Letters to the Editor

But respect has to be earned. I am sure that Corrine and many, many other riders in the Keighley News district are courteous towards drivers who slow down -- indeed, as a riding teacher of many years, I have always taught how to thank and acknowledge careful, considerate drivers and other road users.

Sadly, though, there are some riders whose actions will make any car driver lose any consideration and care they have. Those who glower at drivers, those who don't even acknowledge an action by a driver intended to be considerate, and those who really take their time in clearing the road for a vehicle to pass.

What I find even more irksome about this is that the particular riders I have in mind are not young children, or even teenagers. Oh no, these are mature (very mature!) riders who, quite frankly, ought to know better and probably do. If these actions are witnessed by younger riders, those riders may then emulate this behaviour and -- well, anyone can see the vicious circle which will follow.

So yes, car drivers and other road users, please slow down and give horses as wide a berth as possible, but riders, remember that other road users have as much right as you to be on the roads, and a smile and a nod when a driver shows consideration really makes the considerate driver feel good about it.

I am also a car driver, so I know.

HILARY SIMPSON

Bradup Farm IIkIey Road

Riddlesden

SIR - I would like to comment on your recent article about the flash floods in Highfield.

All Saints' is the parish church of Highfield, and along with many of its parishioners suffered extensively as a result of vast amounts of rain which fell in a short space of time.

On entering the church there appeared to be floodwater everywhere. In the main body of the building and in the community rooms serious damage had been done to electrical installations, wall panels had been breached and ceilings brought down.

Much interior and exterior repair work has to be done, at a cost yet to be estimated. Any such cost will of course have to be met by the people and friends of All Saints!

The church provides recreational facilities on an almost daily basis in the community rooms for people who live in Highfield and will continue to do so.

I wish to reassure all those in the parish that the church of All Saints, which serves them, shared in a very real way the trauma and distress which we all experienced during this dreadful episode.

ALEC ASPINALL

Church Warden, All Saints'

Parish Church, Highfield

SIR - Why in the 21st century must householders and businesses have premises flooded and North Street left looking like a boating lake just because we had one hour of heavy rain?

The highways department has cleared some gullies but many more are blocked, some completely solid, after years of neglect by Bradford Council.

This is now a major operation but I fear shortage of money or manpower will be the excuse. Maybe it would help if householders, knowing of a blocked gully by their house, were to phone the highways department on 01274 435700 or if blocked solid 01274 4310000 and report it so some progress may be made.

Does the district council realise that flooding is a good excuse for insurance companies to raise premiums or refuse to insure

CLLR G M EARNSHAW

Prospect Crescent, Keighley

SIR - Councillor Mallison's quotes re: "Police plan transfer to new HQ" in last week's Keighley News are laughable.

The police may be moving out of the town centre of Keighley, yet he sees this as a sign that Keighley is "thriving and expanding".

Where does this man get his ideas? I've read his quotes often enough now to know it's time he moved to Bradford and took up his role with Bradford Council. His remarks leave me to believe that's where his loyalties lie.

He obviously has no care for Keighley if he feels it will benefit this town to have the police based on the outskirts of town. I don't know whereabouts he is based but I bet it's not on one of our town's council estates. Somewhere nice and safe I've no doubt -- on the outskirts of town maybe.

Yeah, that's it. That's why he wants the police to move. So they are nearer his own doorstep! I'd put money on that!

M P THOMPSON

Braithwaite Avenue

Keighley

SIR - I am writing in response to last week's article on Keighley Disabled People's Council's decision to scrap the counselling service provided by Joyce Hollings, at Temple Row.

I was suffering from depression recently and I went to see Joyce. She helped me find a new purpose in life when I was at my lowest.

I am 100 per cent better than just a few months ago, I have a new direction in my life and I have been able to start a new career.

"There are many people who need this service more that I did and I sincerely hope that Temple Row will be able to provide it with Joyce.

I cannot thank Joyce enough, her service is invaluable and I hope that the council will reconsider its decision and continue with the counselling service.

David King

Moor Way, Oakworth

Sir - J D Wetherspoon seems to have confused both its local history and its vocabulary in its proposed name for their forthcoming pub in the former Temperance Hall -- The Livery Company Inn.

The Town Hall Livery Stables, later the site of the Regent Picture House and latterly a night-club, although adjoining the Temperance Hall, was a quite separate concern.

A livery stable let out horses and vehicles for hire.

This had no connection with the distinctive costume of a London Livery Company.

Keighley already has at least one throw-away pub name in the Korner Bar, instead of the historic Devonshire Arms. For goodness sake, let's try to get this one right.

Ian Dewhirst

Raglan Avenue, Keighley

SIR - Re: the article about Wetherspoon buying the Temperance Hall, bingo isn't the only thing it has housed.

To mention a few -- the Keighley and District Photographic Society, the Naturalist Society, the Widows Club, Civic Luncheon Club, Rotary Club.

I can remember as a child watching a very tiny Mollie Sugden playing a part on the stage.

On the top floor was the Irene Ogden School of Dancing, from the early 40s to 1965, when Miss Ogden tragically died. Then Mrs Elsie Scott took over.

