By Letters To The Editor
Copyright independent
It seemed an easy enough essay to write at the time and I think everyone in the class breezed through it, telling how they would refuse to go along with the persecution. It was easy because Ireland in the 1960s and ’70s didn’t have any serious choices to make about dealing with people of other ethnicities — most of us rarely encountered them.
Well, decades have passed and now that same question might elicit some different answers. Would we take a stand?
It’s not so easy now, it seems. Racism, hiding behind a host of euphemisms, has become almost commonplace, eating away at the moral fibre of our nation.
Back then, we could bask in a glow of smugness — how virtuous we were in not being like those dreadful people who forced Anne Frank to hide for years, or the people who informed the Gestapo of her hiding place.
We weren’t like the nasty folk who beat up members of minority groups or who stood by laughing, or doing nothing, as those innocent victims of racism suffered indignity… or far worse. Would we take a stand if it happened here?
Well, it is happening. And it’s time for decent people everywhere to stand up to racism, in whatever guise it appears.
People who can look at traumatised, vulnerable human beings who have fled persecution or war and shriek “Get Them Out” should take a good long look at themselves.
They need to learn the -lessons of history and realise that racism, far from being on a par with patriotism, goes against everything that it means to be Irish.
John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny
Words, silence – and the killing of Charlie Kirk
Madam — Eilis O’Hanlon’s article on the killing of Charlie Kirk (‘Left-wing fanatics don’t want debate — they want your silence, at any price’, September 14) highlights how the rhetoric of silencing has curdled into something darker. What is emerging is not just left against right, but identity turned into a weapon, outrage as political currency. Social -media has accelerated the -process, exporting it to Europe’s universities, media and even governments.
O’Hanlon observed that Kirk has no voice now. Yet from his widow’s first appearance after the assassination, her words suggest otherwise — that the murderer has unleashed something he cannot control and that Kirk’s legacy will endure. I suspect it will, as she and others take up and perpetuate that voice. Unless we reaffirm the principle that words are not violence, democracies will corrode from within — one -silenced voice at a time.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Co Armagh
Fanatical Trump is root of the problem
Madam — When -Donald Trump was asked after the assassination of Charlie Kirk what could be done to bring Americans together, he -replied “I couldn’t care less” while downplaying right-wing -violence.
Eilis O’Hanlon may have an argument about the -absolute right of free speech, but words have consequences and in -particular in the fraught -environment that is the United States of America today. After he was -re-elected, Trump granted blanket -clemency to all those convicted, awaiting trial or sentencing for offences related to the January 6 Capitol attack during which a number of people died. Now he’s pushing for the death penalty for the person accused of killing Kirk. It seems to me the real fanatic is the person a majority of -Americans elected as their -president.
Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
Let’s not whitewash hateful rhetoric
Madam — I would ask Eilis O’Hanlon to respond to the actual words of Charlie Kirk -instead of just whitewashing his incendiary rhetoric. Here is a small sample of his words.
“If I see a black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified”; “Prowling blacks go around for fun to go target white people, that’s a fact. It’s happening more and more”; “Who is this neurotic lunatic (Mehdi Hassan)? He should be sent back to his own country”; “The great replacement strategy, which is well under way every single day in our southern border, is a strategy to -replace white rural America with something different”; -“Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor (Swift). You’re not in charge”; “There is no separation of church and state. It’s a fabrication, it’s a fiction, it’s not in the constitution. It’s made up by secular humanists.”
What a wonderful advocate of free speech. Obviously, I’m just a confused old man.
Con Hayes, Blarney, Co Cork
Death of family man deserves sympathy
Madam — I am -normally a fan of Brendan -O’Connor’s -writing. However, I was shocked by his front-page piece on Charlie Kirk’s assassination. O’Connor expressed no -sympathy for a loving -husband and a devoted father of two young children who had just been murdered. At least Caitríona Perry, on page 19, got the balance right.
