M KERSHAW (Noisy Outpourings, Postbag, September 7) should be wary of too cavalier a use of quotations to support his (or her) opinions.
1. Bemoaning the "weekly whinge of the UK Independence Party", he (or she) quotes Alexander Pope's trenchant observation that: "It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles; the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring out".
These words could equally well be employed to vilify anyone expressing a firmly held conviction.
Examples? One could start with proponents of - animal rights, human rights, pro-life, pro-abortion, fascism, anti-fascism, Irish Republicanism, Ulster Loyalism, gay rights, moral re-armament, a very few politicians .... Roll up and take a shy at the Aunt Sally of your choice!
2. Does not the scope of Edith Cavell's avowal of "hatred or bitterness towards anyone" extend to include "xenophobic correspondents"?
RICHARD BYWATER, Callow End, near Worcester.
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