As an occasional visitor to Cornwall whose main hope this week is to get a good view of the solar eclipse, I could not help but notice the letter in the 6th August Cornish Times headed 'Racial abuse is never funny'. Indeed, it even inspired me to seek out the previous weeks letter by Richard Gendall which provoked it.

The theme of these letters is of particular interest to me as I live in the Isle of Man, where views similar to Mr Gendall's are expressed openly on a daily basis by large numbers of people without anyone, local or otherwise, ever muttering the accusation of racism.

For one thing, as the Manx, Cornish, English, Spaniards, Poles etc., all belong to the same race (albeit different nationalities) it is hardly applicable in this context. Secondly, racial prejudice is a world apart from the everyday fears expressed by a national minority that their cultural identity is being eroded by a large influx of strangers who do not share it, which was the import of Richard Gendall's remarks.

At home, people often complain to me about 'comeovers' to the Isle of Man, their insensitivity to the Manx people and the danger they pose to the Island's established way of life, culture etc. They do this knowing that 27 years ago I was myself an English comeover to the Island who nevertheless made efforts to become integrated into the local community and even became fluent in the Manx language.

I regard their sharing with me, an outsider, of a private, Manx point of view as a great compliment and sign of my acceptance. In no way would I consider their remarks racist, any more than people in Cornwall should regard Richard Gendall's views as such.

Quite simply, they are those of a Cornishman with an evidently healthy love of his native land.

A J PILGRIM

Isle of Man