Birching boys
Sir; The morality of a pseudoindependent 'tax-evasion' island state in the Irish Sea within sight of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish coasts is doubtful. Several political anomalies prevail apart from the obsession with birching indicated by general opinion and specifically in the manifesto of a candidate for the general election being held just now. We know of the dangers of publishing names of offenders who are beaten where obscene letters have been sent to them suggesting vice and perversion. Birching has been done in cases of petty offences by young people (boys) which had not involved violence. In 1956 a fourteen-year-old boy was birched for stealing a pint of milk — the same year another was birched for stealing strawberries and gooseberries from a garden. These boys are now twenty-nine. Requests have been made by members of the active community including the courts to witness certain birchings.
Criticism has cause the birchers to 'cool it,' and this year has seen a reduction, but together with hanging (!) the punishment remains on the law books.
Kenneth E. Pottle
Millbrook, Port St Mary, Isle of Man
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