The electronic Berwickshire has now caught up with itself so Huttonian is able to share the text of the letter published last Thursday in response to Mr Inglis' 'provocative and grossly offensive' (quote-unquote) epistle about incomers to Berwickshire of the week before
SIR, ,- As an ‘urban incomer’ or ’migrant’ of just two years standing and therefore having only recently been introduced into the lifestyle and ways of rural Berwickshire, am I alone in finding the letter submitted by your correspondent, Irvine Inglis, which was published last week under the title ‘New residents inexperienced in niceties of small communities’ - not only provocative but grossly offensive? Indeed, with its pernicious reference to ‘English backgrounds’ it could also be construed as having racist undertones into the bargain.I notice that Mr Inglis has used the rather clever ploy of hiding behind and quoting somebody else - in this case the medium of an academic - thus ensuring not only respectability for all the observations contained, but also ensuring that the descriptions used to illustrate the ‘urban incomers’ cannot be directly attributed to himself. However, be that as it may, we know what he is thinking and where he is coming from and it makes for some quite unpleasant reading.For Mr Inglis’s information I am Scottish and not English. I live in a small community to the west of Duns where my wife’s late father was one time minister of the parish. In my brief time here I have done my utmost to promote the interests of my neighbours and local business in a positive proactive light. I may well be using a more assertive, explicit style of communication to help them get their messages across. But happily, thus far I haven’t heard one word of complaint about the techniques I employ.What on earth is wrong with introducing new ideas and initiatives if the end result is going to be of benefit to everyone concerned in the community? Would Mr Inglis rather people remain thirled to the ‘aye been’ philosophy of the past? I rather think that not only does he do a great disservice to the ‘urban incomers’ but he is in danger of doing a distinct disservice to his fellow Borderers also, who must in a modern society welcome the challenges which lie ahead of us all.Incidentally, Mr Inglis might find it ironic that the chairperson of our local community council is an English woman who works tirelessly on behalf of all of us in the communities of Gavinton and Fogo.BRUCE MACLACHLAN,Iona Cottage,GavintonIf Huttonian may be allowed his own ps it is merely to point out that several other community councils including our own dear Hutton and Paxton have incomer-indeed English chairmen. And two councils whose borders march together have the honour and distinction to be chaired by people from 'Gods Own County' Yorkshire which remains rather reluctantly in England. But not for long if the YLF has anything to do with it.
