A chara, - I wonder if there are extra celestial kudos to be gained by the Irish getting a national day of mourning in so fast? No doubt other nations are in humble awe at our special empathy and understanding, not to mention our "reading of the situation". Hmm.
Well, I'm not in awe; I'm self-employed and I'm not a sheep. I resent being given two days' notice to close, by silly civil servants. This pathetic knee-jerk reaction is just one other manifestation of our chronic national insecurity complex. I'm as horrified as the next at what happened in the US, but my head throbs at the limited, pathetic, sycophantic political jargon of both Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney. In fact, I find it every bit as empty as the eyes of George W. Bush.
There is so much waffle broadcast and printed about us reassuring both ourselves and other countries about the unique condition of being Irish; I cringe when I hear of dreadful, painful situations being used for self-reassurance. - Is mise,
Gertrude Sampson, Dingle, Co Kerry.
