Sir, Re the latest recommendations to come from the Scottish Government which propose to solve the problem of high rates of teenage pregnancy in Scotland by taking the same failed approach as we have now, but doing more of it and earlier.
Quite how increasing the sexualisation of children (and at an earlier age) is supposed to reduce teen pregnancy is anyone’s guess, but I suppose tackling the root of this problem rather than throwing more contraception and sex education at it is beyond the limited capacities of our elected officials.
Teenage girls already know that sex makes babies. They also know that contraception reduces the likelihood of becoming pregnant.
The ones who are having babies are the ones who are looking for someone to love them and to have someone for them to love in return; to give them some self-worth.
Until such time as their families provide the love and stability that these girls long for Scotland will continue to have teenage mothers.
The only role of schools in all this is to build these girls’ self-esteem, before they get pregnant, by helping them to realise they are worth more than just being a mere object to be used by people who don’t care about them.
Chucking more contraception at them only encourages them to have more sexual partners and less self-worth.
That is not a recipe for fewer pregnancies.
John Paul Cecil. 48 Brook Street, Monifieth.
City of Culture bid a flaw in the plan?
Sir, I am delighted that Dundee has reached the final stages and may become the UK City of Culture in 2017.
It would be a justified accolade for the artistic, academic and industrial advances the city has achieved.
Even Alex Salmond welcomed the news by saying that all of Scotland supports the bid.
I hate to cast a shadow over the current celebrations but if Scotland moves out of the UK in 2014 can we still then be awarded a major UK award in 2017?
So often the SNP’s twists and turns over independence have been illogical, but it seems our First Minister and Dundee Council now want Dundee and Scotland to reject independence in 2014 in order to qualify to be in the UK in 2017.
Angus Brown. Station Road, Longforgan, Dundee.
Their attitude to bible revealed
Sir, In your letters column (June 19), two gentlemen who ascribe to themselves the title “Rev” show their attitude to the bible.
Jack Gisbey gives his reasons for not leaving the Church of Scotland. Among these he mentions that the minister has to consider provision for family and pension, thus showing his priorities.
John Cameron makes a jibe about an “English pastor” and goes on to say it is clearly illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender,race or sexual orientation! He then says that a national church can hardly refuse to obey the law of the land.
The bible says in Acts 5:29 that Peter and the other apostles said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Does John Cameron read a different bible?
John McCann. 20 Brownhill Place, Dundee.
Neil deserves an honour
Sir, I was very pleased to read your article about Mr Neil G Sinclair the veteran cyclist. I must admit that I had been rather worried when I hadn’t seen him out lately, cycling about the leafy lanes of Perthshire.
We always exchanged a friendly wave so it was a great relief to find out that he is still hale and hearty, having exchanged his outdoor wheels for an exercise bike.
Over the decades Mr Sinclair has done much to promote cycling, fitness and road safety and in fact in his former “day job” as a driving examiner was responsible for introducing three generations of my family to the public roads.
In light of all his achievements I have often wondered why he has never been nominated for an award in the Queen’s birthday honours?
T W MacFarlane. Carey Mill, Dunsinan Road, Wolfhill.
L’@mour
Sir, Only the French could make a film of a love story set around a typewriting competition and have it so exciting you didn’t want it to end. Such was the movie Populaire that was showing when I visited Aberfeldy’s re-opened Birks cinema the other day. I loved it.
George Aimer. 82 Kinghorne Road, Dundee.