Readers discuss charity shops, multicultural cuisine and weeding out the dealers

Port Talbot Town Centre
Readers debate the purpose of charity shops, integration in the UK and the genocide against Palestine (Picture: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)

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Reader points out that charity shops don't exist so that 'local people can buy things cheaply'

Matt Smith (MetroTalk, Fri) says charity shops have started charging higher prices, which ‘misses the point’ of why they exist.

He says they are there to provide cheap goods, volunteering opportunities and to raise funds.

While volunteering in a charity shop is a good thing to do, they are not there to provide volunteering opportunities for people with free time to fill.

And while some customers will obtain second-hand goods relatively cheaply, the provision of cheap merchandise is also not their purpose.

If good quality items are donated, it is the responsibility of the shops to sell them at the best price. The donors give items because they want the charity to benefit, not because they want local people to be able to buy things cheaply. Ruth Butlin, Polegate.

Reader calls transgender women ‘men wanting to be women’

Transgender person smiling and waving a transgender flag
This reader says ‘asking fir single sex spaces’ is acting against ‘violence against women in all its forms’ (Picture: Getty Images)

Arriving at the Brighton Centre for the Filia women’s rights conference on Saturday morning, windows were smashed and pink paint sprayed all along the front and a group of masked people were shouting aggressively at the queuing attendees.

Filia exists to promote women’s rights against the patriarchy and violence against women in all its forms and is attended by thousands of women from all over the world and of all ethnicities.

It’s ironic that those responsible, trans activist group Bash Back – many of whom are men wanting to be women – should try to cancel our event. Asking for single sex spaces for dignity, privacy and safety from men does not make us transphobic and is, indeed, the law.
Helen, via email

Reader says ‘it was a joy to see so many people of many nationalities’ enjoying the British Museum

Further to comments about integration (MetroTalk, Mon), I was at the British Museum on Friday. It was a joy to see so many people of many nationalities – staff and visitors – enjoying this great space.

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The surrounding area is full of restaurants and cafés offering various different cuisines – what one expects in a large city. Juliet Chaplin, Sutton

An internationally married couple who came to Tsukiji for sightseeing while eating fried food
This reader says that the different cuisines of London are what makes the large city (Credits: Getty Images)

‘Our problems are certainly not caused by immigration’, says reader

D Johnson (MetroTalk, Thu) believes a high percentage of UK citizens ‘do not want people of colour as next-door neighbours’.

I have no idea what evidence he has but, in response, I’d say I would not want to live next door to anyone flying the Union Jack or St George’s flag.

As for the divisive anti-immigrant rhetoric thmetro.co.at seems to be increasing, our problems are certainly not caused by immigration. Let’s consider 14 years of a Tory government, for starters. L Lee, Wirral

Reader says ‘the Jews have lived in Israel since around 2000BC’

Luke (MetroTalk, Fri) asks ‘how or even why the Palestinians would want to coexist with a people whose government has stolen their homes’? The last time I looked, the Jews have lived in Israel since around 2000BC.
 Martin, Hackney

Should we weed out the dealers?

My way of relaxing
This reader says marijuana should be legalised so that the government can tax it (Picture: Getty Images)

Whenever I go to London,
I can smell marijuana. Its personal use should be legalised, that way the Treasury could reap the profits from its sale, rather than the drug dealers. Wada Hosny, Redbridge

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