Not as black & white
The article Green and blacks bemoaned the lack of Black players in South Africa’s rugby squad. There is no pressure in American sports to field a team that is 15% Black, and which must include Hispanics, native Americans or Hawaiians. Nor must a Malaysian team be 54% Malay, 10% Indian and 26% Chinese. The ANC is at least as obsessed with race as the apartheid regime it replaced. Everything from business to entertainment to sport has some government-dictated racial component or quota. Few South Africans, apart from the politicians, care about the racial mix of teams in sport. It is particularly demeaning to players 'of colour' who want to be included in a team for no other reason than being the best talent in the country.
Raymond Dickinson, Johannesburg, in The Economist
No sex, Monsignor
The media has missed the point over the sacking by the Vatican of Monsignor Kryzstof Charamsa. His transgression is not being gay but breaching his priestly vow of celibacy. He would have been treated in exactly the same way if his partner had been female.
Stephen Wallis, Essex, in The Daily Telegraph
Raised eyebrows
Denis Healey was a frequent and popular visitor to the itn studios at Westminster, where we kept a well-stocked drinks cupboard. On one occasion he arrived looking stressed, and I asked if a gin and tonic would help. “I doubt it dear,” he replied, “but let’s try it anyway.”
Alexandra Kingston, Twickenham, in The Times
