Sir, - I tried to recognise myself in Lord Laird's description of the Ulster Sots national minority (Opinion, July 12th). Indeed, as a Border-region Protestant with a clearly Scottish surname I expected to do so with ease. However, when challenged by Lord Laird's article to feel aggrieved at my marginalisation in a monocultural society, I'm afraid I failed.
Perhaps the fault is my own for not understanding what my culture should be, according to Lord Laird, as opposed to what it actually is.
In reality, my unenlightened culture involves speaking English, not Ulster Scots (a language I have never heard spoken), reading books by writers from Ireland, of all religions and none, and from outside Ireland, and listening to music from a range of genres, including Irish traditional, rock music, and rap. In none of these areas have I ever experienced the negative attitude that Lord Laird feels is being shown to my culture.
My political culture derives in part from Protestant roots, including Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet, and Douglas Hyde, and partly from wider ideas of democracy, inclusion, tolerance and environmentalism. In none of these areas are Protestants lacking.
The association of some Northern Protestants, and Ulster Scots, with archaic majoritarianism, exclusion, intolerance and bigotry is, frankly, an embarrassment to most Southern Protestants. It is not a political culture that I would like to see extended across the Border.
The lack of respect which Lord Laird claims to find in the South is not a lack of respect for my culture, but most probably a lack of respect for the less savoury aspects of his culture, including its provocative Orange parades, sectarianism and bigotry.
I for one am heartily glad that the Dublin Government has shown no interest in providing parity of esteem for such extreme and intolerant ideas. - Yours, etc.,
Ian Livingstone, Hoeilaart, Belgium.