Moscow writing
Sir: After months of lamentations from western politicians and officials about losing the ‘information war’ to Russia, a former executive editor of Radio Free Europe tries to paint everything Russia Today does in terms of a ‘propaganda’ campaign (‘Moscow calling’, 6 December). If RT is not inherently bad, it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, says John O’Sullivan.
Take the sectarian violence in Libya, and the Syrian rebel groups that have now become Isis. Russia Today was reporting on these issues years before anyone else cared to. According to O’Sullivan’s article, when we cover the hypocrisy of US or European policies it is simply to further RT’s pro-Russian, anti-western agenda. Mass surveillance, drone strikes on civilians, police abuse — according to John O’Sullivan, these are all Russia-favouring stories that are only covered because President Putin orders it.
It is disappointing that an organisation such as The Spectator, whichpurports to advance public debate and democracy, has to resort to such undignified tactics to try and bring down the competition.
Margarita Simonyan
Editor-in-chief, Russia Today, Moscow
In praise of Russia Today
Sir: In September last year, Russia Today gave me my 15 minutes of fame, to talk about the worsening situation on Ascension Island. There, people who hold full British nationality were and are being gravely mistreated on sovereign British territory, by and on behalf of the US military, whose air base dominates the island, and who would much rather the Brits weren’t there.
It is a national disgrace, and to this day only RT has bothered to run this story. The BBC has never done so. Sky News directly refused — I know, because I tried to interest them in it. Not for the first time, and doubtless not for the last, thank goodness for RT. If you do not like it, then better it. You could start by examining the situation on Ascension.
David Lindsay
Lanchester, County Durham
Putin’s nerves
Sir: I have high hopes that Putin’s experiment has failed (‘Russia falling’, 6 December). The country is not only on the brink of recession: it has been there for several months, thanks to carefully crafted sanctions. With the plummeting rouble and the flight of capital, I don’t imagine the oligarchs will take much interest: they will be eating kuchen in St Moritz. What you didn’t remark on was that, at the last inspection of the grand Russian fleet in the Black Sea, Putin appeared to have a pronounced nervous tic. Some psychiatrists have commented that it could be more than that — perhaps an incipient psychosis.
The response of the Russian people in voting for that sort of person, as irascible and barmy as Nicholas I, makes one think that they still crave for the Tsar.
William Sibree
Chart Sutton, Kent
Will Ross eat his hat?
Sir: I share Melissa Kite’s outrage at the shadow HS2 is casting over our lives (‘How HS2 blights lives’, 6 December). There is, however, a speck of light at the end of the tunnel. It is the prospect of Ross Clark fulfilling his repeated pledge to eat his hat in the dining car of the first HS2 train out of Euston. It is worrying when even seasoned commentators continue to underestimate the fiscal irresponsibility of our political class.
Marilyn Fletcher
Great Missenden, Bucks
Game changer
Sir: The Barometer column (6 December) features the death of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, in 1751 after a blow from a cricket ball. It might also have mentioned the consequential accession to the throne of his son on the death of George II in 1760.
George III was introverted, petulant and had ambitions to reassert the constitutional rights his grandfather had allowed to lie dormant. He meddled increasingly in politics as he sought to reign and rule with what was later described by the Earl of Chatham as ‘all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop’. With hideous irony, he eventually presided over the greatest loss of royal power ever experienced by a British monarch, draining ruinous sums of money from the treasuries on both sides of the Atlantic before the colonialists finally established the independent United States of America.
Might all that have played out differently, but for a blow from a cricket ball?
Ashley Mote
Binsted, Hampshire
What future for Zuma?
Sir: I congratulate you on publishing the dispatches of Andrew Kenny from South Africa (‘Beyond the rainbow’, 6 December) on a post-Mandela South Africa. As a South African living here, I am often asked how soon it will be before South Africa becomes another Zimbabwe. The test is approaching, for the opposition party is gaining ground, especially among young urban blacks, and will soon reach the point when President Zuma’s political dominance will be threatened. His choice will then be between the strong possibility of jail on the one hand or outright dictatorship on the other.
