Madam, - In his defence of Padraig Nally (Opinion, November 21st) John Waters writes that "If Nally had been a homosexual, cornered in his home by known homophobes, those who clamour now for his continuing incarceration would be writing lengthy articles demanding further legislation to protect gays. Perhaps Nally's problem is that his type is not listed under any of the fashionable victim headings."
It was fashionable once for women to fight for a vote. It was fashionable once for blacks to fight for civil rights. But it wasn't only fashionable, it was just; and those who wished to undermine the justice of these causes described them as "fashionable".
It would be hoped that the rights of single men and women living alone and being terrorised by criminals would one day be fashionable too, since justice should always be fashionable; but until their cause catches up with causes which perhaps were longer on the waiting list for attention, it does no service to a new cause to imply that others are less worthy. - Yours etc,
DECLAN KELLY, Davis Court, Dublin 8.
Madam, - John Waters (Opinion, November 21st) accuses those who support the incarceration of Padraig Nally of being members of "an over-active lobby" who "will use any pretext to assert their purportedly superior moral qualities". While feeling sympathy for Padraig Nally, I support his incarceration because I believe that one man's life is worth more than another man's property.
I dread to imagine a society in which this view is not held by all citizens. - Yours, etc,
GARRETH McDAID, Leitrim Village, Co Leitrim.
Madam, - Is John Waters the only journalist who can get to the nub of an issue? It would appear that his colleagues are distracted very easily, blathering off on a tangent. As a result the Irish public have been branded "anti-Traveller".
No we are not anti-Traveller, we are anti-criminal. People are, for the most part, pro-Padraig Nally because somebody finally stood up to the thuggery and violence which, it would seem, the powers-that-be cannot or will not do.
Padraig Nally does not have a "minority" or "hard-done-by" label to shelter under. This seems to have been his undoing. - Yours, etc,
MARY HORGAN, Castletreasure, Douglas, Cork.
