Public Letters by Alastair McIntosh (original) (raw)
Index of Public Letters by Alastair McIntosh
Writing to the press is thought a bit "infra dig" by some, but to me it tests and places ideas in an exposed public domain - a kind of democratised peer review that reaches out more widely than articles in specialist journals. Dates shown are date of publication and only published letters are posted here. The Herald, for those not familiar with our media, is the former Glasgow Herald, one of Scotland's two newspapers of record. (Owing to the decline in newspaper usage, I have been doing less by way of letter writing in recent years and more using Twitter (@alastairmci) and guest blogs for commenting on current issues.)
Chronological Index with Subject Description
Stornoway Gazette, 28 June 2018, Imagine Life Without the Interconnector (Lewis wind farm debate)
West Highland Free Press, 17 July 2015, Support as a "critical friend" towards Professor Macleod
West Highland Free Press_,_ 29 May 2015, Solidarity with Muslim communities
The Herald, 23 June 2014, Lost lexicon of piety recovered (Carmichael Watson UNESCO)
The Friend, 11 April 2014, Religious views on copyright
Scotland on Sunday, 30 March 2014, Political cartoon caricaturisation
West Highland Free Press, 14 June 2013, The furrowed brows of damaged youth
The Stornoway Gazette, 20 Sept 2012, Wind farm interconnecter from Lewis
West Highland Free Press, 2 Dec 2011, In defence of Reverend Kenneth Macleod
West Highland Free Press, 8 July 2011, Gay ordination and the use of Scripture
_The Herald,_11 June 2011, Strathclyde University cuts and the Democratic Intellectual Tradition
The Herald, 9 November 2009, the play - Jesus, Queen of Heaven
West Highland Free Press, 11 Sept 2009, on local food security and croft land speculation
Stornoway Gazette, 2 July 2009, on Weston Price's 1930s Hebridean Dental & Nutrition Study
Stornoway Gazette_,_ 28 February 2008, on Hebridean indigenous belonging
The Scotsman, 7 November 2007, on feminism, Bhrighde, and Scotland's winter festival
[_The Herald_, 20 August 2007, on the Schucksmith Committee of Inquiry on Crofting](letters/2004-letters.htm#20 Aug 07 Crofting)
[_The Herald,_ 23 July 2007, a speech for the Prime Minister on climate change and the English floods](letters/2004-letters.htm#23 Jul 07 Floods)
[Stornoway Gazette, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 Feb 07 Wind)[1 February 2007, on opposition for Lewis wind farms _where not_ in control of communities](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 Feb 07 Wind)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#31 Jan 07 Wind)[31 January 2007, on the need for Lewis's renewable energy to be on a community scale](letters/2004-letters.htm#31 Jan 07 Wind)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#26 Dec 06 Tunnocks)[26 December 2006, on Tunnock's charitable giving](letters/2004-letters.htm#26 Dec 06 Tunnocks)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#24 July 06 Bashir)[24 July 2006, Joint letter with Bashir Maan on Abrahamic faith exegesis](letters/2004-letters.htm#24 July 06 Bashir)
[Stornoway Gazette, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#15 June Telfer)[15 June 2006, Riposte on energy issues letter](letters/2004-letters.htm#15 June Telfer)
[Stornoway Gazette](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 June 06 Energy means)[, 1 June 2006, Living within our energy means - windfarms and community](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 June 06 Energy means)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#12 Apr 06 Sunday Sailings)[12 April 2006, Sunday ferry sailings, community and Hebridean religious rights](letters/2004-letters.htm#12 Apr 06 Sunday Sailings)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#31 Mar 06 CKD-G)[31 Mar 2006, Land speculation, reform, and the CKD Galbraith report claims](letters/2004-letters.htm#31 Mar 06 CKD-G)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#6 Mar 06 Theocracy)[6 Feb 2006, Tony Blair's heresy, Iran, and Britain's constitutional theocracy](letters/2004-letters.htm#6 Mar 06 Theocracy)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#6 Feb 06 Usury)[, 6 Feb 2006, Debt as usury - the canonisation of avarice](letters/2004-letters.htm#6 Feb 06 Usury)
[West Highland Free Press, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 Jan 06 Crofting)[13 Jan 2006, Crofting law, land reform, and the mandarins](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 Jan 06 Crofting)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#28 Nov 05 torture flights)[, 28 Nov 2005, Stopping torture flights through Scottish airports](letters/2004-letters.htm#28 Nov 05 torture flights)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#23 Nov 05 Nuclear)[23 Nov 2005, Nuclear power and nuclear weapons](letters/2004-letters.htm#23 Nov 05 Nuclear)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#8 Aug 05 racism)[, 8 Aug 2005, Multiculturalism, holiness & fascist identity](letters/2004-letters.htm#8 Aug 05 racism)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 Jul 05 Bombings)[14 July 2005, The London bombings, neocolonialism & empathy](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 Jul 05 Bombings)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 April Duty Free)[14 April 2005, Duty Free as an airport security inconsistency](letters/2004-letters.htm#14 April Duty Free)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#18 Mar English ID)[, 18 Mar 2005, Reconciling English identity in Scotland](letters/2004-letters.htm#18 Mar English ID)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#16 Mar English ID)[, 16 Mar 2005, The tragedy of mainstream English identity](letters/2004-letters.htm#16 Mar English ID)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#25 Feb Jeremiah)[25 Feb 2005, Jeremiah and today's Middle East crisis](letters/2004-letters.htm#25 Feb Jeremiah)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#22 Feb John Bell)[22 Feb 2005, John Bell's Radio 4 "Thought for the Day"](letters/2004-letters.htm#22 Feb John Bell)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#11 Feb Tsunami)[11 Feb 2005, The tsunami, the Devil, and process theology](letters/2004-letters.htm#11 Feb Tsunami)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 Dec Housing)[1 Dec 2004, Land reform, planning & affordable rural social housing](letters/2004-letters.htm#1 Dec Housing)
