Yes, Prince Harry’s recent donning of a Nazi uniform to a fancy-dress party was a blunder of magnificent proportions. Not so much because a naive young boy cannot be expected to display significant lapses in sensitivity and good taste; no, Harry’s failure must also be partly attributable to those around him — and even the attitudes of a society as a whole.

In his letter (”Off-key sweet birds sing the same tune”, January 14), Thabo Mbeki criticised a certain so-called ”sweet bird”, whom he said was ”in favour of change but determined to prevent change”. Tony Leon responds, claiming that Mbeki has revived an old pastime: attacking ”white liberals” and political opposition in general.

You can say what you like in the United States media, as long as it helps a Republican president. But slip up once and you will be torn to shreds. The role of the media corporations in the US is similar to that of repressive state regimes elsewhere: they decide what the public will and won’t hear, and either punish or recruit the social deviants who insist on telling a different story.