Sir, - Piaras Mac ╔inri, director of the Irish Centre for Migration Studies at Cork University, has every right at a personal level to criticise Amnesty International for its anti-racism campaign (September 6th), but he is way over the top when he assumes he is speaking for the majority who work for human rights and against racism in our society.
He accuses them of being "regrettably silent" in not berating Amnesty's campaign. He then claims this campaign has damaged the credibility of the human rights movement in Ireland and applauds the "commendable" judgment of the Advertising Standards Authority in upholding criticism of the campaign.
Amnesty International should be rightfully applauded for highlighting the lack of political leadership shown in Ireland to date. The Taoiseach sees fit to be a football pundit on prime-time television but, like his Minister of Justice, cannot see that the insidious evil of racism has taken root and is spreading its pernicious tentacles throughout Ireland, especially among the young who think it's cool to be racist.
Within the past week I was shocked to see a school basketball pitch defaced with racist slogans in four-foot letters reading, "Niggers F*** U". What made it more shocking was a large swastika dominating the racist slogans. And still the politicians sleep.
Religious leaders in Ireland together with some sections of the media, especially The Irish Times, are to be commended for their attempts to highlight and condemn racism, but I feel ashamed of our political leaders, save the Minister of State Liz O'Donnell, who fail to speak out against racism. I am thoroughly disgusted at the three-year delay by the Minister of Justice in implementing a paltry £1.5 million Government anti-racism campaign.
Amnesty International took a bold step in arousing awareness of the evil of racism and in my book should be given an award by the Advertising Authority Standards of Ireland for its outstanding publicity awareness campaign. - Yours, etc.
Brendan Butler, Pennock Hill, Swords, Co Dublin.