DESPITE revoltingly war-torn news items from around the world, human beings are no better or worse than they have been throughout their turbulent history.

Humans are flawed creatures who still fail to use their brains properly and are in constant need of constraints and regulations. The 100 years since WWI is a blink of the eye in the scheme of things.

For centuries, Europe was the centre of warfare and cruelty, as rulers and religions rose and fell.

Britain, in it’s “heyday”, exerted cruel domination over African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. The new kid on the block, USA, all but wiped out native Americans, as did Spain in South America.

Many world conflicts have echoes of Euro-meddling and map drawing, irrespective of religions and customs. Extremism comes in many forms, not just religion. I believe most humans are not born extremist, nurture rather than nature helps to create extreme behaviours.

Grow up in a refugee camp, watch your elders humiliated, bullied, tortured or killed — a child may then believe religions or political extremism offers a way out.

A short time mixing with Middle Eastern Jews and Muslims of open mindedness and tolerance has left me with a little bit of hope that vile situations need not last forever. These people need strength, courage and space to act. Whether Gaza, Afghanistan or Congo, the list of said places is enormous. Some areas are ticking time bombs.

People of reason need to be strong, brave and vociferous, not meek and silent. Taking one side will solve nothing. Blot out the extreme messages and through all the bedlam, listen to the voices of reason.

David Sharples Tarbet Drive Breightmet