Letters: Religious groups shouldn't have a prayer for city cash

OF course Norman Bonney, convener of the Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy Secular Society, was right to say that religious groups should not be funded by Edinburgh City Council (Interactive, February 8).

Imagine the holy row, pardon the pun, if the council funded secular or atheist groups.

Most people now accept that they do not have to become devout religious followers to become decent citizens.

They also know that secularists are not trying to stop them worshipping their particular god. This is absurd scaremongering.

Wasn't David Cameron the scaremonger when he foolishly said that multiculturalism had failed in Britain when he, like most of our mainstream politicians, supports categorising our children at an impressionable age in separate faith schools.

Couple this with the Con/Dem's public sector cuts and privatisation agenda, which will see mass unemployment, a two-tier socially-divided society and a resurgence of racism, and we could be storing up problems for the foreseeable future.

Discussion on the unifying power of secularism must be on every democrat's political agenda as part of the way forward, as I see it.

Jack Fraser, Clayknowes Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian

Funding leaves a long-term benefit

In response to Norman Bonney, I do not profess to know anything about the activities of the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association, but I do know that the council benefits from the activities of Christian bodies, which give help to homeless people and those suffering from various forms of addiction.

While I am not a member of Bethany Christian Trust, in Leith, Mr Bonney would benefit from meeting those who have been helped by them and lifted from the depths of despair.

Donald Jack, Summerside Place, Leith

Dog owner lucky to get just a fine

I READ with interest your story about Duffy the dog being taken to the pound by parking enforcers (Parking meanies towed me to the pound, News, February 7).

I feel that the parking enforcers may have made a mistake due to the tinted windows of the car, but overall the owner of the dog was far more thoughtless to leave the dog in the car knowing that she would be gone for some time.

Even though it is not the height of summer, I'm sure they must be aware of the dangers of leaving an animal unattended in a vehicle for any length of time. Maybe Alison Vance should think herself lucky it was just a parking fine and not an animal welfare issue.

J Mcleod, Edinburgh

Landlords being left out of pocket

IN a recent report, I read that landlords in the UK are owed more than 267 million in unpaid rent.

The government has been enthusiastic about its control of landlords through legislation, but has left only the courts for landlords to deal with tenants.

This is a costly process and there is little or no guarantee of success.Many conscientious and well-meaning landlords are being fleeced by a small number of rogue tenants who are intent only on "working the system".

Landlords acknowledge there are times when genuine tenants land in trouble, but a majority hide their heads in the sand, either disappearing or not applying for benefits.

They also fail to recognise their impending fiscal problems and put off paying rent because it is seen as the easy option.

Duncan McDonald, Broughton Property, Edinburgh

Short-lived hope of tough terms

I QUICKLY read a report that a drunk driver who killed a student had been jailed for 25 years.

I thought: "At last, a judge with backbone to counter our soft touch justice system."

It was only when I read it again that I realised that this case was in America.

Our politicians should follow the American example of "three strikes and you're out".

Clark Cross, Linlithgow