A chara, – In her letter of August 27th, Judith Goldberger states, "Women have the right to wear whatever they want". If only. – Is mise,
MOYA NÍ ÉILÍ,
Baile Átha Cliath 4.
Sir, – Gareth Keeley (August 27th) may wish to note that I made no claims whatsoever on behalf of feminism (August 26th). I simply pointed out the indefensible double standards at work. Even a cursory glance at the behaviour and raison d'être of the monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam today and throughout the ages will show incontrovertible evidence that they have always been used as an instrument of oppression of women, sanctimonious protestations to the contrary notwithstanding. The nexus for such oppression is invariably a woman's body, her sexuality and her bodily integrity. We in Ireland must surely be well aware of that. – Yours, etc,
PATRICIA MULKEEN,
Ballinfull, Co Sligo.
Sir , – Dr Gareth Keeley (August 27th) refers to the “French government’s knee-jerk reaction to recent atrocities”. Surely he will realise, as a resident of France, that the recent spate of rules and regulations imposing this ridiculous ban are local ordinances and as such are largely the work of self-seeking, populist politicians anxious to jump on the anti-Islam bandwagon in an attempt to secure their share of the small-minded and openly racist right-wing vote.
The highest administrative court in France has now declared that the ban is a “serious and manifestly illegal attack on fundamental liberties” and in so doing has reasserted the highest principals of the constitution and the republic. That is the France that I choose to remember and appreciate. – Yours, etc,
DAVID ATCHESON,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.