While we delight in seeing our politicians swear on the Bible or the Koran to serve us, honour our public institutions and forever be a good citizen, MP Taylor Martin is stretching our patience (Can MP survive texting scandal? 26/7). As US President Johnston, alias LBJ, was reputed to use profanities throughout his term, I suppose his predecessor’s assassination and the course of the Vietnam War was an understandable context. Hopefully Patricia McDonald SC will examine what Martin’s expletives were replying to and establish what ghosts of the past had driven the unhappy MP to ribald vitriol. With six years in the upper house and seemingly nothing to show for it, the leniency shown to President Johnston should not be granted to our angry texter. In a fresh, apolitical environment, Taylor Martin might achieve much for the world and be redeemed from the horrors of working for an older Ms Wicks and the toxic break-up that followed. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 27July2023.