Sir, – Fintan O'Toole's article (Opinion, February 4th) contains two flaws. First his claim that motive and intention make no difference when it comes to questions of justice and equality does not stand up to the scrutiny of history. Our understanding of justice and equality is what it is today because of the motives and intentions of those in previous generations who worked for change. We would not know what we now know or stand where we now stand were it not for their motives and intentions. Motives and intentions always matter.
Second, he seems unaware that it is not just Aristotle and Lincoln who are prisoners of the systems and structures of their times – Fintan O’Toole is too. There is no high tower for 21st-century newspaper columnists that allows them to deliberate outside of their own inherited structures. Like the rest of us, Fintan O’Toole is a prisoner of his moment and place in the big story. Time will show whether all or any of our ideas and beliefs were of long-term value. In the meantime, motive and intention will continue to matter a great deal in determining the shape of the justice structures we leave from our moment in history. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN MULLAN,
Smithfield Markets,
Dublin 7.
A chara, – To those of us who lived through vilification by the Roman Catholic right in the 1980s “culture wars” an accusation of homophobia might seem positively mild.
We were told we were “anti life” in the run-up to the so called Pro Life Amendment. We were told we were “anti family” during the debate on the first divorce referendum. We “cared nothing for the welfare of children” at the time when Barry Desmond was introducing fairly innocuous amendments to our family planning legislation. And we were advocates of “perversion” when we called for the repeal of anti-gay legislation. More recently a Fianna Fáil politician accused us of having “spat in the face of Christ”, though that was under Oireachtas privilege.
We never sued. Pity. I know lots of good causes that might have benefited! – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN RYAN, (Senator
1981-93, 97-07),
The Orchards,
Montenotte, Cork.
Sir, – Having listened to the eloquent and moving speech delivered from the stage of the Abbey Theatre, I wonder if Panti Bliss could be persuaded to run for public office just as she is, without having to check herself at the traffic lights. – Yours, etc,
MIKE LAWLOR,
Admiralty Way,
Teddington,
Middlesex, England.
Sir, – It is unfortunate that the debate about same-sex marriage in this country has begun in earnest with a series of claims and counter-claims about personal attitudes and beliefs. What is really needed at this point in time is a critical national dialogue about the social norms, assumptions, and structures that foster (sometimes unknowingly) discrimination and oppression on the grounds of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This will require a great deal of individual and collective soul-searching.
Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is whether we believe that some in our society should be relegated to second-class citizenship simply for being true to who they are. Or, on the contrary, do we believe that Irish society should be an inclusive community that treats all people equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation or attraction? – Yours, etc,
LAURENCE DAVIS,
Parnell Road, Dublin 12.