WHO DECIDES HOW LEICESTER IS PORTRAYED?

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

How decides how Leicester is portrayed?

In an article on gypsy encampments in the Mercury ("Such appalling views" , Mailbox, March 20), a contributor declaims that "Leicester is supposed to be one of the most multicultural and diverse cities in the country... but is it?". More to the point, actually, would be to ask who took it upon themselves to decide it was.

Like an ever-increasing number of decisions, it doesn't seem as if the rest of us were ever asked to vote on whether we thought it was a good idea. It's on a par with suddenly being ordered not to smoke because this is "National non-smoking day". According to whom, exactly?

Or being ordered to be more "aware" because this is "International women's day." (Really? It was just Friday when I woke up).Apparently every day of the year has been used up in this fashion. I imagine that February 29 is "Intergalactic alien day" (Well, you never know).

But does anyone remember having any input on any of this? Allied with these arbitrary decisions is the peremptory manner of those who expect everyone else to fall into line.

Nobody is expected to be so bumptious as to dispute that this is a multicultural city. Smokers are castigated for ignoring a decision made by... non-smokers?

But why should we put up with such autocratic, arrogant assertions?The title of the article on the gypsy encampments was "Such appalling views".

A better question might be where did the people who insist on making all our decisions for us pick up such appalling attitudes?

Russ Ball

Leicester

FEAST OF QUESTIONS

I'm with the local Bahá'í friends this evening, celebrating the Feast of Masá'il (Questions).

I think it appropriate to provide a short extract from the Bahá'í writings here, relevant to the name and theme of this Feast and of the month in the Bahá'í calendar that it begins:

“It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put questions to your own spirit and your spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is revealed.” ('Abdu'l-Bahá)

As is always the case when Bahá'ís in any part of the world gather together, we remember the plight of our co-religionists in Iran, who are suffering under the current regime. We also spend time discussing the condition of members of the Roma community in the region, whom some local Bahá'ís have befriended.

I'm able to report on Inter Faith Week just gone by and we also discuss ways to inspire some inter faith engagement at Leicester and De Montfort Universities with some of the friends who have recently started studying there.

If you'd like to know more about the Bahá'í calendar and its pattern of Feasts and Holy Days, faithful reader, then check out the excellent article on Wikipedia.

wheels of change

Have spent most of today proofreading and copy-editing a 74-page long report entitled, "Wheels of Change" - the write-up of a survey on barriers faced by disabled Gypsies and travellers when accessing the Social Care system. This project was commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and jointly carried out by Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL) and Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group (DGLG). I'm doing this as part of my work with the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP). What an excellent piece of work this is. It's a good example of the kind of project that can lead to something that will improve the lives of a neglected and put-upon minority group.