If Danny Treacy had a greater mind for detail he would have gathered from the opening sentence in my letter (August 29) that my criticism was not just confined to one particular letter but a number of letters.
I have read again Mr Treacy’s letters for June, July, August and September and they are anti-Catholic diatribes.
Every piece of dirt he could find going back over several hundred years he has brought up – sometimes on more than one occasion.
In his words this discredited organisation with declining influence abdicated its moral responsibility to Jews.
Assisting in the slaughter of 6,000 Jews not one Catholic excommunicated. The Church opened its genealogical records to Nazis to help identify Jews and the Vatican itself helped Nazi mass murderers escape. As usual he doesn’t offer any credible proof.
He accuses me of jettisoning any semblance of honesty and being anti-Protestant which I reject whole heartedly. The question of honesty seriously arises with Mr Treacy’s analysis as to who was responsible for voting the Nazis into power. Catholics were more inclined to remain loyal to the old Catholic centre party.
That Protestants believing Hitler was the first man since Bismarck, who could make Germany great again must bear most of the responsibility he rejects, stating that this was not the ‘core’ meaning of John Bullock’s book – whatever that might mean?
Well Mr Treacy plain English is the only language I understand and I am absolutely satisfied that my synopsis of Professor Bullock’s account of Hitler’s rise to power is fair and accurate.
In my letters I invariably quote authoritative sources in support of my argument – in recent letters usually distinguished Oxford academies.
I can never recall Mr Treacy really quoting a single source in support of his arguments which on occasions are absurd.
G SAVAGE
Newcastle, Co Down
There’s no more illiberal than a self-professed liberal
I see Sinn Féin’s Fra McCann has criticised Donal Lyons of the SDLP for talking to Israelis. The incongruity of a Sinn Féin spokesperson criticising an SDLP person for talking to someone he disagrees with should be apparent. Anyone talking to Sinn Féin during the Troubles was demonised by many, if not most, in the press for talking to apologists for murderers and the IRA were murderers by any definition. Surely it is the people you disagree with you should be talking to, not just the people you agree with. Will Sinn Féin join in the condemnation of Russia in Syria, Saudi Arabia in Yemen, Iran in most theatres of death and destruction in the Middle East? Ancient Christian communities are being expelled and repressed throughout the Midde East. Has SF condemned this?
However, there is an adage that there is no more illiberal than a self-professed liberal. The latest example is in the abortion legislation in the Republic where a self-professed liberal government seems intent on forcing doctors and medical people to engage in terminations. This is example of intolerance and lack of respect for individual conscience.
SEAN O DOIBHILIN
Lietir Ceanainn, Tir Chonaill
Society has failed abuse victims
Brenda O’Neill – ‘Sinn Féin left with credibility gap over sexual abuse victims’ (October 1) – singles out the Republican Movement for criticism with respect to ‘women’s issues’. More specifically with respect to the issue of child sexual abuse.
As a society we, individually and collectively, have failed victims of sexual abuse.
Yet, may I say in my years of training, the issue of this type of abuse relating to children being abused by family, friends and ‘trusted others’ was not on the agenda.
A very steep and distressing ‘learning curve’ began with little or not guidelines or direction. Add to that the breakdown in the law and order situation.
Two issues emerged. One was an allegation of sexual abuse was taken very seriously by the listener and attempts to protect the complainant and seek to have the complainant’s allegations investigated. Neither could be assured. The other was to ensure the alleged assailant would have their rights protected.
Credibility that sexual abuse is perpetrated by ‘trusted others’ is a vital part of child protection. Saying that a political party maybe have failed in its duty to seek this is really a reflection on us all. Finger pointing in this matter will not do. Accepting and taking responsibility is the best hope for our children.
MANUS McDAID
Derry City
Only in Israel do Jews enjoy civil rights
I wish to take issue with Francis Rice’s assertion (October 1) that before Israel was founded Palestinian Arabs and Jews lived peacefully and that in Syria, Iraq and Tunisia Jews lived without fear.
In fact Jews in Palestine suffered murderous pogroms in 1920 and 1929. In Syria Jews were victims of the 1840 Damascus blood libel and Jews in Iraq and Tunisia were attacked in 1941, with hundreds of Jews murdered.
The status of Jews under Islam was as humiliated second-class ‘dhimmis’. It is only in Israel that they enjoy freedom, security and civil rights. Yet the Arabs, with 22 states begrudge the existence of the single Jewish state, under the pretext of defending Palestinian rights.
LYN JULIUS
London SW5
Theresa May couldn’t care less about north
For the last few months we, the public, have been listening to Mrs May’s undying love for the people of the north of Ireland – we must maintain the union, we must keep the north British. Theresa May couldn’t care less, if the north was going up the Swannee in a large canoe. All she cares about is saving her job and keeping the Conservatives in power. She is feeding the DUP a load of nonsense. As long as the 10 DUPs vote for her policies she’ll keep them on the bandwagon. The moment she doesn’t need them, she’ll drop them like a hot iron. Like America in Syria, who are there illegally, so too is Britain in Ireland. They too are illegally ‘here’.
J MATTHEWS
Lurgan, Co Armagh
