Sir, - Your Editorial of August 21st should direct the national mind-set towards finding ways of confronting it. You are correct in saying that racial abuse is infecting the vernacular. This I have experienced throughout the country over the past year among some student and adult groups that I had occasion to speak to on migration. It is not surprising that attacks against foreigners are taking place. We are hearing only about those physical attacks that are reported.
Racist language used against foreigners - be they tourists, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants or other EU nationals - is equally destructive. As a foreigner one is most vulnerable in such situations. Racism is violence and all violence is de-creative.
Teachers in schools are doing much to confront racism at a local level, as are the police, church and community groups. However, these efforts will not be effective unless institutional leadership consistently condemns racism itself and each racist attack.
Many tourist destinations throughout the world have lost their market share of the holiday business because of attacks on foreigners. Tourists are corralled behind security fences and are advised against walking the streets. This could happen here. Bad news travels fast.
Denis Staunton reported in your edition of August 16th that FAS has been touring Eastern Europe recruiting high-tech workers and promoting the attractions of the State as a place to work. These efforts will be nullified unless there is prompt action taken to combat racism by the institutions of State, church and media.
It is hoped that FAS and other recruiting agencies are properly informing their clients of the emerging atmosphere of racism in Ireland. It is hoped that those foreigners they recruit will be not be taken aback and disappear again, as was probably the case of some in Rosita Boland's report (The Irish Times, August 7th).
Immigrants have enough problems in dealing with the unfamiliarity of a new situation. Racism makes life intolerable. The Irish should know something about this. - Yours, etc.,
Bobby Gilmore, SSC, St Columban's, Navan.