Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

OPINION:YOU MAY, from time to time, find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to justify some atrocity or other. This can lead to anxiety, awkwardness and social embarrassment. In extreme cases, you may even find yourself blurting out obscene words such as “wrong”, “immoral” or “sorry”. But these problems can be avoided by following our simple, six-step guide to defending the indefensible, writes Fintan O'Toole

1. Why are you saying this? Always begin by questioning the motives of those who draw attention to unfortunate incidents such as the shelling of schools, the blocking of ambulances, the placing of bombs in restaurants, the firing of rockets into towns etc. They are anti-Semites, anti-Irish, anti-Islam – whatever. Even when you know the charge to be untrue, make them deny it.