Sir, - If only Sam McAughtry could show that I had actually erred in not being "careful to focus criticism on politicians, and not on the people whom they represent", then I would accept it. It would mean that I share in some small way in his own error-prone humanity.
What I cannot accept is his arbitrary accusation that my letter was "an example of running close to the wind" in "the risk of introducing bigotry into the debate". I entertain no intolerance of unionism, as I understand it, or of unionists. I deny that my letter contained any indication of intolerance of anything except injustice.
What my letter did record was my clear and actual impression of virtual unanimity, among the many unionist spokesmen who actually speak, in relation to the many cases of institutional injustice to non-unionists. They invariably seem to find the injustice to be entirely fit and proper. As an ordinary reader of newspapers and listener to news bulletins, I have no impression of unionist spokesmen, politicians or otherwise, demurring in this "espousal of injustice".
Is my impression ill-founded? If not, whom do the politicians represent? Do those thus represented not merit criticism?
I wish Mr McAughtry would be more specific about the "trend as indicated in Mr Farrell's letter", without, of course, succumbing to his dreaded "whataboutery syndrome", of which, I can assure him, I have an equal dread. - Yours, etc.,
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.