The alphabet is something not to be argued with: there are 26 letters in as fixed a sequence as the numbers 1-26; once learned in order and for the 'sounds they make,' you have the key to reading and the key to the way the world is classified.
But the alphabet is far from neutral. Debates about power and class surround every letter, and the letter H is the most contentious of all. No other letter has had such power to divide people into opposing camps.
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In Northern Ireland how you pronounce the letter H is often used as a way of telling if you're a Catholic or Protestant. Back in the dark days of sectarian violence, that could have been a life and death issue! Catholics tend to pronounce it 'Haitch' while Protestants tend to say 'Aitch'.
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