England's identity crisis is worse

Your Letters January 06 2006

So might Shakespeare's Julius Caesar have encouraged us to face up to the Scottish enigma. Ours is not a crisis of identity – we have never lost it – but one of loyalty.

Scotland did unquestionably benefit from the Union, both initially and in its role of Empire-building. Now that pride, self-confidence and prosperity have been replaced with doubt and decline, we must ask ourselves whether the present arrangements are in the best interests of both parties.

From a purely economic standpoint Westminster would not like to lose its primary source of energy, but England, far more than Scotland, has an identity crisis. It has lost its way, torn between Europe and America, spending its dwindling resources on ill-conceived adventures like Trident and Iraq, at the same time creating a domestic society quite alien to the Scottish psyche.

A serious vote for Scottish independence is just what England needs to shake up its complacent and outdated Establishment. The old United Kingdoms of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland can maintain open borders like the growing band of other Europeans – separation means no more than running our family affairs as befits our needs and aspirations. It's not nationalism, it's common sense.

R F Morrison, 29 Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh.

 THERE are always two sides to consider in any argument, both of which usually make some valid points; this is certainly the case in the debate over the state of Scotland following Niall Ferguson's mainly prejudiced article (January 2).

One factor that is escaping serious discussion is the place of history education in Scottish schools, both state and "public"/private, for the history of a country is the history of its people and past achievements. Until relatively recently, the history taught was based on that of the British Empire with the emphasis being placed on the English input. Scotland was not the only Celtic-fringe nation to be so treated.

Undoubtedly, this historical educational fault has left a considerable imprint, one of basic subservience, on a great many Scots now holding senior positions within the Scottish and British politico-socio-economic scenes, so much so that those in thrall to the British scene frequently act against Scottish interests.

In this day and age, there is one undeniable truth in the democratic world and that is the fact that a country and its people will never realise their potential unless independence is achieved. This is becoming more obvious, on a daily basis, in Scotland.

Ian F M Saint-Yves, Dunvegan, School Brae, Whiting Bay, Arran.

 In an otherwise entertaining letter on the Niall Ferguson controversy J M Stevenson, in a gratuitously offensive kind of way, criticises the action of Netherlee Church in raising a large sum of money to help provide shelter for "institutionalised women" in Sri Lanka (January 3). Stevenson professes that charity begins "at home". If, as he prefers, the sartorially unchallenged folk of Netherlee had opted to spend the money on a more local cause, then logic dictates that they and thousands of others like them throughout Niall Ferguson's "North Britain" should be honoured for denying relief to the hapless victims of tsunami, earthquake or, as in Netherlee's case vis-à-vis Sri Lanka, of brutally insensitive local traditions and practices in relation to mental healthcare.

At Netherlee we don't think that way. We oppose the medieval view that charity begins at home which resonates with the maxim we should ignore suffering and hardship outside Scotland – or outside Netherlee for that matter. We are proud of our 40-year link with St Andrew's Church in Colombo and we shall doubtless go on doing what we can to respond to the cries of help which we expect will continue unabated from our sister congregation in that unhappy country. If and when the same cry comes from the "lanes and alleys of Glasgow" then we shall do our best to make a response to that too. Indeed, we have done so throughout our 77-year history as the records will show.

Ironically, Ferguson chides modern Scotland for what he sees as its parochial, self-seeking and inward-looking obsession with itself – in stark contrast with its proud heritage of extra-boundary care and concern. Stevenson's sentiments – as they apply to the actions of churches like Netherlee – serve merely to advance Ferguson's wrongheaded claims in that regard.
Ronald Crawford, 50 Colonsay Drive, Newton Mearns.


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