Sir, - I refer to Vincent Browne's article (The Irish Times, March 8th). I never cease to be amazed at the violence of the bigotry directed at the travelling community by the ordinary people of this country. Some of these, I am ashamed to admit, have been friends and colleagues.
To hear a person speak considerately of the plight of other minority groups in Ireland and witness the change in their demeanour when travellers are mentioned is particularly enlightening.
I have seen sections of the community, at odds with each other for decades, united in their vilification of travellers. No other people have had to put up with the type and number of organised protests against their right to a place in our community.
I cannot comprehend the pain that these noble people must suffer on a daily basis. I have been humbled by the warmth with which I have been greeted when meeting members of a community which my own seems determined to extinguish.
That the survey Mr Browne refers to in his article shows such a large percentage of the respondents having a favourable attitude to travellers when the opposite is so clearly the case does not surprise me. We will never achieve a change in our attitude as long as we carry this lie in our hearts.
Travellers are discriminated against in this country and we square it with our conscience by hiding behind such fallacies as mentioned in his article. Travellers are forced to live in unacceptable conditions by authorities who believe that the solution is to assimilate them, not provide facilities that would allow them practise a lifestyle that dares to be different from ours. Congratulations to Mr Browne for standing up for what is right. - Yours, etc.,
Emmet Staunton, Abbey Street, Dublin 1.