Play the ball, not the man

Once again Eric Bahrt puts words into the mouths of people that were never there. Where in my letter are there any words to suggest “Brown gloats about how much he enjoys his steak dinner” and that I have “friends in the cattle industry”? Nowhere, because I did not write them.

I accept that writers of letters to newspapers are open to challenge, but the challenge should not distort and twist the writer’s words to the challenger’s own ends.

In his crusade to convert the world to his vegan philosophy, Mr Bahrt so often “plays the man, not the ball”. Anyone who disagrees with him or who presents an alternative point of view is variously called “irresponsible”, “wise guy”, “self-indulgent”,  “fool”, “obnoxious”, and accused of taking “cheap shots” at him. And those are quotes from only his most recent letters.

I respect Mr Bahrt’s right to his vegan beliefs. He should respect people who disagree with him, not indulge in personal denigration.

David Brown