Sir, - The letters published on May 9th made very interesting reading. Derek Gartland speaks of "the liberal left. . .thinking they have the moral right to impose their interpretation of what is right or wrong" - yet his letter is full of intolerance to refugees and to the people who speak in their defence, and full of bitterness.
On the other hand, we have the compassionate letter from Fr John Carroll - he truly has it right. We should all for one moment imagine ourselves in the shoes of the refugee who has lost a family member or friend through violence in his own country and has to flee for his or her own safety. Many are young women with three or more young children. It pains me to think of the treatment many of these fellow human beings are receiving as they arrive in "Ireland of Welcomes".
As Fr Carroll said, we must all have "a change of heart". If we are truly a Christian country (and many non-Christians live out Christian values of brotherly love better than some Christians) we should remember that it is not all the letter-writing and debating about refugees and the labelling of them and those who do or don't support them and other less well off members of society that will matter, but our actions.
As Jesus said, "in as much as you did this [feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prison] to the least of these you did it unto me".
Human dignity is to be treasured at all times. Let us Irish who so generously help the famine victims of the Third World when called upon to do so, welcome refugees here with the respect and dignity all human beings deserve.
Finally, I do accept that the numbers of refugees entering the country must be monitored. However at present I understand from experts that the numbers are by comparison relatively few. - Yours, etc.,
Deirdre Kenny, St Alban's Road, South Circular Road, Dublin 8.