John Parry is in danger of becoming The Argus's resident Alf Garnett.

Instead of questioning the loyalty of young British Asians to Britain (The Argus, November 2), he might ask why it is that many of them have become so alienated they are willing to fight and even die for the despicable Taliban regime they know so little about.

Racist attacks, discrimination, unemployment and poverty might provide Mr Parry with a few clues.

He might also ponder the fact that, far from Britain being a country "that has given them so much", our wealth and status in the world today derives from our having had an empire we exploited ruthlessly.

Indian Asians and Afro-Caribbeans came to this country primarily as a source of cheap labour and, when unemployment rose, we broke our promise of citizenship to Commonwealth inhabitants and closed the doors.

And no, Mr Parry, there is no comparison between William Joyce and Asians going to fight for the Taliban.

We are not at war with Afghanistan and there is no threat to British national survival from one of the world's poorest countries. The Taliban do not stand poised to cross the English Channel.

During the Vietnam War, Jane Fonda went to Hanoi to support the Vietnamese people.

That wasn't treason but an act of solidarity with a third-world people suffering the genocidal attack of a world superpower.

Likewise, many British Asians sympathise with ordinary Afghanis, who will be the primary victims of Blair and Bush's war.

There is a long history of minorities living in Britain who identify with other countries.

They may be right or wrong but traitors they are not. Mr Parry might care to recall the words of that great Englishman Dr Samuel Johnson when he next puts pen to paper: Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

-Tony Greenstein, TUC Unemployed Workers' Centre, Brighton