While I welcome the news of the European Court of Justice ruling on immigrant parents (Fathers’ world brightened by news of court ruling, 15-31 March) myself, I was a little concerned with the quotes printed in your paper by the parent referred to as Steve.
In the article, he says his treatment, and that of other fathers, indicates that the Irish State “believes in single-parent families”. Further on in the piece, Steve says regarding new Minister for Justice Alan Shatter: “He has Jewish blood in him, and the Jews don’t separate families.”
I find the publishing of these comments to be quite irresponsible, even if they are one person’s opinion. After all, if someone tells me that all foreign people should go home, it may be the opinion of that person but it is not one that is acceptable or fair.
This kind of stereotyping does not serve our community. To suggest that single-parent families are somehow wrong is offensive to all single parents who struggle with poverty and isolation every day.
To say that ‘Jews don’t separate families’ suggests that Irish people do, a statement that’s grossly unfair and offensive. Many Irish families are facing emigration within the family unit at present, and have done for several hundred years.
The irony of all this is that on the opposite page is an article titled ‘Racism is criminal - report it!’ I’ve taken that cue right here.
Madeleine Gray
Dublin 7
