Even ‘smug liberals’ should learn to be toleran

Victoria White’s (Opinion, Sept 19) is a typical response to a politician concerned about his constituents. If the matter relates to race or religion, dismiss the politician or his constituents as bigots.

Anybody who disagrees with the ‘fascist’ liberal is unworthy of debate. If only we were all as enlightened as Ms White.

What she fails to acknowledge is that Ireland has undergone the most radical demographic change up of any country in the western world in a short period. With all this change have come few racist incidents, but much carping and hectoring from the hard left.

This hard-left fringe, who stifle any debate, are proud that all debate is crushed at source.

Maybe an outside religion that has a hard-won reputation for intolerance and bigotry all of its own should not try to deliberately upset the locals.

Maybe a softly, softly approach would aid integration, the key to a successful immigration policy.

Ms White seems to suggest that it is only by upsetting Muslims that we radicalise them. If we, the native, dominant culture get upset, we must remain tolerant regardless. The hypocrisy is repugnant, especially from a condescending, smug columnist who is typical of the loony left that dominates Irish media, but is not representative of the country.

Cormac Cahill

Douglas

Cork