SHONA Craven’s piece (Segregating pupils by religion is a barrier to friendship, The National, March 1) claiming Catholic schools are a barrier to friendships with other children could sadly be seen as blaming denominational schools for sectarianism. I had experience of both Catholic and non-denominational schools and the only one where there was a whiff of sectarianism – from the teachers – was the non-denominational one.

Shona asks what is importance of the ethos of Catholic schools in the 21st century. For me, the main one is the teaching of ethics where kids learn about what constitutes a “virtuous life” and a decent society. That stress on ethics, deriving from the Catholic Social Thought Tradition and its associated theology, results, for example, in Catholic schools being the most generous to projects in the global south, boosted by visits from those running the programmes or benefiting from them because of the universalism of the Catholic Church.

Part of leading a virtuous life (stemming, by the way, from that good pagan, Aristotle) is also to be tolerant of others and their belief systems. What Shona should have asked is why of the 7000 plus anti-religious hate crimes in Scotland, 60% of them have been anti-Catholic when Catholics comprise only 16% of the population. Sectarianism is bred on the football pitches of Scotland and in our homes, not in schools where ethics are taught.
Duncan MacLaren
Address supplied

WHAT an excellent article by David Pratt (Back to the future: Why US moves in Venezuela bode ill for Latin America, The National, March 1). He is absolutely correct to surmise that the US’s latest regime change plan for Venezuela will end badly.

Every regime change ever attempted by the US has. From Iran to Chile, Lybia to Iraq ... all have ended in catastrophe and immense human suffering. Sadly the entire US political machine and all of the mainstream media in the country seem to have learned nothing from past mistakes and are, as one, baying for yet one more intervention.

Tulsi Gabbard, a US army vet of two Iraqi tours is the Democratic Representative for Hawaii (and presidential hopeful) and almost a lone voice of sanity in demanding an end to this destructive neo-con policy.

Huge damage has already been done to Venezuela, of course. The groundwork for regime change – crippling sanctions – has already caused immense suffering among the poor of Venezuela. Just as they did in Chile, the US is making Venezuela’s economy “scream” before moving in for the kill.

Most of the mainstream media in the UK buy into the fake ‘humanitarian regime change’ agenda so it’s really heartening to see a notable MSM journalist like David Pratt provide such a knowledgable, context-driven and truthful analysis.
Frank Rodgers
Glasgow

RICHARD Leonard has stated that a Labour government, if elected, would not agree to a Scottish referendum on independence (Richard Leonard: Labour would ‘not agree’ to independence referendum, The National, March 3). He need not worry. During the 2014 independence referendum, in an exchange of views at Holyrood between the then Labour leader and the First Minister about the future, the First Minister stayed that it would be “Labour no more”.

How true. Labour north of the Tweed are slipping further and the head office is splintering. So Richard Leonard need not worry about a Labour government at Westminster having to deal with the issue. It looks like a Labour no more double whammy.

Yet, his party and he might want to drop his Unionism and face facts. If Labour-no-more south of the Tweed becomes a reality, then Labour north of the Tweed could have a future in an independent Scotland. No point in waiting for its atrophied party down south to get into 10 Downing Street.

It could rid itself of its “branch status” which confines it to being mere lobby fodder in the House of Commons; the term “branch” being coined by a former Labour leader at Holyrood, Johann Lamont no less!

Being on its own in Holyrood and starting to focus on Scotland from within, might give it a new purpose. It might even rekindle itself through that process.

At present, it is a minor entity in Scotland reduced to working even with the Tories at local level in some areas. It does not even have the gumption to proclaim that Scots voted to remain in the EU.

It is to all intents and purposes a carpet bagger party in its own country, a party whose leaders have a short political shelf life! Given that trend, it might not be long before his party ejects Richard Leonard and he too slips off the shelf like his many predecessors.

Anyway, we are not feart of Westminster up here. Scots will take their future into their own hands democratically and peacefully.
John Edgar
Kilmaurs