The pupils entered from North Street, up and up a winding stair, on a corridor, which opened up into a large, bright and airy room with a parquet floor, and seats with high backs down two sides, so they could be turned around as bars for ballet practice.

There will be many women who as children attended classes, and will remember this. Some became quite famous.

R LAPWORTH

Airedale View Cross Hills

SIR - The Home Secretary's pledge to remove the right of intruders to claim legal aid in order to sue home owners who injure them, does not address the public's real concerns surrounding the Tony Martin case.

The Freedom Association is campaigning for a complete change in the law to ensure the people of this country are able to defend themselves and their property without being branded criminals.

In a recent Yougov poll commissioned on our behalf, no less than 80 per cent of respondents agreed that home owners who injure intruders should not face prosecution.

The question of legal aid is not the substantive issue. The public wants the law rebalanced in favour of the innocent home owner and abhors the ability of convicted criminals to claim damages for injuries sustained while committing criminal acts. If enough people join with us and apply pressure on their MP to support our campaign, we will ensure there are no more Tony Martins in future.

Philip J Duly

Campaign Manager,

The Freedom Association

I was pleased to see hard working people, predominantly women, who appeared to work with dedication and patience in their respective fields.

One of the problems highlighted in the Racial Equality/Diversity focus group was the language barrier when dealing with some cases of newly settled Asian women. There were allegations that at times the integrity of the interpreters could not be relied upon and the poor woman found herself back at home from where she fled.

There were even instances when 10-year-old children had to be used as interpreters. Problems of language also surfaced at the refuge centres. No nation has a right to barricade themselves within their language; not having learnt the language of the others and create a separate enclosure for themselves. To my mind this is ethically inappropriate. It is indeed fair to keep one's language alive, for through language one's cultural values that pertain to high morals are kept alive. In my own home, our parents did not permit us to speak English. I practice the same with my children.

However, one does not have the right to live in a country as an alien, where the flow and exchange of ideas between one and the local community ceases. This is a loss that can result in extremely dangerous consequences. One of the main reasons for the youth movements espousing hatred for foreigners is the awareness that is borne out of language differences.

My comments about the present conditions in society not favouring family life for all groups were seen out of context and no one thought it had any connection to violence (emotional and or physical) in the home. Too often we seem to treat problems in isolation without realising the bigger picture.

Alcohol intake is a part of Western culture. Excessive materialism, gambling, free mixing of the sexes, sexual licentiousness, cohabitation outside marriage, women parading semi-naked, exhibiting their physical beauty, open display of kissing and the scarcity of modesty are some distinct features of the current so-called emancipated Western culture.

Similarly, rights of the individual are so stressed upon that even when there is a dire need in training one's children, parents cannot even lightly punish them. The idea that sex is a natural emotion and should therefore be satiated without any hindrance is gathering influence as a trend. It is proudly considered to be a candid expression of honesty to declare one's indulgence in sin, audacious conversation, nudity, brazenness, displaying one's body etc. Many such similar aspects that were considered immoral some 60, 70 years ago, today symbolise the culture.

It is obvious that the modern values of the West, of diminishing morality and based on material benefits and self-interest are not only detrimental but are, in fact self-destructive. Many thinkers are concerned that if these trends are maintained, it will be these very modern traditions themselves that will bring down the edifice of modern culture.

It is this very "modern culture" that is an enemy to family life which is the fundamental building block of any society. The idea of individual liberty and freedom of expression have been taken to the point where it is thought one can be happy all the time. Life in general and family life too is beset with struggle and the need to give and take. Until there is a realisation that one's happiness and liberty is limited there can be no peaceful family life.

Coming back to the question of integration, where should integration apply and how much? One must examine the whole cultural structure in its entirety. Winds blowing from different directions essentially merge together. However, it is not essential that cold winds completely vanquish warm winds and turn them chilly. Or that warm winds subdue the cold winds to the extent that they turn just as warm.

Assimilation connotes combining the capacities of two sides in a way that fosters a capacity that is replete with the excellent attributes of both. As a consequence of this, a society should emerge that is more attractive and delightful than before.

Assimilation does not mean that newcomers adopt the "modern culture" that has become detrimental to Western society. Adopting them would mean one becomes like them. The newcomers will be in the wrong if they enforce their negative characteristics on the hosts. Indeed, those who have come from the East have brought along some shortcomings of their own society with them and the inhabitants of the West possess numerous good features that are lacking in the newcomers. Hence, when one speaks about assimilation, one must speak of an assimilation of values, not absorption brought on by blindly following each other.

I do hope that the Government will recognise and accept diversity. It would be a huge mistake to try and forcefully amalgamate people of diverse backgrounds by exploiting law in order to transform them all into one society. This mode of action is contrary to the natural societal evolution and is on par with turning a bouquet of varied flowers, as if by some wizardry, into just one particular flower. Nations cannot gain from it in any way.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) having enjoined: "That which is wise and sagacious is the lost property of a believer" has given an eternal code of conduct to Muslims in adopting another nation's positive attributes and being supportive and competitive in good benevolent matters.

This can indeed result in solving issues of social integration in a most excellent manner.