Having recently been to America, I found Americans unfailingly polite and courteous, unlike Tim Rundall who apparently believes academic ability is the only indicator of intelligence.

There are many who, due to physical disability or a paucity of education, have limited vocabularies or speech difficulties.

This does not mean such folk are lacking in intelligence, merely that they have difficulty in expressing their thoughts.

Mr Rundall expresses his patronising views only too well. It is a shame he does not put his skills to better use, perhaps in offering to help local community literacy groups, rather than using your paper to express his limited perceptions.

-Bini McCall, Kemptown, Brighton