Letter: Name-calling

Allan Massie is right to emphasise that names will never hurt us (Perspective, 12 January). Michael Foot probably did himself more harm by calling Norman Tebbit a "semi house-trained polecat" than he caused Tebbit.

But in his scorn at certain Republicans being chided for merely "talking of targeting their opponents", Massie ignores the fact that they used images of gunsights, so they were certainly not "utterly divorced from any connection with guns".

One recalls the 1980s teachers' protest march here which was fronted by an appalling banner of a bullseye and target superimposed on to an image of Scottish secretary George Younger.

Such language and actions have no place in public discourse in mature democracies, whether by politicians, trade unions, students or religious leaders, whatever their opinions and perceived grievances.

John Birkett

Horseleys Park

St Andrews