Dear Editor,

TIS the season to be jolly, and there’s plenty of evidence of that in Harlow. Daniel Robinson bringing the community together for carols, fun and frolics at the Playhouse Pantomime, the extraordinary spectacular of the Christmas Lights Up in our town centre, and houses and flats adorning their doors, windows and roof tops with festive lights, inflatables, and decorations – ALL UNDERMINED by the ongoing plethora of flags on lampposts everywhere you turn.

There is a well-known greeting shared at this time of year. Peace and Goodwill to ALL. That is not the message conveyed by those organising the littering of these flags. They are sneering at the reasonable people in our neighbours, almost daring someone to complain; their unspoken message is “does it make you feel uncomfortable? Good! That’s what we wanted.”

Outside of Harlow, some local and county councils have tackled the problem head on and removed this blight of hatred, street vandalism and misappropriate of our national flag. They have taken them down and they have stayed down.

In Harlow, nearly all of our local councillors and four county councillors have done nothing. Some have openly said “I see no problem here,” others have said nothing, their silent acquiescence warming the hearts of the extremists intent on importing hatred into our town.

Perhaps they thought, if we ignore it then it will go away. WRONG!

Sickeningly, it is growing. Plaguing our neighbourhoods, hurting the immense love and pride that many people have for Harlow. Some local leaders have voiced their disquiet – those with elected responsibility? Not so much.

Please DO SOMETHING so we can ALL enjoy tidings of comfort and joy, not just this Christmas time but as we start a new year.

Season’s Greetings

Son of Old Man River.