Sir, – Miriam Lord's column on Mike Pence's recent visit to Ireland reflected many of my feelings ("How Mike Pence shat on the new carpet in Ireland's spare room", September 5th).
As an American, I am embarrassed on a seemingly daily basis by the Trump administration but even more so when it represents us overseas.
Just the fact that Mr Pence stayed at a Trump property fully 180 miles from his meetings in Dublin in order to line Mr Trump’s pockets with taxpayers’ money should tell you all you need to know about these people. – Yours, etc,
JAMES P HUGHES,
Providence,
Rhode Island,
US.
Sir, – I wish my apologies to the Republic of Ireland carried any weight, such as engendering a massive apology by the government of the United States for Vice-President Mike Pence’s ignorant and rude behaviour while he was in your country.
Unfortunately, all I can do is say that, along with many of my fellow citizens, we are alarmed as well as disgusted by behaviour that tramples on our constitution and on nearly a millennium of norms of diplomatic behaviour.
Every time we think the US president and his sycophants can’t stoop lower, they find a new bottom.
It’s annoying to you, but to us it’s terrifying: they are destabilising international relations, coming close to wrecking the world economy, and ripping apart a country with many problems – but whose citizens used to try to work together to solve them.
Please accept my apologies, and be grateful that once Mr Pence is gone, you don’t have to think about him any more. – Yours, etc,
SARA N PARETSKY,
Chicago,
Illinois.
Sir, – Miriam Lord’s constant digs at the religious beliefs of Mike Pence and his family reveal the hypocrisy of the Irish media and commentariat. Within my lifetime, and I suspect Miriam Lord’s as well, the Irish State wouldn’t allow a woman serve on a jury, buy or import contraceptives or work in the public service after marriage. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in Ireland in 1993. It was only in 2015 that Leo Varadkar felt able to come out as gay.
Yet despite Ireland’s Johnny-come-lately development as a liberal nirvana, Miriam Lord and other media commentators see no irony in jeering at Bible-based Christians like Mike Pence and his wife.
This is done in a tone and manner they would never adopt if covering the visit of Muslim leaders, even those from Iran and other states where gays are executed and women stoned to death. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
A chara, – Mr Pence is typical of many right-wing Irish-Americans who are more pro-English than pro-Irish, even though they take some delight in telling us about their Irish grandfathers. We could do without their interfering in Irish affairs. – Is mise,
Fr JOE McVEIGH,
Enniskillen,
Co Fermanagh.
Sir, – Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy but when a columnist such as Miriam Lord is allowed to publish such a disgusting article on Mike Pence’s visit to Ireland it reflects the attitude of The Irish Times toward a decent man.
It is flat-out disgusting.
There is no point in going further other than to say editorial expression in Ireland has found a new low. – Yours, etc,
P CULLINEY,
Prescott Valley,
Arizona.
Sir, – Brilliant! Miriam Lord excelled herself and had me laughing out loud all the way through her article. – Yours, etc,
ELOISE SRITHERAN,
Hornbek,
Germany.