[Stornoway Gazette, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#July 1 windfarms)[1 July 2004, Windfarms on Lewis](letters/2004-letters.htm#July 1 windfarms)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#June 5 Gilligan)[6 June 2004, The origins of violence in childhood](letters/2004-letters.htm#June 5 Gilligan)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#May 24 culture)[24 May 2004, GalGael on Scotland's Cultural Policy Statement](letters/2004-letters.htm#May 24 culture)
[The Sunday Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#11 Apr quarry)[11 April 04, Acknowledgement of unsung superquarry actors](letters/2004-letters.htm#11 Apr quarry)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#Apr 9, SRPBA)[, 6 April 04, Transmogrification and the housing land question](letters/2004-letters.htm#Apr 9, SRPBA)
[The Herald, ](letters/2004-letters.htm#Apr 6, housing)[6 April 04, Provision of affordable rural housing](letters/2004-letters.htm#Apr 6, housing)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#Mar 24 Campbell)[, 24 March 04, The exoneration of the "Glasgow Two" - T C Campbell](letters/2004-letters.htm#Mar 24 Campbell)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#Feb 27 Goldsmith)[, 27 Feb 04, Insight into Attorney General's counsel on legality of Iraq War](letters/2004-letters.htm#Feb 27 Goldsmith)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#Feb 14 cameos)[, 14 Feb 04, Cameos of strong but inclusive Scottish identity](letters/2004-letters.htm#Feb 14 cameos)
[The Herald](letters/2004-letters.htm#Jan 23 opera)[, 23 Jan 04, Opera, traditional music and cultural imperialism](letters/2004-letters.htm#Jan 23 opera)
[Stornoway Gazette, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 30 Oct Whiteford)[6 Nov 03, Tribute to the late Alan Whiteford](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 30 Oct Whiteford)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 8 Oct English)[, 8 Oct 03, on mutual respect between incomers and locals](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 8 Oct English)
[The Hebridean](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 25 Sept wind)[, 25 Sept 03, on wind turbine foundations and site restoration](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 25 Sept wind)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 9 Sept Internationalism)[, 9 Sept 03, on British immigration policy and Scots Internationalism](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 9 Sept Internationalism)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 27 June Campbellism)[, 27-6-03, on "Campbellism" and the Sioux - caricature and cultural reconciliation](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 27 June Campbellism)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 18 Apr racism)[, 18-4-03, on culture, "race" and belonging in Scotland](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 18 Apr racism)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 15 Apr racism)[, 15-4-03, on Scotland, Gaelic culture and racism](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 15 Apr racism)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 11 April Saddam)[, 11-4-03, on Saddam and the West's colonial legacy](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 11 April Saddam)
[_The Herald,_ 24-3-03, on Dr Johnson's take (1773) on war with Iraq](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 24 Mar Johnson)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 14 Feb church war)[14-2-03, on Scottish Church leadership and war with Iraq](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 14 Feb church war)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 6 Feb)[, 6-2-03, on the leadership of the Conservative Party](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003 6 Feb)
[The Herald,](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 23 Jan Blair Treason)[23-1-03 on the constitutionality of war with Iraq](letters/2001-letters.htm#2003, 23 Jan Blair Treason)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 14 Sept, Herald sale)[, 14-9-02, on media independence and the sale of _The Herald_](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 14 Sept, Herald sale)
[Stornoway Gazette](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 5 Sept, Sabbath)[, 5-9-02, on the Hebridean Sabbath and community cohesion](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 5 Sept, Sabbath)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 4 Sept, Quail)[4-9-02, on Brian Quail, breastfeeding, and Trident nuclear submarines](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 4 Sept, Quail)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 12 July)[12-7-02, on returning Eigg's Old Master, _The Lamentation_](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 12 July)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002 7 May)[, 7-2-02 on Lord Prosser's wigless Trident ruling](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 7 May)
[The Big Issue in Scotland](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002 Big Issue PM)[, 2-5-02, Christian-Muslim open Letter to Tony Blair](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 2 May)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 18 March)[, 18-3-02, on Rabbi Tobias' criticism of Ariel Sharon's policies](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 18 March)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 14 March)[, 14-3-02, on Biblical history of Palestinian "slow holocaust"](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 14 March)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 9 Feb Trident)[9-2-02, on Trident submarines, fox hunting and the "Rural Rebels"](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 9 Feb Trident)
[The Herald](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 2 Feb landowners)[, 6-2-02, on land reform, land gifts and landowner-community relations](letters/2001-letters.htm#2002, 2 Feb landowners)
The Herald[, 1-12-01, on the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill](letters/2001-letters.htm#2001, 1 Dec Herald, Land Reform)
The Scotsman, [9-10-01, on "Just War" comparisons between Qu'ran and Bible](letters/2001-letters.htm#Scotsman, 9-10-01, Islam)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#Herald, 15-2-01, Trident)[15-2-01, on Faslane blockade and Gulf War media manipulation](letters/2001-letters.htm#Herald, 15-2-01, Trident)
[The Herald, ](letters/2001-letters.htm#Herald, 9-2-01, Trident)[9-2-01, on Trident nuclear submarines as treasonable](letters/2001-letters.htm#Herald, 9-2-01, Trident)
[_The Scotsman, 7-11-00,_on Scottish Executive's superquarry rejection](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#7-11-00 Scotsman)
[The Herald](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#6-11-00, Herald)[, 6-11-00, on Scottish Executive's superquarry rejection](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#6-11-00, Herald)
West Highland Free Press[, 27-10-00, on privatisation of the seabed](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#27-10-00 WHFP)
[The Scotsman, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#25-10-00 scotsman)[25-10-00, on Lord Hardie and Lafarge Redland "human" rights](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#25-10-00 scotsman)
The Stornoway Gazette, 21-9-00, on Lafarge Redland and the nuclear waste dumping issue
The Herald, 18-9-00,on constitutional implications of Redland's human rights lawsuit
The Herald, 3-8-00, on Lafarge Redland funding of superquarry supporters' group
West Highland Free Press, 28-7-00, on people & conservation in Harris
[The Herald, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 25-7-00)[25-7-00, answering Ian Mitchell (Islay) & Lord MacKay on eagles and social cohesion](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 25-7-00)
[Sunday Herald](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Sunday Herald 23-7-00)[, 23-7-00, on need for Harris people to control conservation status](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Sunday Herald 23-7-00)
[The Scotsman](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Scotsman 17-7-00)[, 17-7-00, on superquarry background](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Scotsman 17-7-00)
[The Herald](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 15-7-00)[, 15-7-00, on significance of SAC conservation designation for Harris](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 15-7-00)
The Herald, 12-7-00, on the Crown Office and the "Glasgow Two"
[The Herald, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 6-6-00)[6-6-00, on contesting ballot claims about Harris superquarry opinion](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#Herald 6-6-00)
The Herald, 1-6-00, on Keynes and the Biblical injunction against usury
The Herald, 4-5-00, on Section 28 and sex education in schools
The Herald, 17-4-00, on Christianity and sexual toleration
The Herald, 4-4-00, on Scots constitutional theology of the public interest in feudal land
The Herald, 31-3-00, on globalisation, factory farming and the agriculture crisis
[The Herald, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#3-2-00 farming)[3-2-00, on agricultural history and its insights for a sustainable industry](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#3-2-00 farming)
[Stornoway Gazette](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#13-1-00 Moloch)[, 13-1-00, on Mammon, Moloch, and the Harris Superquarry](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#13-1-00 Moloch)
[The Herald, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#30-11-99 land constitution)[30-11-99, on land reform, Community of the Realm and constitutional law](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#30-11-99 land constitution)
The Herald, 8-11-99, on the Act of Settlement and the Scots Constitution
[West Highland Free Press](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#WHFP 29-10-99)[, 29-10-99, challenging Ian Wilson to come clean on Durness](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#WHFP 29-10-99)
[The Herald, ](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#27-3-99 Herald Kosovo)[c. 28-2-99, on "just war" theology and the Kosovo War](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#27-3-99 Herald Kosovo)
[The Herald](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#4-3-99 Monsanto)[, 5-3-99, Monsanto admit subjecting public to uninsurable risk](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#4-3-99 Monsanto)
[Stornoway Gazette](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#3-4-87 Gaelic)[, 3-4-97, colonial destruction of Gaelic cultural identity](letters/2000%5Fletters.htm#3-4-87 Gaelic)
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last updated: 02/04/21