CORRESPONDENT Roger Bowden (October 29) declares that he is " . . . definitely not a racist thug. I would describe myself as a grammar school educated man . . . who is tired of this once great country having its historic culture eroded by those who do not have their roots embedded in British soil".

First of all, as I have never met him I cannot say if he is, or is not, a thug. But, in my view, racist he certainly is.

My reply (from an elementary school pupil who left school at 14) is that my father was born in Poland and my mother in Austria, so my roots do not go very deep in "British soil". Nevertheless, I served six years in the Royal Air Force, as did my brother, fighting to rid the world of the very racist attitudes that Mr Bowden supports.

I wonder where he proposes I should go. After all, the organisation he admits to being a member of has a policy of sending back those who had the temerity to think that Britain was a democratic society where one does not have to hide ones religion, race or colour.

Mr Bowden tries to embellish his argument with talk of Lords and Ladies, of political correctness etc. The very fabric of British life is being eroded, he writes. I was taught in my elementary school to Love thy neighbour; do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Finally, Mr Bowden may not be a thug but he admits to membership of an oganisation that was described in the Independent as being a disgusting group that has no place in a civilised society.

P. KAISERMAN