Nigel Bruce
King’s Lynn, Norfolk
More truth about divorce
Sir: Rod Liddle has confronted inconvenient and painful truths head on (‘What you’re not allowed to say about divorce’, 29 November). As a teacher, I tried to help a number of children, from all points on the socio-economic spectrum, whose families were falling apart. I soon realised that the only people who are obliged to concern themselves with the children all the time are the parents. Anyone else could go on holiday or change jobs.
But divorce means that parents can absent themselves too, without consideration of the views of the other parent, or of the children, who of course cannot themselves walk away. Rearing children is the most demanding project imaginable. Why should any parent be allowed to walk away unchallenged, not only from a dependent child, but also from the other parent, who requires support, encouragement and help?
Peter Inson
Colchester, Essex
The tyranny of screens
Sir: K.J. Lamb’s cartoon depicting the dystopia of everyone being focused on some handheld device is all too true (6 December, page 62). At least it is true of New York, where I find myself for a few days. The lobby, coffee bar and restaurant of my pleasant hotel all resemble busy cyber cafés. Conversations occur from time to time, but the screen in the hand is the main focus. Even at the theatre on Broadway I was surrounded by active tweeters in silent mode, faces eerily illuminated by the glow of their phones, while Glenn Close and Lindsay Duncan acted their hearts out. Whatever next?
Dr Alan Rodger
Glasgow
Voices with soul
Sir: Ysenda Maxtone Graham makes a fair point, that a beautiful voice draws attention to the words. As someone who has spent my adult life teaching voice techniques, I can say that the actors who have beautiful voices speak from their very being. Think of Richard Burton’s — rich, soulful and magnificent. It’s the business of uncovering that which is essentially there in all of us, the greatest gift we have.
Neville Wortman
London W4
We’re not chippy
Sir: As the prospective Conservative MP for Bristol East, I agree with Kit Wilson on the city’s ‘vast potential’ (‘The trouble with Bristol’, 29 November). I do not agree, however, that the city has a chip on its shoulder. Bristol is an independent and entrepreneurial city, with more than 70 per cent of our shops, restaurants, pubs and hairdressers independently run. We have a history of success in micro-electronics, aerospace and creative industries, and it has just been announced that a new museum will open in a celebration of Bristol’s contribution to aviation.
There are issues with Bristol such as our stalling transport system and residential parking, but these are being addressed. But Bristol is one of the most beautiful and best cities in Britain with a quality of life that means anyone would be lucky to live and work here.
Theo Clarke
Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bristol East
Civilisation needs faith
Sir: Matthew Parris asks if we are heading for a new barbarism (‘Signs that the virtual mob is starting to rule’, 29 November). Alasdair MacIntyre answered this question 25 years ago in his book After Virtue: it’s already here. The barbarians in our own dark age, he suggests, are ‘not waiting beyond the frontiers; they have already been governing us for quite some time’. Both men would accept that culture and civility need defending, but both concepts are diminished when faith is derided. Christianity preserved western civilisation through the last dark age; it has an important role in doing the same today.
Revd David Ackerman
London W10
Thrilled and offended
Sir: As a left-hander, I found Rod Liddle’s column of 6 December — in which he calls us ‘awful’, ‘thick’ and ‘scum’ — grossly offensive. As a right-winger, though, it thrilled me, because he made some rather brave and true remarks about immigration. I’m now feeling quite confused. Probably because I am thick. Carry on Rod.
Philip Church
London W12
Patient rewarded
Sir: Matthew Bell is quite right about the extraordinary impact of television. (‘Fame at last’, 6 December). Years ago I found myself in a theatre bar. ‘White wine, please!’ I said to the bartender. ‘I know you,’ he replied. I said: ‘That’s not possible, I’ve never been here before.’ He rounded up all the bar staff, who stood around me, muttering, before one said: ‘Doctors! You were in Doctors on TV!’
‘Well, yes, it’s true,’ I said, flustered. ‘But can I have my drink, please?’ ‘It’s on the house!’ said the bartender. I had played a patient in just one episode, six months earlier, but people remembered and wanted to buy me drinks!
Clarke Hayes
Hastings
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