PETE Winstanley (HAS, May 25) objects to Adam Walker (HAS, May 20) using the word racism as per Concise Oxford Dictionary definition. I didn’t know it was a crime to use words as per dictionary definition. Seems to me this is sign of clear or logical thought.
Mr Winstanley, of course, is frustrated by the fact that the dictionary definition is relatively narrow and excludes a range of activities that he would like to include under the umbrella “racism”. My answer to that is “tough”. The dictionary definition is what it is, and that’s that.
No doubt the political left favours a broad or vague definition of the word racism because it enables it to engage in a verbal witch-hunt and/or arrest anyone disagreeing with its views on multiculturalism.
Of course, actual arrests for expressing politically incorrect views are not all that common, but giving oneself the powers of arrest is a great wheeze for stifling debate.
Ralph Musgrave, Durham.
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