Politicians are human '“ judge not

The politician’s alcohol induced lapse – if true – might have been a case of an innocent abroad; possibly because of the protective Christian environment, to which this man had been accustomed in Northern Ireland, he was unprepared to handle the more worldly one in a downtown New York bar.

Besides, US bourbon whiskey can be amazingly strong; I understand that some brands can have an alcohol content of 66% which would floor an elephant, never mind an innocent, unseasoned Northern Ireland Christian politician.

I think we should not be over judgemental in these matters - if events happened as described, he’s human, like the rest of us.

I remember many years ago when I worked in an advertising agency, the accounts executive, as part of a day’s work, had to entertain a variety of clients which included the consumption of alcoholic beverages. To avoid becoming inebriated (after all he had to return to the office to get work done), he had an arrangement with various bar tenders around the city, to pour him non-alcoholic drinks - even when he ordered alcohol. The clients were impressed at the stoic way he could hold his drink as they slid under the table. I suggest that this might be a way for certain innocent local politicians, of a Christian hue, to avoid the deadly alcoholic trap when representing Northern Ireland.

Micheal O’Cathail, Fermanagh