Readers' letters - April 21

Most of my age group well remember living through the Cold War between America and the USSR and it was always at the back of our minds that one or the other of the idiots would press the red button.

It seems we are once again heading back to those days of threatening rhetoric from both sides with a vengeance.

Watching the newsreels of the North Korean parade with its endless troops and mobile missiles was very reminiscent of those USSR parades of the 60s and 70s.

However, I had to chuckle at the absurd images of a short little fat man in an over generously cut suit swaggering alongside a tall and equally absurd looking military general doing the Communist version of the goose-step.

However, my hilarity is tempered by the fact that this paranoid little dictator Kim Jong-un – who lives in an unreal world of his own making – is a highly dangerous individual and highly likely to instigate a nuclear war just to prove to his own political followers, and the world, that he is more than just a pompous and posturing absurdity.

My personal solution would be that he ought to be ‘taken out’ as the secret service would say – but then there would be the worry as regarding what other volatile little idiot would take his place and, quite frankly, we already have enough to worry about with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin pratting about!

Karl Sheridan

Address supplied

Words should be chosen carefully

I totally agree with Graham Archer (WP Letters, April 14), regarding the increase in profanities these days, when using the English language

Years ago, it was understood that people who swore did not have a good knowledge of adjectives (describing words). I have an old Oxford English Dictionary, published 1932, and it is a joy to sit and read the words which gave such light and shade to our language but which now, unfortunately, sees a large percentage of them long since gone.

Words are of the utmost importance, and the only means to convey to others what one means, and how one feels about everything, for instance words of comfort and words of praise. Words can lift others up or dash them down into the depths and, once harmful words are spoken, they can never be retracted, therefore words should be chosen carefully before being spoken.

An excellent, continuous education in grammar is so necessary. The only thing users of swear words do is show themselves up as being uneducated and, as for politicians using them, they are badly letting the side down, and should be ashamed of themselves.

Mrs J Geddes

Address supplied

Use your vote – make it count

With Theresa May denying seven times that she would call an early election and breaking promise after promise in the last Conservative election manifesto, it would seem an honest political leader is as rare as hen’s teeth.

In stark contrast Jeremy Corbyn is just that, a political leader who tells it like it is, without spin. At this election, no-one will be able to hide behind the excuse of not voting “because they are all the same”.

An early election suits the Tories since they know only too well that rising inflation, public service cuts and a declining economy lie ahead.

Like the Russian or Turkish presidents, Theresa May wants to win a big majority to “crush opposition” and stifle dissent as Tory policies worsen our quality of life.

Can Corbyn win? The political establishment say not, but the results of the USA election and the Brexit referendum tells us it’s the people who will decide the outcome and not the smug elite. Use your vote and make it count.

Dave Parker

via email