WHY NOT BE HONEST?

When the BBC took VVASP to task over the ASA ruling (sorry about all those abbreviations - basically, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Vale Villagers Against Scottish Power had been publishing misleading claims about the proposed Lenchwick Windfarm and the BBC wanted to hear what VVASP had to say for themselves) ... sorry, where was I?

Oh, yes - when the BBC challenged VVASP over the nonsense they've been telling people, the spokesperson for Vale Villagers Blah Blah Blah said something like:

"Well, it's easy to dismiss health concerns when it's not your health that's under threat."

Hmmnn. Yes, that's maybe true, if you're the sort of person who doesn't give a stuff about other people.

But it's even easier to dismiss health concerns when THEY'RE ENTIRELY MADE UP.

And here's the problem. The said VVASP spokesperson almost certainly doesn't believe in the health concerns himself because he used to be a scientist and would therefore know that the evidence for these so-called health concerns is wanting.

All the same, he's prepared to try and convince everyone else in the area of these health concerns because he doesn't want to look at a windfarm.

Now, what if he'd told the truth?

What if he'd said, "I don't want a windfarm near me"?

Which is the case. He's said in the past that he wants nothing "industrial" in the area to which he retired, and windfarms - in his book, at least - are "industrial". So he doesn't want one.

It's actually okay not to want a windfarm. No one's obliged to find them as attractive and inspirational as many people do.

Saying that you simply don't want a windfarm nearby is okay - that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it.

But what is WRONG (in huge capital letters) is lying to your neighbours about them and spreading false stories about health concerns and the effects on property prices.

That is unforgiveable. That shows that, simply because "I don't want a windfarm near me" sounds rather lame, the membership of VVASP is quite happy to dream up the craziest possible excuses to justify their unnecessary and misguided opposition to a Good Thing.

Lies like theirs will have to be paid for, one day. Making people believe that they will suffer ill health and financial loss (when there's no proper evidence at all that they will) is evil, pure and simple. The VVASP campaign is not just dishonest - it is evil. And those who have waged this evil campaign of lies and scare stories will one day have to answer for themselves.

It's a shame that they couldn't have been honest in the first place.