Scotsman Letters: Sad reflection

Bernhardt Url opined that  if he thought about our shameful treatment of, say, turkeys, he wouldn't eat meat for six months. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBernhardt Url opined that  if he thought about our shameful treatment of, say, turkeys, he wouldn't eat meat for six months. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Bernhardt Url opined that if he thought about our shameful treatment of, say, turkeys, he wouldn't eat meat for six months. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Every so often, I read a sentence, whose message leaps out from the page. One such sentence featured in Philip Lymbery’s article (Scotsman, 27 December). “The way we treat animals” he quotes European Food Safety Authority chief Bernhardt Url. “Is a mirror of our societal values”. What does it say about our society that our treatment of animals is, by and large, shocking?

Intensive farming is just another term for cruelty to animals, whether it be farmed salmon or battery hen eggs. Mr Url opined that if he thought about our shameful.treatment of, say, turkeys, he wouldn't eat meat for six months. A recent delicacy is farmed octopus, a solitary animal, forced together into cruel restrictive space. The list continues.

Perhaps a significant mirror of us human animals' societal values is how we treat each other. We're the only species who inflict cruel mass extermination of ourselves. As we approach 2025, there is extreme foreboding that the various human conflicts scarring our fragile planet might escalate to a nuclear war of universal proportions. Surely an apposite New Year resolution would be to pause, reflect and step back, before it's too late, for ourselves and our fellow creatures.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Costly resolution

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Will Kate Forbes MSP be making a New Year resolution to inform voters of the SNP plan to repay the four-fold increase of £130 billion on the debt to decarbonise Scottish homes (Scotsman, 31 July).

If repaid over 20 years, that is an annual capital debt repayment of £6.5bn or a yearly tax increase of around £2,600 for every Scottish taxpayer.

Should the four-fold increase outlined by the Just Transition Committee also apply to the installation of the 45GW of additional wind power planned by the SNP, then that is a further £540bn of debt that must be repaid!

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway

Not outdated

Before Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on Channel 4 over the holiday, an announcer warned viewers that this much-loved 1984 film contained “outdated cultural stereotypes.”

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It would be hard for anyone without a degree in political correctness to discern what exactly these stereotypes might be. Given that it was set in 1935, perhaps it was historical accuracy which was so objectionable?

Similarly, prior to a recent Radio 4 documentary, listeners were alerted to the fact that the program featured “outdated language.” Astonishingly, the offending word in this case turned out to be the term “homosexual.”

What mandate do broadcasters have to determine what is or isn’t “outdated” and to defend our eyes and ears from things which metropolitan elites dislike? This kind of Woke nonsense will only serve to drive yet more voters into the arms of Reform UK.

Martin O’Gorman Edinburgh

Rural neglect

The recent revelations regarding the condition of schools in rural Scotland highlight a critical issue that cannot be ignored. As we reflect on this state of affairs, we must consider the words of Adam Smith: “The great source of both the misery and disorders of human life, seems to arise from a vitiated state of the division of labor.”

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We are witnessing a gross mismanagement that leaves rural communities under-resourced. It is unacceptable that the quality of education in rural areas noticeably lags behind urban centres. This disparity perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage, undermines community cohesion, and drives families away from these areas. The SNP must take responsibility for this ongoing failure, rather than merely shifting the blame elsewhere.

Immediate action is required to rectify this imbalance. The Scottish Government should prioritise investment in rural education infrastructure, providing adequate funding to ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, have access to facilities that support their learning and development.

Furthermore, engaging local communities and educators in the decision-making process will be crucial to addressing the unique challenges faced by rural schools. By uniting efforts across the political spectrum, we can restore faith in our education system and ensure that every child in Scotland is afforded the quality education they deserve.

We cannot afford to let another generation suffer due to negligence; the future of our rural communities depends on it.

Alastair Majury, Dunblane

Mature enough

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Mark Boyle asserts that in my letter of 24 December I “claimed” that the previous voting age was set at 21 due to the then medical science. Not so.

My obvious point was that the latest science now, in 2024, does indeed justify, albeit coincidentally, the long-established voting age of 21 as broadly reflecting the human brain’s maturity - whereas 16 or even 18 in the opinion of many of us is far too young.

He refers to youngsters serving in our armed forces, but those in combat roles must be at least 18, not 16; and maybe that should be increased to 21 (ditto marriage and certain other legal entitlements, one might add).

I would also suggest that in many respects, teenagers 100 years ago, almost all of whom worked for their living, were more mature than their counterparts now, in full-time education until their early twenties.

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Finally, of course party political expediency will wrongly determine the proposed legislation, but the remark attributed to Mark Twain says it all - “when I was 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around; but when I was 21, I was amazed at how much he had learned in 7 years”.

John Birkett, St Andrews

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