Western hypocrisy over homosexuality is clear
A RATIONAL argument requires consistency of thought, with no room for contradictions.
When we lecture Qatar over their stance on homosexuality, we must remind ourselves that homosexuality was illegal in the
UK when England hosted the 1966 World Cup.
Western hypocrisy has reared its ugly head once more.
Ian Roblin
Llanishen, Cardiff
Prohibitive event invades our space
THE Christmas in Bute Park light show comes with a whopping price tag of £65.45 for a family of four – way beyond the means of many families living in the city.
What is free and accessible for all – or should be – is public open space. However, not only does this hugely expensive event fail to cater for most of Cardiff’s citizens, it also denies them access to this invaluable open space.
The event was already being set up by November 10, with all the associated disruption. It won’t be fully dismantled until January 16.
The pandemic has illustrated, beyond doubt, how much we all rely on the natural world for our health and wellbeing, yet tracts of this city- centre refuge are being restricted to those who can pay.
There are also deep concerns for the park’s wildlife – roosting birds, hibernating hedgehogs – and the disruption this protracted event will cause. Cardiff council has declared a nature emergency but does precious little to mitigate this crisis.
A commercial event such as this one should not be invading public green space – such areas should be sacrosanct and maintained for the benefit of all.
Nerys Lloyd-Pierce Pontcanna, Cardiff
Crack down on pavement parking
AS the 20mph speed limit comes into being, the Welsh Government now needs to legislate on pavement parking.
All over Wales the disabled, pushchair users, and those using trolleys for groceries have a problem.
When using footpaths, on occasion you may have to move on to the road, which is not only dangerous but also shouldn’t be the case.
Further to this, the damage caused by vehicles parked on pavements, cracking the paving stone, thereby increasing the risk of falls by those able to walk (if like others they haven’t been hit by traffic).
This in turn can create a claim for injury, let alone a long wait for an ambulance.
So, Welsh Government, save all pavement users, not including cyclists and electric scooter users, and get the pavement-parking situation sorted out. More fines money. Neil Fletcher
Cardiff
Plan called in amid wasted millions
OMG they never fail to surprise. Unbelievable! Not content with wasting £14m on an inquiry into a relief road for the M4 which never happened. Not content with spending somewhere in the region of £33m on introducing replacement signs/posts and road markings, for a 20mph speed limit, which noone wanted, and which is just not practical (causing more congestion, not less, in Cardiff than ever before), only to find now that that decision may well end up costing us, the taxpayer, again, something in the region of £4.54bn over the next three decades.
Not content with running our NHS into the ground, to the point where it’s now on its knees, and I speak from first-hand experience.
And now, the Hendre Lakes development, which includes plans for a new business park and a £120m train station in St Mellons, originally earmarked for 2024, and which was approved by Cardiff council in April, and which would provide 6,000 jobs, the Welsh Government has now decided (in its wisdom) to “call in” the project. What planet are they living on? Personally, I wouldn’t pay them in rusty washers. Appalling!
Mrs DE Davies Whitchurch, Cardiff
Focus on football not on negativity
THE First Minister and others deem it necessary to attend the World Cup as Ambassadors of Wales. This, he states, although only on the back of others’ efforts to attain such a meaningful success, is to promote Wales as a separate country and particularly as Qatar exports LNG to UK through Pembroke, with potential further development pending.
The import is for the UK and to assume this is a Wales-only scenario is somewhat overstating his case.
Added to a somewhat disingenuous LGBT stance, this suggests he wants the benefit of gleaning both scenarios for his own political end.
He strongly believes that politics cannot be separated from sport. It obviously attracts considerable nationalism and with it no doubt an insight into countries that host world events.
Unfortunately, “issues” that become highlighted are accentuated by the media, supporters/players, and viewers for that matter who find, whatever their opinion, are being inundated with negativity at every turn.
Surely, having known for 10 years-plus the ramifications of Qatar being awarded the competition, that to now use the situation because it is in world view is somewhat inflated.
The idea that “pride” should be marketed is fine, but there are many who display a “pride” in their teams and country and would prefer to enjoy the experience for what it is.
This is not to say they do not oppose injustices, humanitarian or otherwise.
It really is time there was more focus on the football in this case, but in fact any future venue having been vetted will, I am sure, be an excuse to find some reason to negate the event.
The whole scenario is too confrontational and it’s time the media stepped back and offered some positive feedback on events.
To date we have had no beer, no armbands, no entry into the ground… no more please! Windsor Davies Blandford
Homosexuality was illegal in the UK when England hosted the 1966 World Cup
Ian Roblin Llanishen, Cardiff
Women’s chance to change their minds
IT’S hard to understand the reason why good people are to be criminalised for wanting to offer help to women attending abortion clinics. I refer to the letter headed “A dark day for our civil liberties”.
I have attended prayer vigils outside the BPAS abortion clinic in Cardiff. We are simply there to offer last-minute opportunities to women to change their minds, it’s not palatable to supporters of abortion and a woman’s right to choose to accept that women may be coerced into having an abortion which they may regret for the rest of their lives, especially as they may go on to have children, or a child later on.
There is much coverage on TV news about people blocking roads in support of strongly held views, people outside abortion clinics are simply praying and offering help to women in their hour of need. Ask any member of the police force in Cardiff and you will find we are simply peacefully standing up, both for women and their unborn children.