Sir, - In excusing Mary Ellen Synon for her belittlement of travellers, on the grounds of freedom of expression, Kevin Myers (March 22nd) is on a sticky wicket. Expressing scornful language at or about disadvantaged persons dependent on social welfare is not cricket and exudes a kind of community halitosis worse than any physical smell.
Criminals and gangsters are, likewise, easy targets for newspapers intent on retaining the goodwill of their "A/B readership" i.e., persons of high disposable income. Catch these market driven newspapers laying into stockbrokers, investors, developers, consultants and other such like. I'm glad The Irish Times can still exercise freedom of opinion such as offending their A/B readers as needed. That's the real test of freedom of expression. - Yours, etc.,
Trafalgar Terrace,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.