ALTHOUGH I have no sympathy with the views of the British National Party, I feel it is unfair that they are being blamed for the present racial unrest, when the Government itself has done so much to stir up racial hatred.

If you keep telling a racial group it is being unfairly treated, sooner or later it will take retaliatory action. If a person is walking down the street and a group of yobs start shouting abuse at them, why, if it's an Asian person, should that be an offence that will attract a severe punishment but not the same punishment if it is a white person who is the object of scorn?

Surely, if something is an offence, then the same punishment should apply, regardless of the victim's race.

No amount of legislation can make people like each other, but 99 per cent of the population are prepared to tolerate other people's beliefs and behaviour, no matter how bizarre they consider it, but will rebel if they are constantly told that they cannot voice their opinions if they want to.

Some time ago, a group of Asian youths, owing to a misunderstanding, called me a 'white -------' and could not understand why I laughed -- until I explained that I did not consider being called white was an insult.

L LAWES, Bold Street, Blackburn.