Insulting proposal (2)

David Buttigieg de Piro (August 22) said that he "finds it disgraceful that there are Maltese who cannot speak English" - I agree with him to a certain extent, although prefer the word "sad" rather than "disgraceful" and hope that our education system will eventually eradicate this state of affairs. I hasten to add that I think what is worse is that there are Maltese who cannot speak Maltese.

Mario Schembri Wismayer (August 31) however perhaps needs his own "wings clipped". His tirade against the National Language smacks off nothing more than trying to create a class distinction between those who "are lucky to have a choice" and others who for historical, cultural, economic and a myriad of other reasons are unable to speak good English. His words "The increasingly militant attitude of the Maltese camp should be summarily dealt with by those of us who hold the banner for English" beggar belief (after my initial howls of laughter, of course) and would seem more in place in the diaries of some British Army Colonel fighting the Zulus in centuries past.

I disagree with his opinion that there are elements that "promulgate anti-English sentiment". The so-called Maltese camp is nothing more than people who would like to see the language they grew up with and love, to thrive, notwithstanding the difficulties that this entails.

There is enough space on the island for two languages but certainly no space for a class intolerance of other peoples' choices.