Referendum on citizenship

Madam, - John Waters's column of April 19th reminded me of the character in Joseph Heller's Catch-22 who opposed racism by growing…

Madam, - John Waters's column of April 19th reminded me of the character in Joseph Heller's Catch-22 who opposed racism by growing faint in its presence.

Madam, - John Waters's column of April 19th reminded me of the character in Joseph Heller's Catch-22 who opposed racism by growing faint in its presence.Mr Waters's stratagem is to convince himself that racism does not exist in Ireland. Therefore, according to him, the Minister for Justice is a wise and benevolent politician who just happens to have strayed into error.

A close reading of the column shows why Waters has adopted his odd position regarding the referendum. He is against this referendum but is seriously embarrassed to find himself on the same side as the "liberals and multi-culturalists" whom he despises.

His tortured logic is contradicted by the facts. By ill-judged and apparently baseless remarks about immigrants and maternity facilities, Michael McDowell has become the first senior Irish politician to play the race card for electoral advantage. Hitherto, the list of such politicians had been composed of nonentities or second-raters desperate for a few extra votes. These remarks provide space for more extreme and vicious elements to occupy and the atmosphere for rational debate will become clouded and poisonous.

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The confused reasoning of journalists such as John Waters will do nothing to counter this sad trend in Irish life. - Yours, etc.,

TOBY JOYCE,

Balreask Manor,

Navan,

Co Meath.