Explicit videos

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 16

Explicit videos

Sir,—Quoting assertions made 24 years ago by one American newspaper, Bert Walker (July 18) makes the startling claim that our drug, pornography and violent crime problems are part of a communist plot, and the “Labour Government’s sell-out” to “Moscow’s intentions.” It seems to have escaped Mr Walker’s notice that the vast majority of imported, explicitly violent and sexual videos originate in America, Scandinavia and Britain, in that order. Most of the West’s crippling drugs come from the non-communist “Golden Triangle" and South America. Alcoholism remains a much greater problem in Russia than elsewhere. Could there be a grain of comfort here for Mr Walker? Perhaps a reverse C.I.A. conspiracy has taken over the lucrative Russian home liquor racket and is seeking to stupefy and undermine the Red Bear? Does Mr Gorbachev recognise this and is he desperately instituting reforms to avert disaster? — Yours, etc., M. T. MOORE. July 18, 1987.