Letters to the Editor

The stones were thrown by youths gathering outside the Youth Community Office, formerly the police station. If a bus driver had not come to my assistance, it could have been worse.

I telephoned 999 twice and on the second call was informed "Sorry we have no one to attend". I was finally contacted on the following Tuesday.

Last Saturday at 8pm, the youths were there again in mass numbers.

So Coun Hussain, it has been going on a long time and again nothing has been done.

Pauline Collins, Greenhill Lane, Bingley.

SIR - It would be interesting to see and hear the reaction of Councillor Hussain if the youths throwing stones at cars in Toller Lane were, for example, to hit his car or cause a serious accident or even kill someone (T&A report, August 16).

Perhaps it would still be a minor incident then.

Mike Tomkinson, Albert Crescent, Queensbury

SIR - Re the letters about children from minority groups speaking and learning the English language.

Nobody is doubting that to speak a second language or even three or four is beneficial, but surely children going to school in any country should first be taught the language of that country (in this instance English).

As for lack of language training costing us economically, we have not done badly over the last 300 years as a trading nation.

Do Mr Mallen and his advisers want English to be taught as a second language?

Michael Breen, Bolton Hall Road, Wrose.

SIR - I write in response to your article concerning the potholes on Wagon Lane. As an Eldwick resident, I frequent this stretch of road on a daily basis. Since the opening of the bypass with very heavy lorries using the lane, the road surface has deteriorated to such an extent that it is necessary to drive on the right-hand side (traffic permitting) to avoid the deep depressions and potholes that have appeared in the last 12 months.

May I point out to Mr Blackburn (the Council's head of transportation and traffic) that there has been no significant work carried out on this stretch of road since the bypass was started. He claims that "It makes more sense to wait until the new road is complete".

Surely some remedial work could be carried out in the meantime. How many more motorists are to suffer damage?

Mrs Britteon (who has been told she will not be compensated after her car wheel was buckled) deserves better at the hands of the Council. I fear she is not the first and will not be the last to be treated this way.

Come on Council, what do we pay our taxes for?

C Roberts, Moorcroft, Eldwick.

SIR - Why was I not surprised to see yet another person trying to comment on something they know absolutely nothing about (Ian McDougall, August 8)?

It is not just Mirpuris that wear the veil. I'm a white Muslim and I wear Purdah which he describes as "demeaning garb."

The veil is seen by Muslim women as a liberation rather than oppression as it enables them to be accepted for their mind, personality and spirituality instead of being judged according to their physical attributes.

The veil ensures protection rather than exploitation. The exploitation of women and their bodies by men is one of the causes of the increase in crimes such as rape, assault and child abuse.

It is interesting that nuns dress similarly to Muslim women and are treated with respect, however Muslims are thought of as being repressed.

The respect in which women and their bodies are held in Islam is emphasised by the fact that a man found guilty of rape in an Islamic society could face the death penalty, but in this country men get out of jail in a few years.

There is nothing demeaning about Islam.

Ayesha Islam, Great Horton Road, Bradford.

SIR - The case of Jeffrey John has caused a split in the Church because he happens to be gay.

His critics follow what they think as the straight and narrow way commended by the Bible, and there lies the problem.

All Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God. Others believe that God inspired human beings to write it, thereby allowing for errors to creep in.

The Old Testament reflects the way things were done by a Bedouin tribe 3,000 years ago. The subordination of women to men and the prohibition on divorce, both clearly stated in scripture, can at present be modified to adapt the church to contemporary society.

It seems God has let us off discriminating against women and condemning the divorced to lifelong celibacy.

Given that there is hardly anything about homosexuality in the Bible but a great deal about the subordination of women, there is something not quite right by those objecting to the appointment of Jeffrey John.

It is hard to understand why so much passion is generated by a matter which was never mentioned by Christ.

Stan Brooksbank, Flower Haven, Bradford

SIR - With reference to Bryan Owram's letters "Justice in the Dock" (August 11). It seems he has exaggerated the press reports greatly for effect.

Both of these incidents involved long-serving police officers of previous good standing. Had either of these "offences" been committed by a member of the public other than a police officer, it is unlikely the matter would have seen the court system.

The "deliberate and repeated kicking and striking of a defenceless, unresisting prisoner" doesn't bear any resemblance to what actually happened on the video in question, which was far less serious than numerous incidents that occur nightly after the pubs have shut in any town or village.

Mr Owram is obviously jumping on the anti-police bandwagon. People like him have never been rammed by a stolen vehicle, never been bitten and scratched by an injecting heroin addict, never had to confront a man armed with a gun or knife.

Perhaps when he has had the courage to experience these things he will be qualified to pass comment on two police officers of previous good character who have stepped over the line in a relatively minor fashion for which they have been severely punished by the loss of career, delay of pension (to which they have contributed to for many years) and loss of social credibility.

Neil Barker, Park Road, Low Moor, Bradford.

SIR - While visiting my local supermarket recently, I was confused by what the different labels meant on the meat products, labels such as "free-range," "farm assured," "organic," "freedom feed" and many others. As the assistant wasn't able to help, I thought I would try and find out myself and in doing so I discovered a little booklet that other readers might find of use.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) have a "Compassionate Shoppers Guide" that explains all these labels and what they mean about how the animal has been treated. It explains how to tell from the label whether an animal has been kept in a restricted environment and if it has been given suitable food and bedding materials.

If your readers are interested in the welfare of farm animals, I would recommend they call the organisation for a copy - the number is (01730) 268 863.

A Kingswell, Thornton Old Road, Fairweather Green, Bradford.

SIR - Once again someone has been disabled for life by thugs. What sentence if caught? Jail for a few years or so many "community" hours.

After speaking to a large number of people the punishment suggested was the birch and Borstal for the under-17s.

So let's have someone who is willing to give the appropriate sentence then England can be a land for heroes to live in and not for murderers, muggers and rapists.

D Burnett, Great Horton Road, Great Horton

SIR - I do wonder why people whine so much when they have two railway stations. The obvious solution to the trans-Pennine problem is a station at Low Moor so trains from Leeds to Manchester could avoid the stupid spur into the Interchange.

As to the need for a cross-city link, the real question is what benefit it would give to Bradford.

The answer is absolutely none, and I suspect you will find the majority of the whiners in this respect are actually people who want to travel through Bradford without dirtying themselves by actually having to alight in such a frightful place.

David Simpson, Hirst Avenue, Heckmondwike.