Sir, - Last Wednesday evening, at about 9 p.m., I travelled home by DART from the city centre. The carriage was full of people and there were a number of Japanese and Spanish couples sitting towards the rear. As they arrived at their respective destination and strolled onto the platform, a group of young passengers began jeering and shouting racist obscenities at them. I will not repeat their rantings here.
Although these children were only about 12 or 13 years of age, not a single person in the carriage scolded them for their comments. I was among the many that did not speak up on this occasion, deciding instead to "mind my own business."
We can discuss Government schemes to reduce racism as much as we like. What is really needed is a change in the public tolerance of this most disgusting of Irish characteristics, and for people to have the courage to speak up for those on the receiving end. - Yours, etc.,
James Fryar, Warren Green, Baldoyle, Dublin 13.