The first rule of good PR is, don’t hitch your wagon to anything bad or controversial.

I wish someone had told this to the members of Aberfeldy Community Council.

There is now conflict between residents of the beautiful Perthshire village over a proposal to create a twin link with the town of Salado, Texas.

Twinning is a good idea on the whole

I have no issues with the concept of twinning – it’s been used to great effect over the years, including Perth’s relationship with Aschaffenburg and the Dull and Boring connection.

It’s also a fantastic way to promote a village, town or city, especially if it gets a bit of media attention, as the latter example did.

We know Americans love their heritage links to Scotland, however minute they may be. And after the Tartan Army won hearts and minds in the USA during the World Cup the time is definitely right for twinning.

Texas twinning would be vetoed with simple research

But it would have been good if Aberfeldy Community Council had done a bit of legwork into Salado, which as we’ve learned, lies just 20 miles from the Fort Hood military........

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