Sir, – In your editorial you saw fit to use a simile that has caused us deep frustration and hurt (June 14th). Describing the ongoing "debate" in the US about the clear need for gun reform in the post-Orlando atmosphere, you chose to characterise it as a "dialogue of the deaf".
This is grossly unjust. As parents of a deaf child we can attest that “even” deaf people can and do make enormous and successful daily efforts to translate their own perspective and thoughts to the hearing community. Linking deafness, even inadvertently, we are sure, with an embedded cultural psychopathology around guns is not very appropriate.
We would hope in future that, just as our son makes every effort to nurture expressive and rich language, you too would find a way of communicating your admirable ideas without resorting to similes that have badly served the deaf community. – Yours, etc,
DAVID MULLINS,
MARGARET MULLINS,
Arklow, Co Wicklow.