If the cap fits . . .
Sir: I always enjoy James Delingpole's televi- sion column, despite my not having a televi- sion. Last week, however, he struck a jarring note with his reference to 'that incredible goal by Mohammed Al Towlhed for Saudi Arabia four years ago' (Arts, 20 June).
To demonstrate the incongruity of this remark, I would apply the test advocated by Clifford Longley in the Daily Telegraph a few months ago, to ascertain whether or not an argument is excessively discriminatory. The test works like this: replace the people or names in question with Jews and then review the argument. So let's take a Jewish name which might match the name Mohammed for popularity. Then we add a 'surname' which connotes Jewishness in the mind of the public to the same extent that the Arab is summed up by his dishdasha (the 'towel' in Mr Delingpole's piece). The yarmulka will do nicely here as a national and religious
LETTERS
symbol. I reckon that if Mr Delingpole had written of a goal scored by one `Avi Skull- cap', he'd have a heavy postbag.
Dr J.E.A. Johansen
Pen Tor, Shere Road, West Horsley, Surrey
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