Distasteful way to treat Casey voters

Sir — In his column, Gene Kerrigan (Soapbox, Sunday Independent, October 28) berates Peter Casey, referring to him as a “creature” while also doing the same to his supporters, referring to them as “the bigots and the confused and the resentful”.

As someone who gave Peter Casey No 2 — he would have got my No 1 if Joan Freeman hadn’t been running — I find this characterisation of 23pc of the electorate distasteful. In fact coming from someone who criticises Peter Casey’s use of language, it is all the more bizarre.

Does Mr Kerrigan not realise that his portrayal of people who exercised their right to vote for a duly nominated candidate in the presidential election in this fashion is counterproductive if his aim is to discourage people from voting for him in any upcoming election?

If I were Peter Casey, I would put Gene Kerrigan and Leo Varadkar on my PR team. With people like them trying to tell the electorate who they should or should not support, I’m convinced Peter Casey would be elected whether as a TD or MEP in upcoming elections. Tommy Roddy,

Galway

Modern Ireland is such a self-parody

Sir — “Modern liberal” Ireland is fast becoming a parody of itself. Personally, I have always found the speeches and general world view of Michael D Higgins problematic at best. Like many on the liberal left, it seems that his views have never evolved since adolescence. Also like most people who share that particular world view, there is a disconnect between the views he espouses and the reality of his life.

The American writer Peter Schweizer in his book Do As I Say, Not As I Do pointed out the same contradictions in the lives of prominent US liberals, such as Hillary Clinton, Barbra Streisand, Michael Moore, Nancy Pelosi and many others. However, I suppose a country gets the leaders it deserves. And it cannot be denied that Michael D encapsulates perfectly the contradictions/inconsistencies/mediocrity of “modern liberal” Ireland. Eric Conway,

Navan, Co Meath

Synagogue horror has a lesson for all

Sir — The Pittsburgh massacre should get us all thinking about where hatred of, or unreasoning prejudice towards, those we deem “different” may lead.

Once upon a time, a regime in the middle of civilised Europe fanned such hatred and prejudice to the extent that it first was able to dehumanise Jews via well-choreographed propaganda campaigns, before then excluding all of them from public life and depriving them of citizenry. All of which made it easier to arrange for the mass killing of millions of human beings innocent of any crime: as innocent and undeserving of such a fate as the Jews in the Pittsburgh synagogue.

We would do well to learn from history, because the far right is resurgent across Europe, and Ireland has no special exemption from its sordid pied-piper appeal. I am aware of distressful situations in certain large and small towns where whispering campaigns have been directed against “outsiders” and “foreigners” who have moved into their communities, whether to live or just to work.

Some of these people, of varying nationalities and ethnic groups, have been subjected to cruel name-calling or racist graffiti. But the most common prejudice they face, I understand, is from people who accuse them of “stealing” houses that Irish people ought to have, or “stealing” jobs from the Irish, as if they were somehow able to jump ahead of those waiting for housing or accommodation.

There is not much anti-Semitism in Ireland, but I suspect that this is because there are not many Jewish people living in our country. But racism and xenophobia are alive and thriving here — in the big cities, but also in the rural heartlands.

We owe it to ourselves, as well as to those people of whatever nationality or ethnic group who happen to live or work in our communities, to say no to these forces, however benign they may sometimes appear. John Fitzgerald,

Callan, Co Kilkenny

This is the truth we needed to hear

Sir — As Eilis O’Hanlon pointed out “Peter Casey also benefited from being willing to speak the truth” (Sunday Independent, October 28). What a shock that was to very many people.

We are not too used to hearing the truth any more. It was good to read Ms O’Hanlon’s comment “that there was anything close to a debate” was due to Peter Casey forcing it. How refreshing to have had even this closeness to a debate as we have not had such for a long time. The ‘liberals’, or those who consider themselves superior, as Ms O’Hanlon states, “regard all criticism as ill-informed and its critics as morons”. I liked her reference to Hillary Clinton’s description of those wishing to have their voices heard as ‘deplorables’ and Michael D having the support of the media as honorary members of his Appreciation Society.

Colin Armstrong (Letters, Sunday Independent, October 28) is correct to assert that “not all of us are so confused” in relation to Minister Zappone’s concern for the dead Tuam babies but none for the “future thousands of unborn children being put to death by the State”. How much we need to hear the truth in this Alice in Wonderland society of ours now. Mary Stewart (Mrs),

Donegal Town

Voice of the people

Sir — Congratulations to Eilis O’Hanlon on her excellent article regarding the success of Peter Casey (Sunday Independent, October 28). He spoke for many who are sick to death of the political correctness handed down to the plain people of rural Ireland by the likes of Shane Ross and the Dublin-based ministers and TDs who know nothing about rural Ireland.

They would want to have a look at the country outside of Dublin before it’s too late.

Michael Savage, Tralee

Sir — Peter Casey did himself an injustice in the presidential election. If he had told us that he was going to join one of the main political parties before the election, he would have got many more votes. A Leavy, Dublin 13

Lessons of election

Sir — After our recent dull election campaign with had a predictable result because the two main parties didn’t bother to get involved, Michael D. Is now starting another second seven years term. We wish him well.

Might I suggest a term of five years in future, with a maximum of ten years if a president seeks re-election.

Also we could usefully review the role and duties of our expensive presidency, which is largely ceremonial and symbolic, reflecting the Lord Lieutenant’s role in British times here, who lived in The Vice-Regal Lodge which we now call, “Aras an Uachtarain”. As well as relieving taxpayers of the considerable sum involved, Ireland might be better served with an executive president. France comes to mind. It’s surely worth considering and the time to start is now. Sean Quinn, Blackrock, Co Dublin

Great comment

Sir — Congratulations and concerted ‘bravissimo’ to your varied raft of columnists who compiled a worthy compendium of takes on the recent election to the Aras (Sunday Independent, October 28).

Sequencing the contrasting opinion pieces of Brendan O’Connor, Eilis O’Hanlon, Niamh Horan, Philip Ryan and Jody Corcoran with guest commentator Liam Weeks on your prime commentary pages offered an ‘ultra-wide’ spectrum take on the least enthused election of modern times. Patrick J Cosgrove, Lismore, Co Waterford