Madam, – I think Fintan O’Toole is selling himself short in claiming that “a newspaper columnist has at least as much influence as an isolated backbench TD”. Of course a newspaper columnist has much more influence. In fact, the media now appear to be running the country. Who decides what is newsworthy, what the headlines are and how long a story should run? Who regulates the media?
Mr O’Toole is wise to continue as a columnist and should be thankful he has not to face anything more serious than an odd irate reader. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Fintan O’Toole ends his excellent, well-reasoned article, “On a personal level, it is a relief to return to the job I’m best fitted for. If nothing else, to misquote Karl Marx, I’ve been reminded that analysing the world is a lot easier than changing it.”
While we would welcome a Dáil member with the intellect of Mr O’Toole who could analyse and perhaps change government matters in real time, we will continue in the future to value him as the journalist who will alert us to open our eyes when the emperor is wearing no clothes. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – So Fintan O’Toole wanted to save Ireland, but then the election was brought forward and it all seemed too much, so he gave up. Given this ingenuity, drive and determination it’s probably best he’s resigned to writing pious columns. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The Democracy Now alliance has called of its participation in the election because of lack of time.
On its relaunch will it be: “Democracy Now We Have the Time”? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Fintan O’Toole’s confessional (Opinion, January 29th), while enlightening and entertaining, nevertheless succumbs to the moral blackmail that has long been a feature of politics in Ireland.
He had no need to do so.
Every time there is a call to the “national interest” and to do “our patriotic duty” it is to carry the costs of a political blunder and we see this bullying in operation.
A neat example of this was the attempt to brow-beat the independent and constitutionally protected (for good reason) judiciary into “voluntarily” giving up entitlements.
A viscious example was the Government-inspired assault on public sector workers promulgated by some media, including a prominent Sunday newspaper, in almost personalised terms over the past few years.
Dáil politicians are very slow as interest groups themselves to give up their privileges. This can be seen at any public meeting when challenged about salaries, pensions and even technical and apparently mundane things like abolishing the whip system and limiting the scope of government (ie politicians’) borrowing.
They are quick, when those privileges are threatened, to engage in moral blackmail to suppress free thought not to their liking.
Your Opinion columnist has done the State much service in the current crisis. It is enough that he has shown us where the fire is. It would be nice if he could put it out. But not all are fire-fighters. Those who claim to be so – and who wish it to be their claim to be respected and to be rewarded – should now deliver.
But that only brings us back to the failure of the political process to genuinely reform itself and to the leadership deficit so apparently not being filled during this election season.
And that is why unfortunately and distractingly we can expect more moral blackmailing.
Mr O’Toole can do a lot more for us if he rebuffs this with the skills with which he does good work at this time. – Yours, etc,