US immigrants are like lambs to the slaughter
THERE are about 3,500 unarmed and untrained men, women and children heading north to be met by US president Donald Trump’s up to 15,000 heavily armed, trained troops at the border between Mexico and the US – ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’.
This is not a fair fight and if there is any fighting at all it will be a tragedy if not a slaughter.
Similar situations of immigrants not being welcome have occurred in many countries over many centuries.
The words above from the American national anthem are the inspiration for many, and they should be a statement of reality or at least intent.
It’s time to stand up but not to fight. DENNIS FITZGERALD, by email.
Fuel for thought
IT doesn’t seem correct that a company is using the climate change issue to increase its profits.
I’m referring to Bord na Mona making over 400 of its employees redundant. It’s very surprising that this decision is being supported by local TDs in the midlands and placing more people on the dole.
No alternative employment is in place for these workers. This will be a big blow to the economy for the small villages and towns in this rural part of the country.
Surely there can be ways of eliminating these carbon emissions from the burning of peat and avoid this catastrophe. PÁDRAIG Ó DONNCHA, by email.
Merkel gives her word
CONSTERNATION and worry is generated by the announcement that Angela Merkel is not to seek re-election as German chancellor in 2021 (Letters, yesterday).
Mrs Merkel also announced she would not seek re-election as party chairwoman in December.
Let’s not worry yet. Perhaps she will do a Michael D in 2021 or even do a Michael D in December and change her mind, but I have the feeling that when she says she has made a decision she means it and will keep her word, and not mislead the German electorate.
We’ll know the answer to the party chairwoman part in December.
DENIS DENNEHY, Dublin.
So annoying!
NOW that we have our presidential election, and our blasphemy referendum behind us, I think it is time to focus our attention on the next important issue.
A referendum needs to be held to pass a law making it illegal to preface the answer to any question with the word ‘so’.
PAT MULCAHY, Co. Tipperary.
Making a bags of it
RYANAIR have changed their luggage rules again. They say they have to start charging customers to check in a ten kilogramme bag replacing the free ten kg bag that used to be allowed in the hold.
The reason given by the airline is that passengers tried to bring large luggage on board and had to be tagged at the boarding gates, resulting in long delays and disrupted departures.
Management only have themselves to blame. They thought it was a smart move to insist passengers print off their boarding passes, which would cut down on staff overheads. What they missed was, with a pre-printed pass, passengers’ luggage was not being scrutinised prior to take off. People unsupervised will try it on.
MARTIN STRINGER, Co. Mayo.
Roslyn on the money
MAY I congratulate Roslyn Dee on her excellent column (Irish Daily Mail, yesterday), in which she wrote about the late Elizabeth O’Kelly.
Ms Kelly left €30million to five charities in her will. This money will make a huge difference to the lives of so many people.
I was particularly taken with the fact that she anonymously gave €3,000 to employees of the Leinster Leader newspaper.
This was a woman who clearly derived pleasure from giving to others, and didn’t blow her own trumpet or ‘virtue signal’. May she rest in peace. GILLIAN CARROLL, Co. Dublin.