Older people defend their rights

YOUR editorial (December 15) contained serious criticism of members of the public — some of them older people — who were offended by the recent Meteor TV advert and made their objections known by complaining to the company and the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland.

The editorial on political correctness bemoaned the fact that we seem to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy trying to get others to behave like ourselves or share our beliefs.

It then proceeded to label those who objected to the “wonderful” Meteor advertisement as “people who could not see beyond their noses” and whose views were dismissed as “idiotic condemnations”.

While your editorial writer believed the advertisement was “wonderful”, some older people disagreed.

They felt it was a cruel portrayal of older people at Christmas and inaccurate stereotyping.

Meteor took their views into account, said it was never their intention to cause offence, and so pulled the advertisement.

The fact that some older people who were offended by the advertisement made their complaints known — as they are free to do in a democracy— is a welcome development. For too long older people in Ireland have not made their voices heard.

The temptation would be to ignore your editorial.

However, it is clear that the writer has no appreciation of the impact or extent of ageism in Ireland. Ageism is not a fad or passing fasionable trend. Older people are routinely discriminated against in this country when it comes to employment opportunities and chances to participate fully in society.

At the other end of the scale, ageism is quite literally a life and death issue. The National Council on Ageing and Older People has reported evidence of older people being denied life-saving and enhancing services such as oncology and cardiac services because of their age.

The BreastCheck programme is still confined to women aged between 50 and 64 despite the fact that more than one-third of new breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2005 were in women aged over 65.

Now that some older people are standing up for their rights and complaining about an advertisement which they find offensive, your editorial sees fit to lump them in with extremists who slaughter Iraqi women for failing to adhere to a strict dress code.

That is unjust, irrational and out of keeping with the reputation for fair and balanced reporting and commentary which your newspaper enjoys.

Eamon Timmins

Head of Advocacy and Communications

Age Action

30/31 Lr Camden Street

Dublin