PJ Mathews, Dublin Road, Drogheda, Co Louth
Airport cap a guard against emissions
Madam — It is utterly appalling that the Government is even considering removing the passenger cap, without first having regulations in place to ensure emissions from Ireland’s highly subsidised aviation -sector are in line with the -Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5C above pre–industrial temperatures.
While the original basis for putting the passenger cap in place may not exist any more, the cap is currently our only guard rail against continued aviation expansion and the emissions that go along with it.
Greenhouse gas emissions from Ireland’s aviation sector have increased by 500pc in the last three decades. And instead of doing its utmost to rein it in, our Government seems intent on sacrificing a liveable future in exchange for keeping a few wealthy businessmen happy in the short term. With all their talk of jobs and the economy, the Government would do well to remember there are no jobs on a dead planet.
Angela Deegan, Dowth Avenue, Dublin 7
Referendum on our neutrality is a must
Madam — I can’t believe I’m saying this, but once again I find myself in agreement with David Quinn. Ireland’s neutrality, like Austria’s and Switzerland’s, is something to be cherished and protected fiercely, to keep us out of US and UK fomented conflicts around the world. It is not something to be derided by those who would make us feel guilty for not wanting to join Nato or some other quasi -European military alliance.
Vladimir Putin has said explicitly Russia will not -tolerate troops from any member of Nato as “peacekeepers” in Ukraine when that war is over. Maybe there is a role for Irish and other non-aligned troops.
Quinn is right when he says we need a referendum to decide before we get dragged into a costly and damaging alliance.
Paul Mullan, Navan, Co Meath
Lockdowns were a calmer way of living
Madam — I think all actions taken around Covid-19 would have been under scrutiny -following lockdowns, regardless of the outcome (‘Schools were closed for too long during the pandemic, Varadkar says’). Covid-19 was unprecedented. There is no master’s degree in lockdown techniques and even if there was, all training would be based on hypothesis.
I believe the choices made by those in charge to protect the public were done in great faith, but where the problem may lie is the aftermath of these -measures.
Over the period of lockdown, people learned a new way of living. Parents were able to spend quality time with their children, sometimes for the first time. Society noticed nature coming alive. Our skies were clear from planes, our roads free of cars. We baked banana bread, dipped our toes in the world of DIY. Gardaí participated in dance routines on the beaches when they weren’t saving ducklings crossing the road.
Then, within a matter of days, we were released from lockdown and declared free. But did we want to go back? The slower pace of life and deeper connection to the planet felt far more freeing. We were pulled together then torn apart — this is where I believe the wrongdoing lies around Covid-19.
Sarah Roberts, Youghal, Co Cork
Dev’s barring order a national disgrace
Madam — Micheál -O’Cathail rightfully points to some of Éamon de Valera’s achievements, especially on the issue of neutrality during the Emergency (‘One-sided story of Dev’s life was mean’, Letters September 14).
However, he avoids -mentioning De Valera’s harsh treatment of blacklisted -Defence Forces personnel who were barred from working in state companies for seven years.
In post-war Ireland, republican Nazi collaborators (and others) got a free pass gaining access to state employment. In contrast, blacklisted Defence Forces personnel were treated differently. As many were married with young children, and others had elderly dependants to support, it was foreseeable that the imposition of a barring order on working in any state company would have a detrimental effect on innocent families.
In this regard, the De Valera government was in breach of Article 41. De Valera’s barring order also deprived blacklisted Defence Forces personnel of their right to challenge allegations of desertion within the framework of a military court, thereby breaching Article 34.1 of the Constitution, which entitles citizens a right of access to the courts.
Politicians may construct the law, but they are not empowered to act as judge, jury or executioner. Significantly, the Irish Constitution was not suspended during the Emergency as some have suggested.
