We are in a fight for civilization, and within that - for freedom of thought and expression, as well as the future of mankind.  This most oppressive, even fascist action against fellow citizens, is emblematic.  We must stand for them and for the freedoms Britain fought for in WW2.

Does my definition fit my description of the actions,  and judgements made against Deanna Yeates and Michael Pendlebury? Details can be found here.

"The subjugation of the individual's will and freedom by an overweening state. Humanity withers, freedom of speech is stifled and the soul dies. Self preservation becomes a dominant drive. "

Guess why the Western Morning 'News' did not publish it.

Dear Letters Editor,

This as you know is a most important test of our mostly illusory democracy.  I should be grateful for your publishing this letter below - from my heart, and as a patriot.  I am greatly concerned by the lowering of this country.

David H.

Dear Letters Editor,

I am certain that many thousands of your readers will have been outraged by the treatment of this couple through our justice system as reported 12th April on page 8 of the WMN.

I first comment as a well trained and observant doctor first, and surgeon second, on the 'science' at the bottom of government responses to an epidemic of a novel and nasty virus.  It proved vicious in the frail elderly and in those with so called 'co-morbidities' ie other chronic illnesses like gross obesity.

Masking, as carried out by the public at large without a good idea of ordinary hygiene, was likely to increase the spread of viruses. Watch people get out of their cars after handling an unclean steering wheel, fiddle for a mask in the pocket or bag, and then repeatedly touch and adjust it.  Watch them in the supermarket testing the avocados, or picking up a packaged loaf only to put it down.  Norovirus is a resilient virus and causes our hospitals (not 'trusts') to close whole wards for deep cleaning.  This adds to the presently insurmountable waiting lists for elective surgery - especially those for relief of the pain and disability caused by joint disease.

If I should have touched my surgical mask just once when carrying out joint replacement surgery, deep wound infection would have been the result.  Given the large surface area of the acrylic cement we use for fixing prostheses firmly, this infection would be disastrous for the patient, though very careful surgery and antibiotics can later cure this in many.

'Lock downs' have been shown not to have a significant effect on the incidence of Covid_19 (C19).  Some countries like Sweden did not impose this and showed that infection rates were much the same as in those where strict conditions were laid down by various means, including the addition of fear of severe illness or death.  The latter was minuted as a need in younger adults in April 2020 within SAGE.  Consider the fact that shopping was allowed.  If someone with early C19, and shedding virions as they are properly called, sneezed in that supermarket, the aerosol so formed would be distributed very efficiently by the air conditioning.

So I say there was no scientific reason for the strong arming of Deanna Yeates and Michael Pendlebury in their Finla Coffee shop. This most oppressive treatment and fining of this couple stands in contrast to the long delayed fixed penalty fines received today by our so called leaders issuing their mealy mouthed apologies.  The many thousands barred from holding the hands of their dear elderly as they slipped away will see and then reject the gross hypocrisy.

Having been born 14-04-1940, it is easy to recall that Britons stood alone back then but they 'stood the test'.  My dear father was a self taught electronic engineer who left school in Limerick aged 14.  He was the key and profitable part of a family electrical business in Southampton.  This key port town, where Spitfires were being manufactured, was blitzed by the Luftwaffe twice in the September of 1940.  4000 high explosive bombs were dropped, and 40,000 incendiary bombs.  Southampton could be seen glowing from Cherbourg 40 miles away.  Dad went in from Lyndhurst in the New Forest from our little gate cottage, where his first born of four was thriving.  He found the business was a crater, and his right hand - his Avometer, just fragments in the debris.  He set to, maintaining wirelesses in the war from our home.

If any arm of our justice system attempts to wring one pound from Deanna or Michael, both of whom I am yet to meet, I can be certain that many citizens will be present with them to hold them dear for true justice, and in memory of our good forebears who fought so hard and with great sacrifice for freedom.

yours faithfully

David Halpin MB BS FRCS

ps  I encourage this newspaper to have a court correspondent again so we can all read the main elements of any important hearing.  In this case, pleas for mitigation and the logic of lock downs etc