Comments on The Pensive Quill: The Ghost of Violence Past

Anonymous; you way out on left field on this one....

2008-12-16T22:30:00.000Z

Anonymous; you way out on left field on this one. You perception of Mr. MacIntyre's article is all wrong.
Settle down, man.

Always wondered what happened to her!.

2008-12-16T20:26:00.000Z

Always wondered what happened to her!.

It is very much a story albeit it a human interest...

2008-12-16T20:16:00.000Z

It is very much a story albeit it a human interest one. Had she just turned up it would merit little attention. That she turned up as a Conservative Party councillor is what gives the story its news value.

Everybody has made mistakes. The making of mistakes is not the story. I cannot see anywhere in the piece where I pointed out her mistakes. I was neither critical of her nor hostile to her. I didn’t feel any need to get in on whatever act has captured your attention. If it is the act of criticising her, I did not get in on that. If it is the act of pointing out her mistakes, I didn’t get in on that either. I followed my own instinct and interest. I have a particular interest in the era when she was involved. I wrote my doctoral thesis on it.

I am not in the slightest offended, more amused at such a wrong reading of a piece of writing. You see where I did not get in on the act of criticising her you got in on the act of criticising me. There we go. Feel free.

Baby P is an awful case and has concentrated my mind like few other things as of late. I suppose in some way writing about Maria McGuire or anything else helps disperse a heaviness of mind that is always associated with exploring the issues in the Baby P case.

I can't understand all the hype about this. Is it ...

2008-12-16T15:54:00.000Z

I can't understand all the hype about this. Is it really a story. A woman did something in her youth, and went on to make something of her life?

What one of us in life has never made a mistake? Never stumbled, whether it was a huge public mistake or something in private?. Have you ever made a mistake?

I don't think there is much value in pointing out the mistakes of others if they have recovered from them and moved on, as I understand you yourself have moved on from violence.

Mistakes happen. Pointing them out repeatedly about others is hardly newsworthy. Big deal she was in the IRA and went into politics, is that really news or commentary in this day and age, or did you feel the need to get in on the act?

I don't mean to offend by asking that, I merely seek to understand why you think it's worth commenting on when so much else in the world is going on, and you've written such excellent stuff on the Baby P affair.

The IRA has gone, move on.