Letters to the Editor, June 9th: On relatives in Gaza, minding your manners and Elvis

Irish Times

3 days ago

Sir, – Each morning after digesting updates of the relentless escalation of massacres in Gaza I go to work to continue my job as a junior doctor.
I paint a smile on my face and feign optimism to help those in our hospitals with their own illnesses. I tell myself that I am doing all I can to help those around me, both here and abroad. I push the thoughts of the inhumane killing of thousands of babies out of my mind, while I focus on what, and who, is in front of me.
I reassure myself that this is the right thing to do; the patients here also require my care and attention.
As I greet my colleagues throughout the morning I cannot but be ashamed when looking in the eyes of one particular friend and colleague. This young doctor is from Palestine and moved to Ireland a number of years ago while his family remain trapped in Gaza.
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I once again suppress the anger and disgust that I feel for our Government by our lack of action.
Why should this young doctor continue to treat and care for our families while we are sitting watching his burn? – Yours, etc,
GRÁINNE YOUNG,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Paul Kearns's article ('
The beaches here in Israel are full. Just an hour's drive away, Palestinians are starving',
June 7th,) is telling, frightening and saddening.
The evidence he cites from his conversations with his Israeli friends about what is going on in Gaza displays a powerful ideological complex at work.
Many Israelis, on Mr Kearns's evidence, believe that there 'are no innocents in Gaza', 18,000 dead children notwithstanding.
Many Israelis believe that Hamas uses 'human shields' and they deduce from this that Palestinians and Hamas in particular do not value human life as much as Israel does.
Even if that is the case, how then does one explain the ferocious ratio the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to tolerate of civilian to combatant deaths. Dozens, even hundreds, of Palestinian deaths are permissible to kill one Hamas leader.
One is led to conclude, with the great American philosopher Judith Butler, that Palestinian lives are much less valuable than Israeli lives.
Many Israelis believe that Hamas 'brought this upon themselves'. This 'argument' does two kinds of work.
It detaches the current catastrophe from the longer history of the Gaza Strip and of the Occupation. And it exculpates Israel.
This exculpation has been around for a long time.
One remembers that Golda Meir, prime minister of Israel in the early 1970s, reckoned that none of the wars Israel fought were its fault.
One remembers her declaration that there is no such thing as Palestinians. And one remembers her statement that 'we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons'.
Israel kills tens of thousands of people but it's the fault of those people. – Yours, etc,
CONOR McCARTHY,
Valletta,
Malta.
Standards of care
Sir,– For families, the recent disclosures about poor standards of care for sick children in Ireland raises concerns about trust in our healthcare system.
For families of children with intellectual disability it is a double whammy. Not only is their child a sick child requiring State care and services for life, but also intellectually disabled children are disproportionately included among the numbers affected by the series of revelations about hip and spinal surgeries.
For children with intellectual disability and, in particular, children with cerebral palsy, hip and spine problems are significant issues causing pain and complications which reduce quality of life.
Surgery has been the primary treatment for hip dysplasia related to muscle spasticity and for scoliosis of the spine in children with cerebral palsy.
Intellectually disabled children and their families are one of the most vulnerable groups in Ireland, and depend on many forms of State service, including the very limited therapeutic interventions, day and respite services and residential care.
Families are continuously campaigning for improved services. Following on from the HSE failure to meet the demand for assessment of need, the revelations from Children's Health Ireland (CHI) about unacceptable standards of surgery adds a further burden to the worries and stresses of families of disabled children. Furthermore, it has taken up to 10 months for families to be informed.
It is now time for accountability and transparency on how the huge variation in clinical practices have continued for so long. Families need to be reassured about future clinical oversight and governance.
