Glaring hypocrisy in much of the reaction to journalist’s killing

To the so-called republicans who engaged in condemnation, where was that reaction to Kingsmill, Darkley, Enniskillen, and Shankill?

Objective observers would correctly assert that the aforementioned tragedies were worse than the events of Good Friday in Derry. Yet many of those offering condemnation of the event in Derry were able to stomach the tragedies.

This raises legitimate questions about their motives.

Another glaring hypocrisy is that many have pointed out Lyra McKee’s profession in their condemnation.

Did anyone in that chorus give a full-throated condemnation of Julian Assange’s treatment?

Did any in their number condemn the murder of fifty-one journalists in Columbia since 1992? The fact many haven’t, it shows their motivation for highlighting what happened on Good Friday.

There is also hypocrisy in the silent approval of people defacing Free Derry Corner and Junior McDaid House. Calling it vandalism would be inappropriate as those cretins do not deserve such a flattering comparison with those who fought the Roman Empire.

The most obnoxious element of their hypocrisy is the fact that we all know that many of those condemning it, do not care one iota about human life.

They all missed their chance to prevent the loss of innocent human life when the Repeal campaign won the Free State referendum last May.

The Journal reported that the Rotunda Hospital estimates that 10,000 abortions will occur in the Free State during 2019. 10,000 is more than double the death toll of The Troubles.

They also missed their chance to prevent the violence that occurred on Good Friday 21 years prior when they voted for the eponymous settlement.

Éamonn MacGrianna, Belfast, BT11