Views in letter show worse side of nationalism

found to be false.

I sincerely hope elected officials take seriously their responsibility to be accurate and truthful in public discourse especially in matters of the health of vulnerable groups.

Colin Morrison, by email.

throughout the Kintyre and Islands ward and wider Argyll.

Many statistics on rural broadband coverage are misleading as they use raw numbers of households that have access to better mobile coverage and faster broadband rather than landmass.

This means that the providers can give a decent (but not perfect) service to a few of Argyll’s largest towns and claim that the majority of households in Argyll and Bute are covered.

As so many of my constituents know all too well, islands, villages, farms, crofts and individual households outside of these larger towns slip though the net and sadly continue to go without.

There is no true market solution to all of rural Argyll’s broadband and mobile phone coverage challenges, which is why we will need to see large-scale investment from the increasing central belt-obsessed Scottish Government to correct this imbalance.

I will continue to relentlessly lobby for better mobile and broadband coverage for my council ward and the rest of rural Argyll.

Councillor Alastair Redman, Islay.

I was interested in the views expressed in letters (The Oban Times, November 29) in that I have a similar background being of a smilar age, born in England and resident for many years in this great country, and we both voted to remain in the EU referendum.

My main point concerns the statement that on moving here, he found ‘Scotland to be much more congenial, culturally and politically, having a level of personal and public consideration and humanity generally more lacking south of the border’. I am not doubting, of course, that this is his personal experience, but it is exactly that and we must acknowledge that some people’s experience may be different.

People and organisations with the attributes he so admires are prevalent everywhere and it is not the prerogative of Scots to be ennobled in this way.

No doubt there are some born and brought up in Scotland who find these admirable qualities where they now reside in England, or wherever, which they did not find here.

Patriotism is much to be admired and for those who desire it, it is a laudable goal, but this letter just showed the worst end of Scottish nationalism.

Ian Johnson, Stirling.

Aig àn am seo den bhliadhna tha e traidiseanta agus nàdarra a bhith a’ cluinntinn sgeulachd bhunaiteach a’ chreidimh Chrìosdail is mar a rugadh Crìosd ann an stàball ann am baile a bha cho dripeil is nach robh àite ri lorg dha coigrich a shiubhail astar mòr agus an leanabh aice-se an impis tighinn.

Sgaoil feallsanachd a’ chreidimh sin air feadh an t-saoghail thar linntean agus ged a thathas ga mheas mar shlat-tomhais air gach nì math feumar aideachadh le tàmailt gum bheil an t-uamhas strì agus aimhreit air tachairt ann an ainm Crìosdachd cuideachd.

Chan e an creideamh Crìosdail a-mhàin a tha ciontach is eachdraidh a’ dearbhadh chun an latha ‘n-diugh mar a tha “creideamh” na phrìomh adhbhar chogaidhean feadh an t-saoghail! Beachd chuid ga sparradh air cuid eile! “Foghlam is oideachadh” le làmhachas làidir!

Saoilidh mi nach gabhadh duine ri leithid de mhodhteagaisg ann an coimhearsnachd shìobhalta sam bith an-diugh, agus carson mar sin a bhithte ga mheas iomchaidh a leithid a dhèanamh a thaobh chreideamhan a tha eadar-dhealaichte ach a tha gu ìre uile a’ moladh sìth.

Is buaine bliadhna na Nollaig their an seanfhacal agus nach bu mhath an fheallsanachd sin dhan t-saoghal ann a bhith ag amas air dùrachdan agus tiodhlacan Nollaige a bhuileachadh a sheasas tron bhliadhna romhainn aig a’ char as lugha. Air sgàth an ùidh dhiombuan a bhathas a’ toirt dha peataichean chaidh an abairt “chan eil peata airson na Nollaige a-mhàin” a chlàradh mar chomhairle do dhaoine a bhiodh ag iarraidh peata mar thiodhlac Nollaige.

Tha mi a’ creidsinn gum bheil iomadh atharrachadh a dh’iarramaid uile ann an staid an t-saoghail nan robh an cumhachd againn sin a thoirt gu buil. Ach tha cothrom againn uile buaidh air choreigin a thoirt air a’ choimhearsnachd anns am bheil sinn a’ còmhnaidh, agus anns an t-seadh sin ‘s dòcha leasachadh a thoirt air beatha nàbaidh neo eòlach. Sin gun teagamh cumhachd as fhiach a chur gu feum aig àm Nollaige agus fad na bliadhna, agus ‘s iongantach an toileachas a dh’fhaodas gnìomh glè bheag a thoirt do chuideigin. Gu cinnteach tha margaidheachd an t-saoghail chalpachais a’ ciallachadh gum bheil impidh mhòr ceannach ga chur air daoine aig an àm seo den bhliadhna agus gu dearbha tha fianais gu leòr ann air mar a tha cuid gam faotainn fhèin ann am fiachan troma ri linn uallaichean na Nollaige.

Ach faodar coibhneas agus càirdeas a nochdadh ann an iomadach dòigh agus chan fheum neach ach beartas spioraid gus sin a dhèanamh. Nollaig chridheil agus shona dhuibh uile.

Most of us would wish to improve many things in the world but we lack power to achieve such changes.

However, in the words of the Jim Reeves hit, ‘a stranger’s just a friend you don’t know’ and we can all deliver an invaluable Christmas gift by influencing our communities through generosity of spirit and improve someone else’s life. I wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Ailean Caimbeul (Allan Campbell) ailean@obantimes.co.uk