EVERY right-minded person condemns the riotous behaviour of the right-wing demonstrators in Washington DC, but do not think that our strong democratic traditions mean the same can never happen in the UK.

A high proportion of our people show a degree of fundamentalism, which I find very worrying. The excising of politics and civics from the school curriculum means we have a generation many of whom are politically illiterate. Opinions are often accepted without criticism. Fame and celebrity are more important than truth and honesty.

READ MORE: Unionists comparing US chaos to Scotland was classic projection

Too many times we have had heard our Westminster politicians make statements of belief without justification and without exposure of their falsehoods in the media. The dogmatic opposition to Scottish independence by both major English parties, the oft-repeated phrase that Scotland would not be able to survive without the support of the rest of the UK, and the insistence that the views of Scots on membership of the EU do not matter are examples of a London-centric UK failing to support its policies with sound logic.

Actions during the Covid-19 pandemic have been plagued by compliance to party political philosophy, instead of being led by science. Tweets from anti-vaxers and no-lockdowners are circulating without criticism, drowning our more moderate opinion. We must fight this trend. Politicians who distort the truth, or even lie, should be unelectable. It is up to the silent majority not to be silent any more.

Pete Rowberry
Duns

WITH the chaotic scenes from America, I decided to check Donald Trump’s past political affiliations and discovered he clearly has been a butterfly politician, flitting from party to party, motivated primarily by self-interest.

First he was a Republican, then a member of the Reform Party, then a Democratic and then returned to the Republican party. Although he is going, he clearly won’t be gone. His particular form of nationalism clearly incites the USA’S far right and a large proportion of Americans. Very similar to the English far-right form of nationalism that has taken over the UK, where the far right dictates Westminster and London. And although Boris is distancing himself of the current American scene, there are so many similarities: let’s make England great again, let’s shut the door on immigration etc.

Scotland is of course a different place, more compassionate and welcoming. The sooner Americans turn their back on Trump, the sooner Scotland turns their back on Westminster, the sooner some sanity returns to our lives and that of future generations. Roll on self-determination!

Robin MacLean
Fort Augustus

SO Boris Johnson, English MP and noted chum – or to use the Oxford term, “chump” – of Trump, on Friday finally stuttered a comment on Trump’s actions. Along with a few other hesitant Tory MPs and ministers at Westminster, the shapeshifter is trying to realign.

What took him so long? Trump’s raging and lies, his call to armed insurrection at the Capitol was the end game of his long intention. During the last few months he was uttering threats and calling in support from the gathering mob, and No 10 was as usual silent.

READ MORE: Assault on Capitol was nothing less than a domestic terrorist attack

What is damning is that many in the Tory party shared a platform with Trump for the last four years. Gove was eager to rush to the US and be seen to be photographed alongside him.

Now it has come crashing down. The Tory government was shattered when Biden gained the majority of votes and the necessary electoral college majority to be president-elect. That put paid to the Tory hubris and the impending gloating about the Trumpists and Brexiteers in England changing conventions and becoming a transatlantic force!

It has all crashed down, and the scenes in the Capitol are ironically a fitting political epitaph for Trump and his Westminster opposite number. No more dashing across to smirk and snigger!

Remember that Farage shared a platform alongside Trump during the campaigning for a second term. Now it is all tatters! The best laid schemes ... we know the rest!

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

I HAVE been hearing about the two friends going for a walk at a reservoir in Derbyshire being surrounded by police and fined. Derbyshire Police says “it is at the discretion of officers”. When was the law discretionary? How ridiculous.

Pontius Pilot once asked “what is truth?” I ask, what is fairness/justice? We have Rees-Mogg going across tiers to go to church, we have a Tory donor going 580 miles to his estate, we have Galloway going to football with his family and the police say no further action, and of course who can forget Cummings and his driving to test his eyesight? But again, no further action.

We do know it has never been everyone in this together, because everybody’s circumstances are different – financially, resources, accommodation etc – but surely at least the law should be the same for everyone. Each day we find out the this is not the case.

Winifred McCartney
Paisley