Letters: Xenophobia: more sad than serious

Sir: This morning I tried an experiment to discover whether the xenophobia of some politicians and tabloid newspapers was having any effect on primary school children ("Don't be beastly to the Germans", 25 June).

At the school assembly I asked those who thought the Germans were our enemies to point in one direction, and those who thought they were our friends to point the other way. The majority of pupils indicated that they thought the Germans were our enemies.

Politicians and newspaper editors need to be aware of the corrupt moral values with which they are infecting our children. They are making the job of responsible teachers and parents impossibly difficult.

Clearly the sins of the fathers are being visited on our children, and storing up mindless hatred which could cause untold damage in years to come.

The Rev Dr T AMBROSE

Witchford,

Cambridgeshire