I'M NOT sure that I agree with your correspondent James Young ('Our proud legacy', Letters, September 24)

Regarding his conclusion that we in the West are so ashamed of our achievements in the last few centuries that we let other cultures establish themselves to practise behaviours that are unacceptable to us.

What exactly are we to be ashamed about in Britain for instance?

He lists our successful struggle to separate church from state, defeating tyrants, establishing democracy, outlawing slavery, making women equal with men, man equal to man, straight with gay, disabled with able bodied, and protect ourselves and our children with excellent health and justice systems, then goes on to suggest that a culture can only survive if all those that live within it accept the same set of rules.

Yet the list he runs past us were all controversial ideas at some time in the past, and were fiercely opposed, but subsequently sanctioned.

In Britain we have evolved into a benign, property-owning monarchy by the constant agitation of different factions who wouldn’t live by the rules, and as the armed forces are increasingly drawn directly from the general populace, they become less and less an arm of government repression.

We have four connected but disparate nations at peace with each other for nearly 300 years. There is plenty of food, and an abundance of work and leisure is an important part of our lives. We have a marvellous, classless health service and as a people we are hugely tolerant. and if you don’t believe we should have these things, Think of those migrants in the port of Calais who have nothing and desperately wish to become British.

You could be smug Mr Young, or proud at having past incursions against us set at nought, you might even be modestly reticent at all our achievements. But don’t be ashamed.

G Ashworth
Bridport