Anthony McIntyre's Blog, page 1127
July 23, 2018
Britain Must ‘Evolve’ Her Position To Make Way For Irish Unity
Sean Bresnahan writing on the evening of a keynote speech by Theresa May in Belfast argues for a shift in British policy.
Theresa May’s keynote speech in Belfast, delivered earlier today at the Waterfront Hall, pushed a demand from the British Government — as it struggles to reconcile its position in Ireland with its preferred Brexit design — that the EU, and not Britain, ‘evolve’ its position in regard to Ireland.
The arrogance of that demand aside, with the contradictions of Britain’s Brexit position unfolding now in plain sight — these born of her earlier partition of Ireland and continuing claim to sovereignty in the Six Counties — there is a pressing requirement that Irish nationalism evolve and adjust its own stance.
The rhetoric of recent years that there should be no hard border in Ireland must now be jettisoned, with a clear demand issued in its stead that Britain withdraw her claim to sovereignty, ensuring thus that the issue of the border be dealt with in the only way practical — by finally effecting its end.
Britain, ultimately, must accept the sovereignty of Ireland and allow her people the same opportunity for national development that they voted for themselves in the Brexit referendum. That must be the message to come now from the representatives of Irish nationalism.
Despite the efforts of May to present her Chequers paper as a ‘coherent package’ — one that can withstand the contradictions here noted — it remains, no matter, that Britain cannot reconcile Brexit with earlier realities of her making, namely Partition and the denial of Ireland’s national rights.
The only workable solution, then, is for Britain to leave Ireland, unless the wishes of a unionist enclave are to thwart and take precedence over the wishes of the British people. There is surely, indeed, an irony to that, in that the unionist veto is now taking precedence not only over Ireland’s right to self-determine but over Britain’s too.
No matter that veto, the reality is that Britain simply cannot maintain the Union and implement Brexit at the same time. As the substance of Brexit comes speeding into sight, it is clear that it is Britain, not Europe, who must ‘evolve’ her position. Britain’s Brexit design is unworkable, for she cannot exit the European Union — in line with the Brexit referendum result — while retaining her claims to Ireland. The two are not compatible.
Britain, then, must make way for Irish Unity and Irish nationalism must encourage that outcome. With Ireland post-Brexit facing tremendous upheaval, a British exit not just from Europe but Ireland represents clear best option under the circumstances. No fear or difficulty should present those concerned when it comes to the making of that case.
Were Britain to state her intent to leave Ireland, a national dialogue on the mechanics of unity can from there and in turn proceed. Through such endeavour, the Irish people can determine together their own affairs and future, inclusive of what approach can best limit the damage impending. It is to here that all concerned in the ongoing Brexit crisis should now look.
Sean Bresnahan, Chair, Thomas Ashe Society Omagh blogs at An Claidheamh Soluis
Follow Sean Bresnahan on Twitter @bres79
Theresa May’s keynote speech in Belfast, delivered earlier today at the Waterfront Hall, pushed a demand from the British Government — as it struggles to reconcile its position in Ireland with its preferred Brexit design — that the EU, and not Britain, ‘evolve’ its position in regard to Ireland.
The arrogance of that demand aside, with the contradictions of Britain’s Brexit position unfolding now in plain sight — these born of her earlier partition of Ireland and continuing claim to sovereignty in the Six Counties — there is a pressing requirement that Irish nationalism evolve and adjust its own stance.
The rhetoric of recent years that there should be no hard border in Ireland must now be jettisoned, with a clear demand issued in its stead that Britain withdraw her claim to sovereignty, ensuring thus that the issue of the border be dealt with in the only way practical — by finally effecting its end.
Britain, ultimately, must accept the sovereignty of Ireland and allow her people the same opportunity for national development that they voted for themselves in the Brexit referendum. That must be the message to come now from the representatives of Irish nationalism.
Despite the efforts of May to present her Chequers paper as a ‘coherent package’ — one that can withstand the contradictions here noted — it remains, no matter, that Britain cannot reconcile Brexit with earlier realities of her making, namely Partition and the denial of Ireland’s national rights.
