Sir, - I would like to point out to Thomas Walsh (August 15th) that what we call "racism" could never have been a valuable biological or evolutionary mechanism, as he speculates, since preserving cultural (and racial) homogeneity within any small population group ultimately leads to inbreeding and, consequently, evolutionary disadvantage.
The cultural analogy is obvious: the most homogeneous, isolated groups of people on earth still live in the Stone Age. Perhaps Mr Walsh would like to trade places with hem. I certainly prefer something a little more progressive.
Of course Ireland needs to have a rational, mature debate about immigration. As an immigrant myself, I welcome one. However, that debate cannot begin with the fundamentally racist - and scientifically false - premise that homogeneous insider groups (us) have an "evolutionary advantage" over heterogeneous outsider groups (them).
That premise may indeed be "culturally protective", as Mr Walsh suggests, but it also happens to be despicable and morally abhorrent. - Yours, etc.
Jon Ihle, Meade's Terrace, Dublin 2.