Hear All Sides

AIR GUNS

AFTER the recent air gun attack on Nicola Distin (Echo, Nov 20), who lost an eye in the attack in Gateshead, and the recent shooting of two ponies with a crossbow, also in the same area, I am very pleased that Gateshead Council is to present a petition to the Home Office calling for tighter controls on air guns. This, of course, should include crossbows.

These lethal weapons should only be used in a licensed gun club, if at all.

Otherwise, they should be banned altogether, as anyone purchasing such lethal weapons is surely up to no good and is intent on causing injury to animals or people.

I cannot comprehend that such heinous weapons have any legitimate purpose. - G Wall, Crook.

BULLYING

YOUR article on bullying (Echo, Nov 28) highlights just how widespread and serious this issue is.

Having a family member who is currently a victim, my heart goes out to the parents and family of Elaine Swift.

Head teachers and education authorities have got to realise that this is a serious problem, which must be addressed.

When a child does complain or admit to being bullied, more often than not it is not the first time it has happened and is not an isolated incident. The worst thing a teacher can say to the child is: "It's all in your head," or "No one else saw it happen".

I do appreciate that teachers are restricted to a certain extent, but I do suspect some are very wary of aggressive parents who may physically and verbally abuse them.

Although this very serious issue is often a point of discussion in schools, as well as in the media, there seems to be no recognition of any kind of reprimand for the bullies themselves.

My idea would be for the local education authority to provide a special unit where children who bully could be placed. This would allow their victims to continue their education in a safe environment, free from further harm.

Let these offenders spend some time being educated amongst others like themselves. Then, if their behaviour improves, allow them back into mainstream schools.

Why not stigmatise these bullies, otherwise they will continue to behave in this way throughout their adult life? - AC Lea, Darlington.

BULLYING is an issue that must question the sort of society we live in. But, whether we like it or not, bullying is part of life which most of us learn to live with.

When I went to school, the cane was in use, but it did not stop the bullying. At least there was a consequence if we were caught.

The experts come up with introverts, extroverts, those who do not like sport, or those who are more artistic.

While I hear the fine speeches from our politicians and other moralising bodies, they fail to solve the issue of young people.

We rail on about the freedom of the individual. Does that mean the freedom to bully, intimidate and subject society as a whole to their ignorance and stupidity? - J Young, Crook.

WHEN I read about the tragedy of Elaine Swift's death after being bullied, I felt for her family.

But I also felt a rapidly rising tide of anger welling up inside.

We get mealy-mouthed excuses from authorities about bullying, and it will happen again.

The answer is not that difficult. Make bullying a criminal offence and send police to every school to warn pupils of the consequences if they are found guilty, and warn teachers that if they fail in their duty to stop bullying they will face similar charges. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

FLUORIDATION

I SEE the spectre of fluoride is raising its ugly head again. Authorities now want to put it in children's school milk.

I cannot believe there are people in authority who are still indoctrinated by the fallacy that fluoride might prevent tooth decay. It doesn't

Fluoride is a poison. It has a toxicity rating between that of lead and arsenic. It is still used as a rat poison. It is raw toxic industrial waste scraped from the scrubbers of industrial chimneys that is difficult to dispose of safely.

Is this really what you want our children to be forced to drink in milk and, even worse, in drinking water?

If you do not want children's milk and water to be poisoned with fluoride, please write to your MP and say so. The children have no say in preventing it happening to them. We must stop if for them now. - A Hall, Darlington.

PETER MULLEN

PETER Mullen (Echo, Nov 27) makes an interesting comparison between martyrs who die for their faith and murderers who kill for their faith and get themselves killed in the process.

In an earlier column, Mr Mullen said he would like to put the "fist" into "pacifist". Pacifists believe it is wrong to kill their fellow human beings, even in war. Many have shown great courage, suffering prolonged incarceration, torture and execution. They have died for their beliefs, but to Mr Mullen they are not martyrs but "fools, cowards and traitors".

It has been said that we should not call Osama bin Laden an "Islamic" terrorist because he has distorted Islam beyond recognition to suit his own fanatical political perspective. For similar reasons, has Peter Mullen forfeited his right to call himself a Christian? - P Winstanley, Chester-le-Street.