The matters on our correspondents’ minds today are David Cameron’s much-touted Big Society, information available at the Maggie’s Centre, atheism versus faith, and serious moves towards democracy in the Middle East.
‘Big Society’ is worthy of more than derision Sir,-Like many, Jim Crumley has problems coming to terms with what the ‘Big Society’ is all about (Courier, February 22).
It’s not easy for Prime Minister David Cameron to get the message across, particularly when so many people see many community services being cut back. Yet the idea is simple enough: community involvement, in whatever form, can help make society more cohesive, more contented and even more prosperous.
Yes, it might mean voluntary organisations gradually providing facilities and programmes once provided by the state or council. It might mean more people coming together to improve conditions on a rundown estate or derelict piece of land. It might mean greater involvement in the arts, campaign groups, town-twinning societies and so on.
Surely getting involved like this shouldn’t always be treated with derision!
Of course, only a minority of people have the time or inclination to take part in any meaningful sense. Meetings, reports, correspondence, organisation of people to achieve a particular aim, are often taxing physically and on the nerves.
But that doesn’t mean to say Mr Cameron should be shy about highlighting the best examples of ‘Big Society’ practice. If he is sensible he will concentrate on examples from right across the social spectrum.
The idea is good, it’s laudable but it could fail on two counts. It could be seen as an excuse for government inactivity, certainly, but it could also be seen as the preserve of the well-heeled with lots of time on their hands to devote to pet projects.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.
Money could be better spent
Sir,-With regard to Jennifer Allan’s recent letter about the proposed patient information room at Ninewells Hospital which Mr Ghulam Nabi is hoping to raise funding for, this already exists at the Maggie’s Centre in the grounds of the hospital.
Maggie’s caters for every type of cancer at any stage from diagnosis, through active treatment, post-treatment, recurrence or end stage. It has an extensive library, runs therapeutic groups, gives individual support, and is staffed by well qualified and very warm and sensitive people.
It welcomes not only the patient but their families and carers, and also those who have been bereaved by cancer.
The duplication of resources in the proposed facility would be a pity, given that there are so many other parts of the NHS which are needing more funding.
Sheila Phillips.3 Strathaird Place,Dundee.
Lack of belief isn’t a faith
Sir,-I laughed out loud at the letter from Dr Bernard Senior (Courier, February 22) and his claims that atheism is a faith.
To suggest that because the atheist doesn’t go to church on Sunday, this is a result of faith influencing his life is utterly bizarre. I don’t celebrate Ramadan or Diwali and haven’t had a bar mitzvah. Is this faith influencing my life?
Does the good doctor also think that not collecting stamps is still a hobby? Just for the record, I am as much an aphilatelist as an atheist.
Religious faith is belief in gods without evidence. Atheism is simply a lack of belief in gods, for the simple reason that there is no evidence to support their existence. As that well-known meerkat would put it, “Simples!”
Alistair McBay.Lawmuirview,Methven.
Half-hearted condemnation
Sir,-One can always rely on Andrew Lawson to come to the defence of Israel, as is his prerogative since we live in a democratic society and enjoy a free press as well as freedom of expression.
However, he is quite wrong in asserting that by implication I defend, as he puts it, “the oft-proclaimed Arab and Islamic threat to destroy Israel.”
I implied no such thing but I do reserve the right to hold and express views Mr Lawson considers erroneously anti-Israeli.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917 established a Jewish homeland in Palestine with the proviso that “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.”
The Israelis have ignored this and various UN resolutions ever since and steadily occupied Palestinian land, evicted Palestinians from their homes and built illegal settlements while the west does nothing but utter words of vague condemnation and the US vetoes any UN resolutions that condemn Israeli actions.
The West Bank villages are enclosed by walls and razor wire fences and Palestinians are cut off from their land and water resources all this in defiance of a Court of Human Rights judgement in the Hague.
There is no doubt that large tracts of Palestinian lands are under Israeli occupation and when one wonders why the west shows half-hearted concern regarding Israel’s flouting of international law, look no further than Mr Lawson’s letter: it’s all about oil.
Mr Lawson asserts that we should condone any old despot or any repressive government in the Middle East if by doing so the oil flows westward. Now that the people of the Middle East are taking the concept of democracy seriously, as oft advised by the west, it is now a threat to the hegemony of the west’s control of oil.
I trust the present unrest in the Middle East and the demand for a more democratic form of government from Libya to Yemen does not cause Mr Lawson too many sleepless nights.
James Smith.4 Brownhill Place,Dundee.
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