Sir, – Are we to believe that there is nobody within the gay community with the skills needed to decorate a cake, and that this is not a contrived controversy? – Yours, etc,
SEAMUS O’CALLAGHAN,
Bullock Park,
Carlow.
Sir, – I was once asked to sign a Mass card to express condolences on the death of a colleague’s relative. While I had no difficulty with offering condolences, I felt that as I was no longer a believer in the faith that expresses itself in the use of such cards, I could not in conscience add my signature to one.
I have to admit that I have now come to regard my approach as priggish and self-righteous. No useful purpose was served other than to give me the smug satisfaction of being “right”. In the broader context of decency and kindness, I know I had failed.
Perhaps the offended bakers and the offended gays should get together over a neutrally decorated humble pie and dig into it with gusto. Maybe their worlds would be a little better for the effort involved. – Yours, etc,
PETER KENNY,
Hillside Drive,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – In exploring the world of Bert and Ernie, Breda O’Brien (“Bert and Ernie’s bromance offers a lesson in tolerance”, Opinion & Analysis, July 12th) writes, “It seems increasingly difficult for a modern audience to conceive that two men could share a flat without also sharing a bed.”
This brought me back 50 years or more, to that mischievous elf Noddy, who shared a bed with Big Ears.
As a young adult, I watched Eric Morecambe share a bed with another Ernie. With the benefit of hindsight and in the interests of clarity and transparency, I must ask, was it Wise? – Yours, etc,
GERRY CHRISTIE,
Monalee,
Tralee, Co Kerry.