The only workable solution, then, is for Britain to leave Ireland, unless the wishes of a unionist enclave are to thwart and take precedence over the wishes of the British people. There is surely, indeed, an irony to that, in that the unionist veto is now taking precedence not only over Ireland’s right to self-determine but over Britain’s too.
No matter that veto, the reality is that Britain simply cannot maintain the Union and implement Brexit at the same time. As the substance of Brexit comes speeding into sight, it is clear that it is Britain, not Europe, who must ‘evolve’ her position. Britain’s Brexit design is unworkable, for she cannot exit the European Union — in line with the Brexit referendum result — while retaining her claims to Ireland. The two are not compatible.
Britain, then, must make way for Irish Unity and Irish nationalism must encourage that outcome. With Ireland post-Brexit facing tremendous upheaval, a British exit not just from Europe but Ireland represents clear best option under the circumstances. No fear or difficulty should present those concerned when it comes to the making of that case.
Were Britain to state her intent to leave Ireland, a national dialogue on the mechanics of unity can from there and in turn proceed. Through such endeavour, the Irish people can determine together their own affairs and future, inclusive of what approach can best limit the damage impending. It is to here that all concerned in the ongoing Brexit crisis should now look.
Sean Bresnahan, Chair, Thomas Ashe Society Omagh blogs at An Claidheamh Soluis
Follow Sean Bresnahan on Twitter @bres79
Revolutionary Unionism - Putting People First
The introduction of an all-island military National Service is at the economic heart of Revolutionary Unionism. In this latest Fearless Flying Column today, controversial commentator Dr John Coulter outlines how his ideology will create thousands of jobs in a post Brexit Ireland.
Ireland, north and south, needs to embrace a new sense of patriotism in a post Brexit society. The key to achieving this, according to my Revolutionary Unionism ideology, is the introduction of a cross-border National Service for every citizen which would kick in once people reach the age of 16.
The ethos of Revolutionary Unionism is about practically ‘Putting People First’. We’ve just had the local government elections in England along with the West Tyrone Westminster by-election. Candidates of whatever shade and persuasion talk a lot about wanting to put people first.
While this makes great manifesto and slogan reading as well as terrific soundbites, will the practice of ‘Putting People First’ work in reality? Revolutionary Unionism can give that guarantee to the people of Ireland post Brexit.
No matter what type of border – hard or soft – exists between the republic and Northern Ireland after next March, one fact of life will be indisputable – the people of Ireland will have to work together if the island is not to descend to the economic status of a third-rate banana state.
Revolutionary Unionism can live up to its pledge of guaranteeing work for all citizens. To become a recognised citizen, all adults once they reach the age of 16 will have to serve a minimum of two years in the Armed Force of either the UK in Northern Ireland, or the Irish Defence Forces in the republic.
During this two-year compulsory period of paid National Service, each person will learn a vocational trade. All branches of the forces will be open for National Service – the army, navy, air force and even the police.
For example, in the north, a young person could join the British Army at 16 immediately after completing their GCSEs. During their paid time in the Army, they could also learn a vocational trade which would be of use to them once their National Service is completed.
If that person came from the nationalist community and did not feel they could cope with serving in the British forces, they could still complete their National Service in the Irish Defence Forces. There would be extra cash bonuses for people who completed their National Service whilst serving abroad with either the United Nations or NATO.
National Service, while it could begin at 16, would be available at various stages in the educational calendar – at 18, for example, after A levels, or upon graduation from university. The two key factors are – to become a fully-fledged citizen of the new Ireland, you must do your minimum of two years’ paid National Service and learn your trade.
Of course, the key question, how would Revolutionary Unionism pay for and administer all-island National Service? Primarily, there would be a massive reduction in the overseas aid budgets of both the UK and the Irish republic. Millions of pounds and euros are wasted every year as the cash goes directly into the pockets of dictators, bureaucrats and administrators instead of the people who supposedly need it.
