Madam, - Sarah Palin has said the Iraq war was a "task that is from God". That an adult who is not deemed clinically insane can think such nonsense is quite remarkable. But the thought that a politician who may occupy one of the most important political offices in the world harbours such preposterous poppycock is truly terrifying.
The perpetrators of 9/11 in the US, 7/7 in London and the Madrid train bombing also thought they were on errands from God.
They were all deemed terrorists, madmen and murderers.
- Yours, etc,
ALEX STAVELEY, Norseman Court, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7.
Madam, - I find the views of Kate Holmquist on the Republican vice-presidential candidate both confounding and alarming (Life Features, September 2nd). Her reasons for Palin being an excellent candidate - that she is a mother of five, that she loves her child who has Down's Syndrome as much as her other children - (why would she not love him as much as her other children?), she hunts moose, she ran the PTA and is a former beauty queen - frankly depress me.
I was under the impression that the position of women in society had progressed over the years; Kate Holmquist's column suggests otherwise.
Her statement that "Palin breaks all the rules" is nonsense. Palin does the opposite. She does not challenge anything (unless you count challenging a librarian to ban books she does not approve of). She is as conservative as they come and we should be very worried if she ever reaches the White House.
Clearly, even Ms Holmquist herself does not take Palin seriously if she is impressed by her "sexy librarian glasses".
I agree that seeing a woman reach a position of power in society is an exciting development in today's world. I believe that a woman still faces greater challenges than a man to reach such levels; but why undermine her achievement by focusing on how physically attractive she is, how many children she has and whether her husband "plainly adores her"?
What does this have to do with her politics and ideology? It is an insult to women in general.
Or perhaps Ms Holmquist's column is so cleverly tongue-and-cheek I have completely misunderstood the point of it? I really hope so.
- Yours, etc,
DANIELLE BARTON, Eglantine Avenue, Belfast.
Madam, - I wouldn't vote for Sarah Palin, but I find Rory O'Donnell's reference (September 4th) to her "enormous parenting responsibilities" to be insulting and degrading to women and to female politicians.
Has anyone suggested Americans should not vote for Barack Obama because of his "parenting responsibilities"?
- Yours, etc,
IAN McGAHON, Seabourne View, Greystones, Co Wicklow.