Letters Page

Dear Editor,

I am writing to congratulate Gary Fraser on his excellent article "The Big Idea -Taking Crime Seriously" in the first issue of the Democratic Green Socialist magazine. He is absolutely right in his analysis. Gary mentions the whipping up of moral panic, I wonder if this moral panic is unique to our society. Considering the huge and disproportionate prison population in our country (almost as much as USA and Russia), I think there is something unique about Scotland's perception and prevalence of crime, which our society is perpetuating.

I just returned from a long weekend in Berlin. The first two individuals I spoke when I got back launched into an unprovoked tirade of how young people in street corners were a cause of a lot of crime. The experience was a discourse on the politics of fear of young people, which has only one logical conclusion - it was akin to saying young people will commit crime because they are young. No mention was made that there is no housing for young people, or that jobs are low paid. This seemed completely contradictory to the climate of tolerance and inclusion I experienced on my trip.

Whilst away I decided to stay in the former East side amongst the former G.D.R. high rise housing schemes. The first thing I noticed was that these estates were largely lovely and spacious, recently painted (across nearly the entire city), double glazed, spotlessly clean, with a second to none public tram system. There were no burnt out cars, litter, furniture, mattresses, needles or bottles lying in doorways. I am not saying I really liked the look of all the gritty 1960's era houses. However, they put the social housing in Merkinch, Inverness or Tillydrone & Bucksburn, Aberdeen to shame. I would love to know "crime rate" comparisons between Berlin and say Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. The emphasis in Germany seemed to be on helping the poor neighbour, not demonising or locking up. In fact I learnt that the residents in the former West side (at least some of them) give a portion of their salary to help the East siders, which I thought was amazing.

There is a fear and fortress mentality in Britain you only have to turn on The Scottish News Builletin at tea time to be nearly guarenteed a headline story of horrific crime. Maybe it is easier for some people to panic than to appreciate the human experience in fellow citizens.

I think to try and grab the initiative on crime is a brilliant idea Gary, very succinctly put.

Yours sincerely Steve Mowat

Dear Comrades,

Could I add to Leah’s discourse on “a woman’s right to choose”?

When I’m involved in talk on abortion, I ask if anyone’s had one. Generally they accuse me of “facetiousness”, this means they’ve no idea that it’s like.

I’ll admit that I haven’t had one but I’ve been close enough to know that it’s not fun. It is a desperate measure only undertaken by those in desperate circumstances.

As I write (16 June 2008) MPs are debating how soon a woman may be forbidden having a legal termination. There is much talk on the viability of the foetus. They don’t mention how long it can take a teenage girl on a “sink estate” to find out what’s happening to her body and find someone who can sympathise with her, let alone help her, to work through the obstacles church and state put in her way and get a doctor to operate.

It’s bad enough for a middle class girl with an educated and enlightened family but many young women stand no chance.

Yours fraternally

GEOFF SKEET

Dear comrades,

I thought you might like to know that following the publication of our first issue, I sent off a few e-mails to various individuals and organisations, in order to draw attention to our endeavours.

I received the following personal reply from Tony Benn:

"Dear Joanne.

Thanks and good luck with your website. We need some new thinking on the Left".

Tony

Personally I think we've made an excellent start, so let's keep up the good work !

Joanne Telfer