Revolutionary Unionism is unashamedly an ‘Ireland First’ ideology – we look after our own people before we pander to anyone else. Money which the UK will save by not having to pump millions into the European Union post Brexit can be used to develop the defence capabilities of the new Ireland.
Naturally, the republic would be persuaded of the benefits of Irexit and following the UK out of the EU as there is the real danger that the Irish republic would be forced to become a ‘giver’ to the EU rather than a ‘receiver’ to fill the huge financial black hole which will be created when the UK quits and EU and there is no cash flow to Europe from Westminster.
There has been much chat about the role of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in a post Brexit Ireland. While the Conference is merely a glorified talking shop at present, it could have a positive role in the administration of this all-island National Service with a joint armed forces defence policy between Northern Ireland and the South.
Leinster House and Westminster could have a joint role in the running of National Service. In the event of a terrorist threat, the British Army and Irish Defence Forces would have an agreed ‘hot pursuit’ policy across the whole island.
There would be no hopping across the border to escape as happened during the conflict where republican terrorists had only a short distance to run to the diplomatic safety of the Irish republic.
Likewise, Revolutionary Unionism would generate income from other global powers through nuclear waste recycling and storage. Four nuclear waste recycling plants would be located in each of the island’s four provinces employing citizens from the island.
Added to this would be a service to refit nuclear submarines, ships or aircraft from the nuclear powers. As an island, Ireland has numerous ports and airports where such naval and air force servicing could be maintained. All money made from this servicing would be re-invested into the island’s economy, not just for the paid National Service programme, but also to boost the island’s health and education service sectors.
A more controversial scheme of income generation would be the creation of a Camp X-ray in each of Ireland’s four provinces to house terrorist suspects from across the globe. Just as the Americans operated such a camp at Guantanamo Bay for many years to hold terror suspects, the same scheme would be in place in Ireland. Nations would pay Ireland through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to keep their terror suspects.
Taking Guantanamo Bay as a benchmark and noting the huge amount of infrastructure needed to maintain these camps, it is estimated each provincial camp would create and maintain 25,000 jobs – that’s 100,000 new security-related jobs for a post Brexit Ireland.
Critics and opponents of Revolutionary Unionism can dismiss these practical policies as simply ‘bat crazy’, but at least Revolutionary Unionism is looking at workable ways of creating income for the island, north and south, once the economic reality of Brexit comes home to roost.
At the heart of Revolutionary Unionism is the need for Unionist to start thinking – and believing – in an all-island future. For nationalists, it is the need to recognise that with Brexit, the republic can no longer survive on its own; it will need to negotiate a new Anglo-Irish Treaty leading to a closer, more formal Union with the UK and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
One mistake not to make – do not confuse Revolutionary Unionism’s all-island ethos with liberal Unionism’s pathetic pleas that Unionists should face the inevitable United Ireland. There is a major difference between the positive, pro-active realism of Revolutionary Unionism, and the politics of surrender and capitulation of liberal Unionism’s United Ireland compromising.
As the countdown to Brexit continues, in the coming weeks and months, I will be outlining how Revolutionary Unionism as an ideology can take the people of Ireland forward. When I first mooted my Revolutionary Unionist ideology as a radical postgraduate politics student at Queen’s University in the early 1990s, the idea of all-island thinking in Unionism was a total joke.
Those within my own Unionist community who dismissed Revolutionary Unionism as a non-starter clearly did not reckon that the euro-skeptic camp would ever win the argument.
Like it or loathe it, Brexit will be a reality and if Unionism is to survive as a realistic ideology on this island, the Revolutionary Unionist path is the only workable solution.
Dr John Coulter is a former Religious Affairs Correspondent at the Belfast News Letter, a former Director of Operations at Christian Communication Network Television.
Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter. @JohnAHCoulter
Ireland, north and south, needs to embrace a new sense of patriotism in a post Brexit society. The key to achieving this, according to my Revolutionary Unionism ideology, is the introduction of a cross-border National Service for every citizen which would kick in once people reach the age of 16.
The ethos of Revolutionary Unionism is about practically ‘Putting People First’. We’ve just had the local government elections in England along with the West Tyrone Westminster by-election. