Readers' Letters: Don't blame seniors for the ills of the world

James Watson suggests that turning away from Christian doctrine is a cause for societal ills, upbraiding the older generation for adding to the misery by, among other things, inventing the photocopier (Letters 11 March). Fortunately, this infernal machine is rapidly becoming obsolete.

Those who follow a religious doctrine are no better or worse than those who don’t. Elon Musk is a believer in Christian teaching, and often quotes “love thy neighbour” as he sits on his billions.

Then there’s older people – blaming them has become a trend, it’s interesting that ageism is the one area of discrimination which seems to get a pass. In fact it is positively encouraged by all the boomer bashing in the press and social media. Meanwhile, most retirees are beavering away looking after grandchildren or volunteering for charities and hospitals. Admittedly, there are a few examples of older people causing huge problems right now… but you could just as easily call them out for being male. Neither is fair.

Some senior citizens may be messing up the world but many others are helping out in the community, says reader (Picture: Doug Mills/The New York Times-Pool/Getty Images)

I don’t feel that seeking to blame people for today’s problems because they are old or secular, or any other reason for that matter, serves any purpose other than to sow yet more and more division. Let’s “turn the other cheek”.

Lorna Thorpe, Alyth, Perth and Kinross

Toilets for all

I have been following the ongoing debate over single-sex spaces, including the employment tribunal between nurse Sandie Peggie and doctor Beth Upton and NHS Fife. To say I am fed up with the SNP's self-ID policy is an understatement.

When, at any point, were women asked their views on changing single-sex spaces to communal spaces? Over the last couple of years, I am more often having to share the same toilets with men, never mind men who think they're women. This situation is now expanding into schools and institutions and, with the best will in the world, there will always be silly boys and men who think it is funny to flash at girls and women, or worse. Not to mention male toilet hygiene, which in my experience can leave a lot to be desired.

Women have always had to fight hard for their rights, and now, even as a majority group, are having their rights eroded by the SNP's woke policy to bend over backwards catering to trans people, who are a minority. If this policy is to meet everyone's needs, not just trans people, there should be toilets for men, women and anyone. Of course, it is easier and more cost-effective for venues simply to make one set of facilities, now that the SNP government has provided the opportunity.

I have no problem with trans people having their own rights; I do have a problem with them being at the expense of actual women (yes, I've said it) and their right to have single-sex toilets and changing facilities.

Kathryn Sharp, Edinburgh

U-turn alert

In Monday's Scotsman, you quote Stephen Gethins, the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman, as saying that 'the UK Government should consider rejoining the European customs union to pay for defence rather than cutting benefits'. He also sets a context....'Sadiq Khan reckons Brexit is costing public finances £40 billion'.

He appears to be unaware that SNP actions in the 'Kenneth Clarke option' vote on 29 March 2019 threw away the chance for the UK to remain in the customs union.

The SNP abstained, the vote was lost (very narrowly) and the chance to remain in the customs union was thrown away. No good reason has ever been put forward. This affects, and has affected, Scotland and the whole UK.

Mr Gethins seems to be suggesting that already somewhere between nil and £200 billion has been lost to public finances then, over the last five years, because of the SNP abstention. Even with a very rapid rejoining, let's say by 2028, up to £320 billion will have been lost due to the SNP's voting actions. For Scotland, this is roughly a loss of up to £32 billion. This is enough to provide Scottish pensioners' winter heating allowance for 320 years!

Jonathan Davidson, Stow, Scottish Borders

2p or not 2p?

It is surely not too late for the Westminster government to reverse the plunder on the Aid budget to increase the spending on defence. Even worse, there is now word that funds for the disabled will be raided, also for defence (your report, 10 March).

While there is no disputing the fact that, in these perilous times for Europe, increase in defence spending is vitally necessary, it's scandalous that the most needy and vulnerable should be asked to pay for it.

