Sir, - In response to Mr Peter Atkinsons' letter "This tawdry war" (D&S letters, Oct 19) I can only presume that this man has written this as some kind of sick joke in order to inflame readers and prompt reaction.

So, yes, I am inflamed and yes I am reacting. He is entitled to voice his opinion, that is what freedom is all about, that is what we in the west have fought for and will strive forever to defend.

That is what we are fighting for now - freedom from terrorism.

He uses the words "bullies, cowards, illegal kidnappers, aggressors, murderers" not in relation to the perpetrators of this horrific slaughter of innocents in New York on September 11, but in relation to the leaders of the government of the United States who were also targeted.

His comments are astounding.

I suppose there were some "pacifists" during the Second World War who voiced their condemnation of the reaction against Hitler and the loss of innocent German lives resulting from that.

It is a sad fact of war that during any conflict civilians die. I wonder if Mr Atkinson would be enjoying the freedom of residing in our beautiful and peaceful Yorkshire dales if that evil regime had not been defeated?

I presume he did not lose any of his loved-ones in New York. I hope not.

Perhaps if he had been directly affected, his sympathies may be less biased.

At this time we should be united in our efforts to overcome aggression by militants.

If Mr Atkinson feels uncomfortable with that, perhaps he should re-locate himself in a more easterly direction.

CHRISTINE SELLERS

Gilling Road,

Richmond.

No confidence

Sir, - Clumsy scientists and deceptive remarks by Junior Agriculture Minister Elliot Morley, has almost seen the national sheep flock destroyed. All because cattle brain tissue had been mistakenly used as sheep brain tissue!

Is it any wonder we have little confidence in Margaret Beckett and her junior minister, as well as her new Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, as they continue to move along their path of rural destruction? By the way, Defra in Welsh means "WAKE UP".

PHILLIP HOLDEN

Galgate,

Barnard Castle.

Sir, - Once again Anne McIntosh MP aligns herself with views that do not assist with awareness, tolerance and understanding and, once again, show a remarkable lack of foresight (D&S letters, Oct 19).

Following requests from Gerry Adams and others in Sinn Fein, the IRA have this week taken unprecedented steps and have started to put their weapons beyond use.

This is particularly significant when seen against a backdrop of increasing violence from elements in the so-called "loyalist" community against nationalists, republicans and Catholics, including schoolchildren.

But where does Anne McIntosh appear to stand on this issue? She backs the move for the lecture by Gerry Adams to be held away from Thirsk. She goes further and points out that Gerry Adams has not sworn allegiance to the Queen. She appears to deny that Sinn Fein is a "respectable organisation". In this she simply reiterates so-called "loyalist" propaganda and in doing so aligns herself with reactionary forces harking back to the time of the Conservative and Unionist party.

Only 26 counties in the island of Ireland ceased to be a British colony some 80 years or so ago. As a direct result of political gerrymandering, and other actions, six counties in the north-east of Ireland still remain under British rule.

Over this period there has been continued unequal treatment of nationalists, republicans and Catholics, No wonder some in this community do not want to be governed within a system that denies them equal rights and treats them, as Gerry Adams half-jokingly pointed out in his lecture, as "subject's not citizens".

This community may be allowed to elect MPs to express their views but their MPs are denied a voice in Parliament unless they affirm "allegiance to the Queen".

It is, and must be, an understandable and acceptable political aim for nationalists and republicans in the six counties to rejoin with citizens of the other 26 counties within a united Ireland.

Anne McIntosh MP would be better served if she supported people having a voice to express these views in Thirsk and in Parliament rather than continuing to be an apologist for those who seek to deny free speech-

ALAN WOODHEAD,

Howefield,

Baldersby St James,

Thirsk.

Your shame

Sir, -Your leading article "Thirsk's shame" (D&S, Oct 12) in which you castigated the townspeople of Thirsk for ensuring that Gerry Adams did not speak in the town hall, will have given some encouragement to the sub-human creatures who are the IRA.

I would like to congratulate the town hall management committee on its sensible, and possibly courageous, decision to deprive Mr Adams of yet another opportunity to present his persuasive lies and skewed logic to a local audience.

As you point out, "Mr Adams has blood on his hands, and plenty of it". Leopards do not easily change their spots, and Mr Adams, like so many of his supporters, still revels in the power of life or death over innocent human beings.

The predictable and apparently orchestrated outcry over the ban indicates a denial of the history of the past 20 years. What opportunity to "make his case" most offered to Captain Robert Niarc before he was tortured to death by the IRA? What were given to the 1,700 other people done to death by those murderers in the recent "troubles"?

The pious, liberal outpourings of Don Cartridge and his like are a vanity which cannot be afforded if justice and respect for human life is to prevail.

Shame indeed, but not on the people of Thirsk.

CLIVE OLDROYD

Castleton,

Whitby