SO John McLeod (Letters, April 20) thinks wearing face masks could be a new norm? No! As a temporary measure, yes, but there is more to life than mere existence! We talk about the current development of a community
spirit with neighbours, but our community is more than that narrow grouping.
Glasgow has always been a friendly city where people smiled and freely spoke to each other. But now others move away, look away, when I am out with my dog in the park. It feels like a rejection, the loss of true community where if you were in trouble, someone would help. And this is the problem with extended use of face masks.
READ MORE: Wearing a mask in public should become the new social norm
You cannot see a smile or the intentions of another person if they are wearing a face mask. It is isolating, threatening, encouraging fearfulness. It is the direct opposite of a caring community. Where I am getting eye
contact I’m making a point of smiling and waving my thanks for keeping a distance; where there is none I speak and say “Hello!”, “Nice day!”, “Good morning!” (I almost made a cyclist fall off his bike with shock when I greeted him…) When people look surprised I explain why I think it is
important.
So – no to permanent face masks; let’s think of our current situation as physical distancing, not social distancing; let’s protect the community spirit by being more demonstratively friendly.
After all, we need the community to remain open and strong and caring after the virus has departed. And there is no evidence that you can get this coronavirus by making eye contact with someone on the other side of the street!
Sheila Semple
Glasgow
THOUGH I agree with Kevin McKenna that a big discrepancy exists between the richest and the poorest, rectifying it may not be that easy. How about having a trial?
The most egalitarian of team sports is North American Football (NFL); for those who don’t know, it’s a form of rugby where the ball is thrown forward. As it’s mainly played in the USA, there are no external competitions for country or clubs.
To maintain the public’s interest, a way to prevent the same teams winning every season was devised. All the teams pick new players from those leaving their time at university and the teams they were in. The lowest NFL teams finishing the season have the first choice of players, ie the better ones, with the teams higher up the league then choosing theirs. What could be fairer?
The trial could be adapted for Scottish football. Without the annual influx of new players from outside the leagues, an alternative would be to allow the lowest teams in each league to have the option to choose from its better clubs. For example the bottom club could pick three players from the league winner, the second bottom team choose three from the runner-up; and vice versa the top clubs would have the option to choose from their equivalent lower clubs.
Each league would become more competitive. Expensive transfers would be history, as would paying high wages to attract players. As a result season tickets would become more affordable, so benefitting spectators. Of course to progress the idea EUFA would have to agree, as would all the other countries’ leagues. Nor can the players’ freedom to move to and from other countries be ignored, or equally some very irate and much poorer agents.
Unfortunately it’s not money that makes the world go round, but the love of money. Of those who have it and those who don’t nearly all want more.
Robert Walker
Kinross
I WAS interested in Hamish Macpherson’s article on Wendy Wood in Monday’s edition (Wendy Wood: A Scottish patriot to her very core, April 21). In 1974 I was the SNP candidate for Edinburgh North and Wendy Wood turned up at one of the meetings.
At that time she was a bete noir to the SNP, and as a novice and not very inspiring speaker, I worried a bit. However, she made no comment – she had been brought along by one of our members, Jean Curran, a long-term member of the nationalist movement.
READ MORE: Wendy Wood: A Scottish patriot to her very core
I spoke to her after the meeting and I was overwhelmed by the warmth of her personality; I gave her a lift home – she lived in Stockbridge, or perhaps Goldenacre.
I was also taken by Hamish’s comments on the 650h Anniversary of The Declaration of Arbroath. I missed her comment then, as when the Declaration was being read we were distracted by heckling from Pastor Jack Glass and his 20th Century Reform movement, who stood at the back and shouted ”No Popery” during the reading.
They persisted until Arthur Donaldson, a former SNP chairman, went up the police officer in charge and said “Will you remove these people – or will we?”
Jim Lynch
Edinburgh
Scotland is in lockdown. Shops are closing and newspaper sales are falling fast. It’s no exaggeration to say that the future of The National is at stake. Please consider supporting us through this with a digital subscription from just £2 for 2 months by following this link: www.thenational.scot/subscribe. Thanks – and stay safe.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel