JK Rowling and the increase of spitefulness

For many years, I admired JK Rowling for her creativity and hard work. It can’t be denied that she is a wonderful writer.

However, lately, I find that her antics on social media have gone too far (“Harry Potter fans turn on JK Rowling for goading David Tennant with ‘uncalled for’ swipe”, Tuesday 5 November)

Of course she is entitled to her own opinion – but the way in which she publicly criticises others is becoming increasingly spiteful, in my opinion. Often, I feel that she misrepresents people and what they said for her own agenda.

Her latest target has been David Tennant. The actor is famously an ally of the LGBTQ community and often voices his support for the trans community.

He has every right to criticise legislation that targets trans people, and I personally agree that Kemi Badenoch’s plans (which would redefine the legal definition of the term “sex” to mean biological sex) treat the community with little dignity or basic decency.

Unfortunately, Tennant’s support has put him on Rowling’s radar – and he is often in the firing line of her tweets.

It is a shame when those we admire sink so low.

Lisbeth Robertson

Address supplied

Following a long-awaited and, crucially, independent review, we now know that a British barrister’s “horrific” violent abuse of more than 100 children was covered up within the Church of England for decades (“Report finds Church of England covered up ‘horrific’ abuse at summer camps decades ago”, Thursday 8 November).

In yet another example of the church prioritising its reputation above the children in its care, John Smyth was encouraged to leave the country for Zimbabwe without the police being told.

Smyth’s victims have asked for only one thing to recognise their pain and lifelong suffering – the resignation of Justin Welby. He has declined.

This weekend, the Church of England will again take stewardship of Remembrance commemorations. Rather than being given this unjustified privilege, it should be disestablished – and its many more dark secrets subjected to full police scrutiny.

Neil Barber

Balgreen, Edinburgh

It seems that Donald Trump’s racist, misogynistic, hate-mongering raves and rants embody what more than half of the adults in his country want (“How Trump forced his way back into the White House”, Wednesday 6 November).

I fear that the fervent self-entitlement of Maga supporters will continue to stain America’s ugly conscience long after the expiry of Trump’s second tenure; the moral decrepitude of his voters will stain many more election cycles to come.

A fair process has allowed a fascistic despot to rise from the dead despite having instigated an insurrection. We should now mourn the death of democracy as a social governance model.

Joseph Ting

Brisbane, Australia

The victory of Donald Trump is terrifying. Now, it is time for everyone who believes in decency, equality and fairness to prove it (“There is nothing inevitable – or permanent – about Trumpism 2.0”, Wednesday 6 November).

To ensure that we, too, do not lose our democracy completely, every MP must stand up for the rights and needs of their constituents, rather than toe a party line, or be bullied into a vote just to preserve leaders who fail to appreciate the views of the electorate.

At the moment Labour, with its ill-thought out policies, is enabling the next Conservative government to become even more right-wing. It would be a good start for our MPs to simply refuse Keir Starmer’s approach and fight for something stronger.

A true democracy does not look like a map of red or blue. If every MP acted as an independent, we would have a more accurate representation of a genuine democracy.

Jennifer Poole

Romsey, Hampshire