Peter Mulvany, Clontarf, Dublin 3
RTÉ’s decision on Israel makes it hard to trust
Madam — RTÉ’s decision to boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest should Israel participate raises a number of issues. RTÉ likes to portray itself as an unbiased purveyor of news and current affairs.
How can we be confident its reporting of events in the Middle East is accurate and unbiased when the organisation has made clear its antipathy towards Israel? Would RTÉ have an issue with people who disagree with its proposed stance not paying their TV licence fee as a form of protest against it?
Henry Gaynor, Spa, Tralee, Co Kerry
Joe Brolly has great insight and courage
Madam — I was utterly floored by Joe Brolly’s ‘GAA doesn’t need to entertain the NFL’s version of America’ on September 14. I have never seen the reasons why the NFL should not be hosted by the GAA articulated so effectively. It’s a shame that 99pc of our politicians don’t have Joe Brolly’s insight, clarity and courage. RTÉ and the GAA are two of our biggest institutions, the former shuns Israel while the latter embraces its military backers. How does that make sense?
Peter McNally, Skerries, Co Dublin
We need another Charlie Haughey
Madam — Say what you like about the late CJ Haughey, when he wanted something done it got done. I read with mounting disappointment (Sunday Independent Business, September 14) about the difficulties experienced by offshore windfarm developers because of “delays in the planning system hampering progress and fuelling frustration”.
What a ridiculous situation. When Russia invaded Ukraine and Nord Stream 2 got blown up that should have been the lightbulb moment for our Government to realise the era of cheap energy was over and, instead of the usual hand-wringing, get to work fast-tracking windfalls.
Not only could we as a nation be energetically independent, but we could potentially sell surplus energy to Europe. Is there another Charlie out there?
Paul Mullan, Navan, Co Meath
I love Declan Lynch’s column every week
Madam — I would like to express my appreciation for Declan Lynch and the delightful contributions he makes to the Sunday Independent. His recent piece, ‘As even our pundits fall flat, football’s future looks limited’, was laugh-out-loud stuff. Each week, his column is something to look forward to. It offers not only laughter, but also subtle insights, weaving humour with perspective in a way that few writers manage.
Don Byrne, Raheny, Dublin 5
West must focus on tackling dictators
Madam — With regard to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, it seems to me that a major problem is one of blind deference to bad authority. We have not progressed much in this regard since World War II.
In Russia, we have a population cowered into deference to Putin, a murderous dictator who badly needs to be removed. The focus of the West should be on bringing this about instead of pandering to him. In Israel, protests against Netanyahu, while welcome, are futile. He needs to be overthrown by the people. Again too much deference to bad authority.
As for America, it is unthinkable that a chaotic Trump, who can only be described as Putin’s Poodle, could still be in office in three years’ time. Hopefully, good authority can yet assert itself, otherwise the world is in trouble.
Bertie Swanton, Caherconlish, Co Limerick
Democracy not evident in Áras race
Madam — Democracy rests on many principles. A pivotal one is holding periodic and genuine elections. This entitlement to “designate the rulers of the State” is enshrined in article 6 of the Constitution.
The eligibility rules governing presidential elections — 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four local authorities — create a bureaucratic barrier to being nominated to the ballot paper, especially for Independents. Basically, candidates require the goodwill of the political establishment.
When genuine candidates, such as Gareth Sheridan and Maria Steen, are effectively shut out, is democracy served? Are the ethics and values of the Constitution being upheld?
What we are witnessing is exclusion through political machinations and disenfranchisement. It does not matter whether you like or dislike these people’s opinions. What matters is that people are not denied their voice. A basic tenet of democracy.
Andy Hales, Kenmare, Co Kerry
Praying my letter will be published…
Madam — For the past three or four Sundays, illness has prevented me from attending my usual Sunday mass. During that period, none of my letters appeared in the Sunday paper. Is there a connection, one wonders: no mass, no letter? Having now resumed my Sunday mass ritual, will I see one of my letters? Divine inspiration?
Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9
