Attitude to gays better than in Italy
Sunday November 01 2009
Sir -- I just came across Eamonn Sweeney's piece on Donal Og Cusack (Sunday Independent, October 25, 2009), and wanted to express my appreciation and gratitude for what he wrote.
I am Italian and have been living in Dublin for five years and perhaps many more to come. I'm gay and as you may know Ireland and Italy have many points in common... perhaps one of them is the strong influence of the Catholic Church on our societies.
Although I must say that in the past five years I noticed how Ireland is actually one step (or two perhaps) forward compared to my country of origin.
I saw Donal Og Cusack on the Late Late Show on Friday night and loved his confidence during the interview, I will definitely buy his book.
I just wish we had brave guys like him in Italy as well.
I didn't want to say anything else. I just loved reading the article and really hope that many other people -- gay or not -- will think the same.
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Sir -- Thank you for Eamonn Sweeney's article (Sunday Independent, October 25, 2009). It brought a tear to my eye. I am gay and live in San Francisco. A primary reason for me to move here, over seven years ago, was my sexuality. I hope things continue to move forward in Ireland. I wonder how many talented young Irish people have been lost to other economies because of people's attitudes to sexuality? I certainly know a few.
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Sir -- Eamonn Sweeney's article on Donal Og Cusack was the most articulate and touching piece of writing that I have read on the subject -- and, from my perspective, certainly hit the nail on the head.
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Sir -- I have just read Eamonn Sweeney's article (Sunday Independent, October 25, 2009), and I have to say it was a fantastic article. I could not find fault with one word of it. Eamonn displayed a great understanding of what it was like, and what it is like, being gay in this society and it was one of the most supportive articles of gay people that I have ever read. As a gay man I want to thank him most sincerely for writing it.
It can be so frustrating and depressing reading week after week vicious, insulting and ignorant homophobic articles, written by journalists who have not a shred of humanity in them, and who constantly get away with their anti-gay viewpoints, because gay people, like me, fear to challenge them publicly. Today, that article said what I, and no doubt countless other gay people, always wanted to say but had neither the eloquence nor the courage to say. A big thank you again.
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Sir -- In the 1940s and 50s, America endured the terrible scourge of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The phrases "reds under the bed" and McCarthyism being coined around that time.
Fast forward to Ireland in 2009 and we have our own brand of McCarthyism. Ordinary citizens of Ireland now live in fear of hospital bed and rural garda station closures (to name but two). Hard working citizens are now almost afraid to admit to being employed thanks to McCarthyism 2009 style.
The strangest thing is that those who caused and those who failed to predict the economic meltdown, for which the rest of us are paying, have no such fears. It is precisely this select group who should be afraid, not of having reds under their beds but of having the brass or gold or silver under their beds being discovered. And I have little doubt but there are many such stashes.
Pat Jordan,
Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Sir -- I was delighted to hear that the O'Connell monument is again open to the public. As a child I had visited it.
It would be great for the Irish nation, if one of our great film directors, eg, Neil Jordan, would make a movie about one of our icons in history.
You could have the likes of Brendan Gleeson, Colm Meaney or Liam Neeson in the title role. I am sure it would be a blockbuster.
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Sir -- I feel there is an urgent need for a safety campaign on motorway etiquette for drivers. Now that the M50 improvements are coming online, I have been horrified at the bad habits of drivers, especially those who hog the fast lane. I followed a driver onto the northbound M50 at the Blanchardstown inter-change. However, instead of remaining in the slow lane, the driver proceeded to cross all three lanes to take up position in the fast lane at the phenomenal speed of 60kmh. Not only was he an absolute menace on the road, his action was grossly ignorant of the motorway etiquette.
The RSA need to address this immediately before someone is killed, namely me!
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Sir -- I loved your castigation of the opposition on the subject of 'the false promises of a snake oil salesman' (Sunday Independent, October 25, 2009). I do, however, think you are missing the point.
A small number of powerful people have held continuous power, and enjoyed unrivalled media approval, in this country for many years. These people were not members of the opposition. On the contrary, as members of the cabinet, they controlled billions of euro in resources collected from ordinary taxpayers.
The bad decisions of these powerful people in relation to the resources under their control has this country, as your editorial so eloquently puts it, 'heading relentlessly into deeper crisis'.
Contrary to what your editorial says this has nothing to do with the failure of the opposition. It does, however, derive from 'the false promises' of influential government personages who have abused the enormous power given to them over many years. They used millions of taxpayers money day after day to fund spin doctors whose sole purpose was, as you say, to indulge 'the opportunism of cheap populism'.
You are right when you say that the government can only be held to account by an 'honest' and 'courageous' opposition. Equally it can only be held to account by an honest and courageous media.
As well as lecturing the opposition to 'get real', therefore, you should practice what you preach and hold to account the most powerful people in the country, who proved themselves to be the real 'snake oil salesmen'.
A. Leavy,
Sutton, Dublin 13
Sir -- Forget about Minister Noel Dempsey wanting a reduction in the drink driving limit. This is ludicrous. You could only have one drink and be over the limit. This is a real temptation to those who would like a couple of drinks. There should be zero tolerance. No drink at all when driving. Get a bus, a taxi; get a friend who does not drink to drive. If Minister Dempsey's ideas come into being it will only annoy the public and tempt people to have another one. One drink will put you over the limit. It would be best to cut it out altogether if driving and stay at home and get sozzled in comfort.
Terry Healy,
Kill, Co Kildare
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