Call to account

The violent attack in Charlottesville confirms a growing undercurrent of right-wing extremism that is regrettably shaping immigration policy on both sides of the Atlantic. While the mainstream media in the US have called the President to account for his implicit support of such extremism, the UK equivalent, including the BBC, have apparently decided to turn a blind eye to the influence of such parties in the UK and the Prime Minister’s deplorably repeated call to bring total immigration down to fewer than 100,000 per year, in spite of the NHS and many private enterprises screaming out for more labour.

Here in Scotland, where a flexible immigration policy is not only necessary but critical both for the economy and the protection of public services, in attempting to demonise the SNP and the Scottish Government on almost every local issue that arises, the media distracts the public from objectively assessing the arguments relating to Brexit, especially those around immigration. Why is the UK Government not seriously scrutinised for supporting massive arms sales to countries that employ British arms to wreak devastation on huge numbers of innocent people in other countries while the mainstream media in Scotland apparently refuses to look beyond the “divisive” label scurrilously pasted to a possible future referendum by those who would thwart democracy?

At this perhaps pivotal period in the history of Scotland, if not our planet, it is important that all mass media professionals reflect on their responsibilities to avoid blinkered partisanship and furtive manipulation by those who wish to create a “society” that fundamentally rejects egalitarianism. STAN GRODYNSKI

Gosford Road Longniddry, East Lothian It is interesting watching politicians contradict themselves, for example, Jeremy Corbyn was on TV criticising Donald Trump for Trump’s original, less than fulsome condemnation of far right groups in Virginia; fair enough so far. Incidentally, the SNP gave us their usual platitudes here as well.

However, about a week previously, Corbyn was criticised for his less than fulsome condemnation of his pal Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Funny old world! WILLIAM BALLANTINE

Dean Road Bo’ness, West Lothian The recent outbreak of racial unrest and violence in the US is most disturbing. One factor I noticed again was the ‘’Black Lives Matter’’ slogan displayed prominently. This I fear, with perhaps the best intentions, is wrongly worded. Surely it should have been ‘’All Lives matter’’? The inference is that mixed, brown, yellow or white lives do not matter. This could easily be construed as racist.

ALEXANDER MCKAY New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh