Letters to the Editor (Including ‘No joined-up-thinking from animal rights campaigners’)

Animal rights

Where’s the joined up thinking animal campaigners?

May I congratulate Hertfordshire Animal Rights on its successful step towards a county-wide campaign to rid Hertfordshire of that gross delicacy, foie-gras.

In doing so they have shown that a small group of tenacious campaigners really can achieve significant victories in the face of an naive populace.

They join that small but growing band of uncompromising activists, who see no wrong in imposing their credo on peace-loving, law-abiding citizens, a band which includes the Scottish National Party – 2.5million disgruntled Scots against almost 65million Brits – and the glorious freedom fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Your reporter also mentioned that Herts Animal Rights are opposed to the use of wool, fur and leather and advocate a vegan way of life so no meat, eggs, milk, butter, cheese or yogurt but a bracing diet of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes whilst we all be walk around in clothing and footwear manufactured from a wide variety of chemically based synthetic fabrics.

Synthetic fabrics are often non-biodegradable, so that when discarded, they do not break down in the soil, and the chemicals used in their manufacture can leach out into the environment whilst the processes used in their manufacture can have harmful effects on the environment, wildlife and people’s health.

Well done Tod for the joined up thinking – NOT! If you can’t convince, confuse......

Joe Norton

Hemel Hempstead

Litter

Tour of Britain left a load of rubbish

My friends and I were among the thousands who cheered the Tour of Britain across the finishing line.

But unlike many spectators, my friends and I took our rubbish home with us – if only everyone had done the same.

I was so disappointed to see the pavement, the grassy bank and the park, littered with burst balloons and food wrappers –all to be picked up by someone else.

Come on Hemel Hempstead residents, take a bit more pride in your town, more so now with all the new developments that are going on to enhance it.

Whether it be a bus ticket or a fast food wrapper or drinks carton, put in a bin, or in your pocket or bag and take it home. Is it too much to ask?

Jean Hunter

Hemel Hempstead

Scottish independence

Why I’m glad my countrymen said ‘No’ thanks

I’m a 37 year old male who moved to Hemel around 15 years ago.

I’m very much a proud Scot as my friends and family will confirm, however, I’m also very proud to be British and so glad the Scottish people have seen sense and voted to stay part of the UK.

I live and work in Hemel Hempstead. I’m married and have two children and since moving down from Selkirk in the Scottish borders I have settled down here and have made many friends and have no plans at all to ever move back, although we do like to visit every 6-12 months for the kids to see the grandparents but also for me to stock up on pies and haggis.

I believe that most of the 45% who voted YES have done so purely for change and selfishly with them in a position with nothing to lose, not looking at the bigger picture.

I have had many nights on Facebook commenting with people and getting all different views.

Some of my friends were completely sitting on the fence purely because there wasn’t enough answers to the many unanswered questions, and of course, most of these were asked directly to the politicians who simply cannot and never will be able to answer with a simple Yes or No.

One of the funniest comments was one lad actually thought Alex Salmond was doing it for the Scottish people and not himself, my reply was “REALLY? You honestly do not think he is doing it to get further up the ladder so he can bring home more money, to live in a bigger house, get flown around in helicopters and have free meals every night when he goes to restaurants”???????

Anyone else thinking “Big Eck” was doing it for them and not himself should wake up and smell the bacon… All he wants is to be “King of Scotland” and I personally think he is a very dangerous man.

I honestly don’t think there is as much hatred to the English from the Scots as the tabloids make out, however, this whole campaign has brought a much bigger divide and not only between Scotland and the rest of the UK but also within Scotland itself. I can’t blame anyone from England who has been watching this and thinking, well go then, but I hope this vote will show English People and the rest of the UK that its not all Scots wanting this.

The majority would much rather stay part of the UK and do not in any way hate the English.

There is nothing wrong with being proud, and I think a little bit of banter along the way is a good thing, this is how is should be and I hope any divide created by this whole campaign can be mended through time.

It has been a really terrible time for lots of my friends back home who were sick of the whole campaign and just wanted it over and done with regardless of the outcome.

Anyway, that’s my rant over and I hope this is of interest to you. I can now get back to work without having to worry about applying for new passports etc.

Don Alexander

Hemel Hempstead

Town’s name

Domesday Book holds the answer

In response to “Time to weed out town’s old name?” in last week’s Letters to the Editor.

Nigel Outten seems to believe that our town was named after a hemp farm and this may lead to an unfavourable image for our town.

Hemp is indeed a very useful crop and has for many years been grown to make rope, stout fabrics, paper etc.

As there is a Hemp Lane near Wigginton, it may even have been grown in this area.

I would prefer to think that the town was named by settlers from

Holland (Hemel is Dutch for “Heaven”) and that Hempstead simply means “Homestead.”

As a frequent pedestrian, however, I often find our pavements blocked by overgrown hedges, wheelie bins and parked cars, so for me it is rather fanciful to think of our town as a heavenly homestead.

Instead, I suspect that the town’s name has simply evolved from the name recorded in the Domesday Book, when the area was known as Hamelamesede.

Ian Burton

Hemel Hempstead

Town’s name

Hemel a place of ‘bliss and delight’

In response to the letter in last week’s Gazette on the Hemel place name – I found this definition which I prefer: “any place of complete bliss and delight and peace”

Sara Hamilton

Communications and 
Consultation Team Leader
Dacorum Borough Council

Compassion

People don’t care about the disabled

Hi I have written to you several times on this subject of disabled parking in this town but sadly you are not interested as nothing has gone in.

I have a blue badge due to nerve damaged and arthritis. Bank Court is the worst as normal drivers use the spaces or taxi drivers park in there ive had verbal abuse I think Hemel people are the rudest.

Drivers near KFC are parking there with no badges.

And as for supermarkets its very hard to get a disabled bay, due to people who have no respect for us who cannot walk far or who use wheelchairs these drivers need naming and shaming I would love to spend time taking numbers of drivers who park in these spaces one day they will know what it is like to have walking and other health problems. That is why we need these spaces.

All you get off supermarkets is not our problem even though they have signs up threatning fines this don’t mean a thing. I asked a traffic warden when I got blocked in by a van driver in Bank Court to do something about it.

He said he couldn’t so I had to wait fir the heartless driver to move and all I got was a load of swear words as he needed to do his banking, he had no badge and didn’t want to pay for parking.

I had to get home to take meds as I’m diabetic.

Disabled people are not cared about in this town. Even you refuse to put anything in your paper. Yours, unhappy resident.

Susie Tower

Hemel Hempstead

Dog fouling

Hit dog owners in the pocket for poo

Further to the doggie doo letter of last week, the answer to Dacorum’s disgusting dog fouling problem would appear very simple.

A key reason, or often the sole purpose, of taking a dog for a walk is for it to deposit its waste all over the pavement and fields of Dacorum.

As antiquated and disgusting as that may seem, there isn’t a better pet sewage management system or solution on offer.

Whilst the majority of dog walkers do the right thing and clean this mess up and bin it appropriately, it’s abundantly clear a significant number do not. The solution therefore is to empower our dog wardens and police special constables to challenge dog-walkers on their ability to clear-up.

Failure to produce a waste bag when requested to do so by a warden or special constable is immediate guilt to walking a dog without the means to clear up any resulting mess.

Until we can fine people for not carrying a waste bag they should be asked to buy a bag from the officer for a nominal fee that goes to charity.

It’s already an offence for dog owners to foul the streets and highways of Dacorum and this suggested process is a means to enforce this bye-law. However, what is the amount collected in fines? If anything, it will be a fraction of the amount hounded out of the motorist for breaking parking rules that are far less offensive.

Name and address

supplied

But not for publication