The obvious and practical solution is a rise in taxation. It has been estimated that a 2p increase for all but the poorest would cover additional defence costs. If the public were assured that this potential increase were ringfenced for defence, I'm sure we would be prepared to pay it. Any complaints would pale in the face of our unease at this shocking treatment of those in the greatest need, at home and abroad.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Rethink needed

While more civilians needlessly die in Ukraine, Donald Trump would like us to think negotiations with Russia are going well as they are “easier to deal with”, and “more difficult” with Ukraine as Russia are “bombing the hell out of them”. In truth it is the other way around. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has repeated again that he sees European peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil as an act of war. That rankles Trump, who needs European boots on the ground to help guarantee peace. Russia isn’t budging on full sovereignty of all Ukraine despite Trump indicating they will need to give some land back. Trump stating that Putin is doing “what anybody else would do”, taking advantage of the withdrawal of US support to intensify attacks, suggests Trump knew his actions would escalate bombings, thus pressurising Ukraine.

Trump has President Volodymyr Zelensky where he wants him on the mineral deal, and “ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership”. Withdrawal of military aid and intelligence has had the desired effect, giving Putin free rein to pummel Ukraine. Putin will be harder to manipulate as Trump admits he has “all the cards”.

Former president Theodore Roosevelt said “if you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow”. Right now Putin, not Trump, is applying the pressure and peace is illusory. A change of strategy is badly needed, sanctions and tariffs will barely scratch the surface, Trump should start by backing US allies, not chastising them. Putin will only bend to a united West through a show of strength, not a divide and conquer strategy.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

MAD world

In a saner world Europe would not need to fear Russia, or anyone, provided we could rely on MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction.

No nation would attack another if it knew for certain that itself would be blown to smithereens. The lesson taught by Hiroshima and Nagasaki is that for obvious reasons no nuclear nation has ever attacked another nuclear nation. Ukraine would have been left in peace had it been part of a Nato, ready, willing and able to defend its sovereignty.

We now know that we can never again rely on the USA, which, very sensibly, refuses to aid a Europe that refuses to aid itself. I suggest that most of the proposed increase in defence investment is poured into a formidable nuclear tit-for-tat European nuclear arsenal. That way, there would be no war, deaths, or fear.

Tim Flinn, Edinburgh

Help needed

Another report has emerged of Scotland's new Drug Consumption facility. Many of the potential problems highlighted before it was opened have proven to be all too accurate. I am well aware it was a well-intended idea and there are many hard-working and dedicated people involved.

The area around the unit has been inundated with discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia. All this, of course, is taking place in a working-class area – clearly, a problem on the scale that is being tolerated there would simply not be tolerated in more affluent parts of Glasgow.

The addicts are sick and need real help. Help with fighting the addiction that is crippling them and not merely a centre for ''safe'' consumption. Unfortunately, the administration running Scotland have no spare cash for treating the problem properly and took the cheapest way out and applied a band-aid to make it appear as if they are doing something.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Invest in NHS

The Scotsman’s story on increased waiting times for women to receive a cervical examination following an abnormal smear test in most heath boards in Scotland (10 March) is another indication of a vital public service showing strain after years of austerity and creeping privatisation.

The economically illiterate policy of starving the country of necessary investment, and the main parties’ obsession with never-ending NHS “reforms” – really code for ever greater corporate profiteering – has taken us to a de facto two-tier health service where people with enough funds pay to go private for their care, avoiding the need to languish on waiting lists for months at a time.

In your article you quote Jackie Baillie, Labour’s health spokeswoman, bemoaning the “sleepless nights” suffered by some women caught up in this predicament. However, she fails to mention Labour has been at the vanguard of greater privatisation of the NHS, establishing, for example, PFI hospitals in Scotland. This policy has been followed by SNP administrations, such as privatising the Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, the siren voices of Reform would give yet more public money to private corporations through a voucher scheme whereby patients can access private health care. It is a damning indictment when a hard-right party can profit from policy failures by offering this as a solution to years of deliberate mismanagement and decline.

The Scottish Socialist Party is offering an alternative. We will end privatisation and bring all NHS infrastructure into public ownership, as the service was originally conceived in 1948. Only a state-led investment strategy can redeem the NHS to provide first-class healthcare for all Scots, regardless of their means.

Rory MacCallum, Edinburgh

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