Gerry Adams

Re “N. Ireland: Time for Real Debate,” editorial, Oct. 7:

I loved the Gilbertian humor of your editorial, in which you call upon the British to allow Gerry Adams (president of the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein) to visit London--the capital of the United Kingdom. The British claim that, as one prime minister put it, “Northern Ireland is as much a part of the United Kingdom as Yorkshire.” Under British law, Adams is a citizen of the United Kingdom. At one time, he was an elected member of the United Kingdom Parliament. Yet he is banned from visiting London. A rough analogy in this country would be to restrict Sen. Edward Kennedy to Massachusetts and deny him entry to any of the other 49 states.

On reflection, that is not such a bad idea.

JOSEPH McEVOY

Huntington Beach