have their own corners to fight, but Mr Robertson, as a self-appointed defender of the entrenched faith, appears aggressively opposed to all other views.
As a humanist, I don’t object to religion, except when it is imposed in education or by state decree, which I remember was the original theme in Mr Orton’s letters.
Mr Robertson then stoked the fire by listing all the “fears” apparently held by the non-religious, which was a deliberate provocation unworthy of any moderate churchman.
There can be hot-headed moments by both sides during an argument.
Our multiracial Western civilisation is threatened by the far more dangerous Islamic State, whose extreme views are not supported by the vast majority of peace-loving Islamic people.
We need to adopt wider horizons of acceptance, moderation and peaceful co-existence between people of all views and faiths.
May I ask both sides in this protracted argument to consider President Obama’s promise to the threat of Iran, which stated “America will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist”.
Angus Brown, The Orchard, Longforgan.
Campaign for what’s right
Sir,- Finding out anything that is going on in the local community is a full time job, and I would argue that it should not be.
We hear the whole time this buzz word “transparency”, and yet in the various fields that I am in touch with there is little of it.
Wikipedia states “transparency implies openness, communication and accountability. It has been defined simply as ‘the perceived quality of intentionally shared information from a sender’.”
I am bothered because there is now transparency in our local community unless you spend hours surfing the internet having found obscure planning alterations in the local newspapers.
I find it is nearly impossible to keep in touch with the planning applications, alterations to planning applications, as well as keeping an eye on all the various developments that cross our paths, on a weekly, if not daily basis, around doing a full day’s work.
Thank God for an increasing body of like-minded people who are as “up-in-arms” as I am.
Last Friday I discovered there is an application for a 20% increase in the size of the turbines at Welton of Creuchies.
A friend trying to object on October 3 could not, as it showed the consultation period had ended, despite the important date being October 3.
Some of us have worked very hard to make the developers see that public awareness is necessary.
A double-edged sword perhaps, but at least there is no excuse now for not knowing about the extension to Drumderg at the Gateway to the eastern edge Cairngorms National Park, heading up to Royal Deeside.
This week, we all have the opportunity to attend Abo Winds Information Days.
Yes, we nagged for those too please take the opportunity to attend at least one and ask questions.
The Abo Winds Information days are running from 2-7.30pm on October 7 in Bridge of Cally Village Hall, the 8th in Alyth Town Hall and the 9th in Blairgowrie Town Hall.
Kirkmichael Village Hall is on the 8th from 9.30-12.30, although I got this information from the Blairgowrie Advertiser article on September 25, not the flyer.
After these meetings, there is an opportunity to spend hours in the various libraries, or blocking up the village shops.
There are DVDs available at £25 or you could buy your own hard copy for £975.
You could also spend hours looking on line.
I feel these publications should be freely available, the DVDs should be free and the libraries and village shops should be able to let people borrow them, when they are closed, as long as they are back in time for opening again in the morning.
This would give the respondents to a recent survey the time they need to analyse the environmental statement and either support or oppose the application.
And 83% of the respondents to the survey think the quantity of wind turbines in the area has already reached an unacceptable maximum as regards cumulative impact.
Get engaged!
Don’t complain if you do nothing and don’t like the end result!
Ali Petrie, Castle Tar, Ballintuim, Blairgowrie.
Tune into Alba to see the Mod
Sir,- If like me, you’re a non-Gaelic speaker who enjoys Gaelic music, please note that next week’s highlights from the Mod at Oban are hidden away every evening from Monday on the little-publicised BBC Alba.
John Crichton, Northampton Place, Forfar.
It is a mistake to ban GM food
Sir,- I believe the Scottish Government was mistaken in having a complete ban on genetically-modified foods, despite advice from many quarters.
About 15 years ago, while doing an Open University course, I read that a daffodil gene inserted into the genome of the rice plant would lead to the production of vitamin A in the rice, thus preventing blindness endemic in those rice eating countries.
Surely worth doing.
Dr Betty Cohen, Mansefield, Alberlemno, Forfar.
Beware SNP’s fracking stance
Sir,- We learn that Nicola Sturgeon has been invited to attend a demonstration by those opposed to the contentious underground coal gasification in the Forth (UCG).
Despite adopting a rigorously anti-fracking stance in May’s general election, the SNP is to consider a motion at its forth-coming party confer-ence for a two year freeze on fracking, including UCG.
The nationalists dutifully go through the motions of risk assessment, but only the nave would expect Nicola Sturgeon ultimately to oppose this highly controversial form of energy extraction.
The last thing Ms Sturgeon wants to accept is for Scotland’s energy supplies to remain thoroughly integrated with the rest of the UK.
More preferable to the First Minister is a massive U-turn on fracking, potentially allowing its exploitation across some of the most densely-populated parts of Scotland.
Remember, the UK Government has halted Ms Sturgeon’s plans to despoil our most beautiful hills with a further 800 wind turbines.
If the SNP is ever to present an even remotely credible financial argument for independence in the long term, it needs new tax revenues to replace those lost from the North Sea.
For the SNP hierarchy it’s a no-brainer the rest of us seem less convinced.
Martin Redfern, Royal Circus, Edinburgh.
Wardens worthy of our support
Sir,- It has come to my attention that Angus Council is considering significant changes in support at sheltered housing complexes.
It is considering changing how tenancy support officers (TSO), better known as wardens, will operate in future.
I met several residents and family members at a sheltered housing complex in Montrose.
I heard from them about the vital role the wardens play in residents’ lives, getting to know them, earning their trust and providing key first-line support.
TSOs organise events and outings and ensure residents do not become isolated. Crucially, seeing the residents every day, they get to know their individual routines and can identify if there is something potentially wrong.
This can save lives and ensure prompt medical care when required.
There has already been a significant impact on the elderly and those needing care with changes to home help provision.
Overall, the SNP Government does not seem to have fully considering the impact of self-directed support.
Having listened very carefully to what I have heard, I call on the council officers and all councillors to ensure that the TCOs for sheltered housing are kept in place.
Sanjay Samani, Scottish Lib Dems, Meethill Road, Alyth.