Sir, - Under our Constitution, the rights of all citizens are treasured equally. In practice, it doesn't work that way. Consider this tale of two pickets:
One was the countrywide demo organised by farmers outside meat factories. Fair play to them. They had a real grievance and they made their presence felt. Despite the depth of feeling and the numbers involved, however, gardai were either absent from the venues affected or failed to act even when illegal blockades were mounted by protesters.
Just a fortnight earlier, an anti-blood-sports activist staged a peaceful one-man picket outside Loughrea Cathedral while Mass was being celebrated inside. He carried a placard denouncing the local bishop's decision to allow fox-hunting on church land. There were no loud hailers and no resort to provocative language. He made no attempt to obstruct Mass-goers or other members of the public from going about their business.
But gardai arrived anyway. They asked him to end the picket or face possible arrest for "creating a public nuisance". He agreed to call off his protest.
The moral of the tale is that there is no morality when it comes to getting what you want. There is strength in numbers, in political influence, loud voices and powerful connections.
Objecting to the ill-treatment of animals and to the Church's tacit support for hunting doesn't win you friends in high places. Hares and foxes can't vote, and the crozier still looms large in the Irish psyche. As for justice: is it all-embracing and unprejudiced . . .or just blind in one eye? - Yours, etc.,
John Fitzgerald, Lower Coyne Street, Callan, Co Kilkenny.