Moral breakdown is our greatest threat

It may be the so-called “terror attacks” that trigger the biggest headlines, the greatest public outrage and the most urgent responses from Government, but it is the worsening spiritual and moral breakdown of this country which is the biggest threat to us all.

The sickening rise in recent acid attacks, as well as the record number of knife crimes, are only a part of the UK’s plummeting moral decline, which also includes an increase in reported-only murders (now two a day in England and Wales), violence, rapes (over 100 a day), sexual assaults and child abuse etc.

Imagine if all these despicable – victim-terrorising – crimes were committed by “terrorists”: a national state of emergency would be declared and the streets would be teeming with armed police and soldiers.

But have you noticed that this rot-from-within is barely discussed in the media? Largely, because it is the media – the amoral TV media especially – that effectively “teaches” the populace how to behave and what to believe in – ie nothing.

The result of this is that the subjects of, and even the very words “spirituality” and “morality”, are now virtually more offensive than the grossest obscenities.

This insidious moral cancer affects us all: it destroys lives, fractures the family unit and, ultimately, ruins communities and our whole society, more effectively than any headline-grabbing terrorist.

James Hayes-Carter

Cardiff

State ownership needs hard Brexit

With all the talk and fears of a soft or hard Brexit, and political posturing from our leaders, we have all been treated to a mix of lies and half-truths.

What we do know is that one party leader has a record of voting against the EU going back to the 1970s. Voting to leave the European Economic Community in the 1975 referendum; voted against the Lisbon treaty; blamed the EU for gross human rights abuse in Western Sahara and calling the EU a bureaucracy that is unaccountable to anybody; wrote that the EU project has always been to create a huge free market with ever-limiting powers for national Parliaments.

At the last election this leader presented the country with a manifesto to re-introduce state ownership of industry, which is against EU single market rules, and recently sacked three front bench MPs for supporting a soft Brexit.

The party leader in question is none other than Jeremy Corbyn. Those hoping that Jeremy will deliver a soft Brexit need to think again, as he has never believed in the EU and needs a hard Brexit in order to re-introduce state ownership.

Councillor Nigel Dix

Blackwood

Remainers’ delaying tactics are patronising

I once believed that we lived in a country where people from all walks of life were able to exercise their democratic franchise without fear or favour.

Although our ‘first past the post” system was not perfect by any means, those with the most votes carried the day. It is a profound disappointment, therefore, that some leading figures in the political world are appearing to treat the 2016 referendum result as if it never happened.

Others, some of whom are hardly in the first flush of youth, have blamed what they consider the “elderly”’ for living in the past. I have nothing against our European neighbours, nor trading and co-operating with them to our mutual advantage.

But I do object to being dragged into a European super state on the nod, so to speak, [which is how] many of the rules and regulations with which we find ourselves burdened have come about.

Scares and speculation by those with an interest in remaining in the EU are seized upon and circulated as if facts. In this respect the BBC has gone down in my estimation. Surely there is more than a whiff of the days when our “betters” knew what was good for us?

How ever much those who would prefer to ignore ‘Brexit’ claim to respect the democratic process, their actions smack of delaying tactics.

Hopefully, those who purport to know what is good for us are also worldly wise enough to know that crawling back to Brussels would gain us neither respect nor influence.

H Thomas

Neath Abbey

Small inaccuracy on a very big man

With regard to the Western Mail article about the capital’s truths and myths (July 14): Number 13, Cardiff had a giant. Truth factor: False.

In fact, there was a real Cardiff giant – George Auger, born near the Great Western Railway Station in Cardiff, where his parents had a business in nearby St Mary Street.

George’s family moved to America when he was a boy. He grew to 8ft 4in.

In 1903 he joined the famed Barnum & Bailey Circus and was billed as “The Cardiff Giant.’’ It was his great ambition to play in his hometown at the Cardiff Empire Theatre in Queen Street.

When he retired he devoted his time to writing short stories and sketches. Sadly, he died of digestive problems in New York on Thanksgiving Day in 1922, without appearing in Cardiff.

As for number 10, “Death junction”, well, that area of land between Crwys Road, City Road and Albany Road, Cardiff, was known as The Gallows Field. On the Crwys Road side of the wall of the National Westminster Bank can be seen a plaque which reads: “On this site on the 22nd July,1679, Father Phillip Evans and Father John Lloyd were executed for exercising their priestly duties. Declared Saints and Martyrs by Pope Paul V1 on the 25th October,1970.”

More of this story can be found in my book Cardiff Remembered (The History Press), along with some of the other subjects mentioned in the article, such as Buffalo Bill’s three visits to Cardiff and Victoria Park’s Billy the Seal.

Brian Lee

Cardiff

Welsh rule could be first step to repression

As a native-born Welshman, I am of course proud of my country and fully support efforts to promote our unique language and rich culture, and regret my own limited abilities in said language.

However, I am a little concerned at the new “basic Welsh language” for Welsh Assembly staff.

I remember, as a student back in the 1970s, being told by a young lady from South Africa at an anti-apartheid rally, that one of the injustices of apartheid was the requirement that public sector workers must speak Afrikaans, thus disqualifying the vast majority of the population from those jobs.

This new rule, which would have a similar, although less proscriptive effect in Wales, may be the first small step onto a very slippery slope.

One should encourage Welsh, not force it upon people, otherwise you have a trigger for resentment. I do not want my country and language to EVER be associated by future generations with repression and racism.

Ian McNicholas

Ebbw Vale

Welsh Labour could enact Corbyn’s plan

The Welsh Labour government needs to look up the words “priorities” and “misleading”.

Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto promised to lift the NHS pay cap, abolish student fees and protect Welsh jobs from a hard Brexit.

In reality, Welsh Labour MPs voted with the Tories for a hard Brexit, Welsh Labour AMs will not scrap the NHS pay cap, and have now raised tuition fees to £9,295.

Welsh Labour misled all students, the young, public sector workers and workers in general. Still the people of Wales fall for their false hopes and dreams they can’t deliver.

Andrew Nutt

Bargoed

We’re tired of your posturing, Carwyn

CARWYN JONES cosies up with his Scottish pal Nicola Sturgeon to declare that the UK Government’s Repeal Bill is a “naked power grab”.

Sorry, Mr Jones, but this is democracy in action. Brexit is what the people of Wales voted for.

We’re tired of your sad posturing. Stick to trying to run Wales.

B Porter

Wrexham