Marisa Micallef’s contribution of 17 December looks more like a tantrum than an article. In it she chooses to refer to Maltese men married to East European women as “sods”.

I am, first of all, surprised that the editor accepted this legally dubious insult. Secondly, there are now hundreds of Maltese men married to East European women and if they decided to answer back to Ms Micallef’s offensive language, I am sure that they would find a word or two to call her.

Maltese people have been marrying foreigners for a long time. Some have found joy and others frustration. This is no reason for making sweeping statements full of emotional, hysterical prejudice.

And I also see no reason for some Maltese women to be

hostile to East European women married to Maltese men. They were not married at gunpoint and I hope that Ms Micallef will allow them their freedom of choice and decision.

Nor should Maltese women feel anger at men marrying foreigners. Lots of Maltese women also marry foreigners and there is no chance that Maltese women won’t find sweet Maltese men to marry – as some seem to be worrying about.

Dr Anthony Licari