BEFORE I start, I don’t do politics, but something has been worrying me in recent months.

Now that Barack Obama has been sworn in as the 44th US President, is America – or the world – a safer place? Or is Mr Obama more at risk than any other president in history because of his colour?

We all know there is still deep hatred of blacks in the Southern states. Is there another Lee Harvey Oswald out there? I dread to think because I am old enough to remember John F Kennedy’s assassination and how America was in turmoil.

Let us all hope Mr Obama will be one of the greatest presidents of all time and that no attempts are made on his life – for the good of the world, but most of all for the good of America.

Mick Peacock, Coxhoe, Co Durham.