It is unacceptable and very unfair that intellectually disabled children are so disenfranchised in terms of all forms of State services, and any outcomes of the CHI inquiries and reports must acknowledge this and make special provision for vulnerable children. – Yours, etc,
PROF SEAMUS COWMAN,
Inspire,
Trustee and board member,
Castleknock,
Dublin.
Exceptional service
Sir, – I unfortunately had to visit a major Dublin hospital very recently through the emergency department.
From the first person I met and throughout my stay and treatment the care I received can only be said to have been exceptional.
Our health service often gets rough press and undoubtedly there are issues mainly in management and governance. But at floor level, on the ward you could not be in a better place.
About 90 per cent of the staff who cared for me were not originally from Ireland but have made it their home. I believe we need them even more than they need us.
Literally our lives depend on them. Keep it in mind when you meet them on the street.
I am sure many have had the same experience as I have had.
On my way home now but thank you St Vincent's and all your wonderful staff. – Yours, etc,
PAUL MULLIGAN,
Dublin 6.
Minding your manners
Sir, – I am over 66 years of age and entitled to free travel which I regularly avail of and enjoy.
Last year I boarded the busy Maynooth train which had no seats available. I didn't mind and was happy to stand with my earphones in, listening to music. I vaguely noted the young man beside me raising his voice. He did so a second time and I heard him say: 'Is nobody going to give the old lady a seat?'
I looked around and was horrified to realise that he was referring to me. He repeated his plea a third time and a passenger got up and gave me the seat. My young man looked at me and said: 'There you are love. Your feet must be killing you.'
I was mildly amused and regaled my friends with the story for weeks afterwards.
Last week I returned from a hillwalking holiday in England and boarded the packed Maynooth train again.
I was overdressed for the hot Irish afternoon, wearing my hiking boots, hiking coat and long trousers.
Once again there was no seat available. My wheelie case and small backpack were a nuisance at every stop and I was hot and bothered.
To add insult to injury a young woman beat me to a seat which became vacant along the route.
I reflected on my experience a year ago and wondered where my gallant hero was when I needed him. – Yours, etc,
MARY FOLEY,
Leixlip,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – As I approach my 68th birthday this August, I find myself reflecting on an incident that occurred this week aboard the Luas.
I took the last available seat, only to be loudly berated by a young woman in her early 20s for, in her words, 'not being a gentleman'.
Over the years, like many others, I've tried to be considerate – offering my seat when someone clearly needed it more.
But now, with age making its presence felt in my knees, back and balance, I wonder at what age is a man allowed to sit down without being judged?
Courtesy should go both ways. Perhaps we should teach our young people that respect isn't just something to be demanded – it's also something to be given, especially to those who've earned it over a lifetime. – Yours, etc,
DONAL McKENNA,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Trump and Musk
Sir, – As a self-professed empathetic, honourable, peace-loving, self-aware but mostly super smart person, Donald Trump erred bigly when he gave Elon Musk the house key.
But if they kiss and make up, which in their mutual interest they surely must, I suggest they fulfil their stated desire to go to Mars.
For all our sakes let it be a one-way ticket. – Yours, etc,
EITHNE MacFADDEN,
Carrigart,
Co Donegal.
Elvis is back in the building
Sir, – My tenacity has finally paid off and my 18-inch statue of Elvis at 13, previously owned by Priscilla Presley, is now on show in the U2 room of the Little Museum of Dublin.
The original life-sized bronze statue of Elvis at 13 is located quite close to Elvis's birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, at my suggestion in a letter to the mayor, Larry Otis.
A great coup for Ireland.
The story appeared in The Irish Times and the Daily Journal of Tupelo etc, way back in 2002.
So forgive me Bono.
Elvis is back in the building. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE COLGAN,
Swords,
Co Dublin.
Planning regulations
Sir , – I refer to Margaret Farrell's letter of June 7th, complaining bitterly about the proposed relaxation of some planning regulations.
I suggest if she was a 30 year old still living in her childhood bedroom, she might have a different view. – Yours, etc,
JOHN LOMBARD,
Goatstown,
Dublin 14.