I’M finally coming to the end of my Christmas reading, and of course it wouldn’t have been Christmas without The Broons annual. I was nearly at the end of the Glebe Street familial antics when my world fell apart. In one story, the corpulent Daphne’s out at Hallowe’en. Guising? Is she wheech! She is quite clearly trick or treating. In fact the page title carries the legend: “Trick or treat, Daphne wants a sweet – but will she get onythin’ good tae eat?”
In the name o’ the wee man. After all my campaigning to keep Hallowe’en Scottish – well, annually posting of a picture of a dripping treacle piece hanging from a clothes line on social media – I’ve been let down by the very family I took to be the bastion of all things Scottish.
Oddly, a few pages later, Granpaw’s heading to the But n Ben saying to Paw: “Whit a load o’ nonsense givin’ storms names. This is no’ America.” Eh ... by the way!
I’m only halfway through my Oor Wullie annual. What if the toosled-haired laddie’s not holding a piece of coal in one hand and a bit o black bun in the other at Hogmanay? What if he’s heading to the Edinburgh street party instead of first-footing? I’ll keep you posted.
Fiona Macaulay
Edinburgh
AT last someone speaking the truth about Billy Graham (Letters, February 24). The articles and letters until now have been such a lot of sentimental tosh. If this bigoted American was able to turn some people to God then I have to say that they must have been somewhat gullible or maybe just desperate for some kind of meaning in their lives which, at the time, were very hard and dull. He was working the halls and making money from human weakness, which is deplorable.
It’s worrying that all of the media stuck with the honourable man articles – right-wing hypocrisy I suppose, although I will never understand people falling for a religion’s promises of “pie in the sky when you die” instead of demanding their share of the pie right now!
Rosemary Smith
East Kilbride
THE letter by Peter Kerr on the death of Billy Graham, who like all men was not perfect, was nonetheless a cold, cynical and unsympathetic criticism of him and indeed of all religions.
It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I reflect on Graham’s life. As one of the greatest Christian evangelists and a charismatic preacher for more than 70 years he touched the lives of millions, including myself, with his unshakable faith in God through the healing forgiving power of Christ.
Throughout his long and eventful life he was never tainted by any kind of scandal, although investigated many times by numerous agencies. His simple fundamental message of love was questioned as being too conservative, but in fact like Jesus he was very much a man of his time.
This humble man, who walked and talked with presidents and monarchs, in his world crusades changed millions of lives in many countries including Scotland.
Sadly, in later years I have somewhat mislaid that faith through world-weary life experiences. However, I have never forgotten that time when Billy Graham transformed my life and the joy of youthful fervour made everything possible and nothing impossible. And on reflection that feeling has never really left me where hope and charity are enshrined in the power of love.
Grant Frazer
Cruachan, Newtonmore
JF DAVIDSON laments the ignorance and prejudices displayed by the typical Question Time audience (Letters, February 24). Of course audiences are very carefully selected. A year or two ago the “audience editor” was exposed as having far-right (and Unionist) connections and had boasted on social media about how she packed the audience.
Nowadays it’s particularly difficult for independence supporters to get a place in the audience. A decade or two ago it was easier, and I got a place myself a few times. I remember on one occasion before the cameras started running Dimbleby told us to avoid questions relating to the Scottish Government because the show would be networked all over the UK. What we did discuss in detail on that occasion (one of the few times the show came north of the Border) were the reasons for the resignation of the English minister for education (whose remit didn’t include Scotland).
Mary McCabe
Glasgow
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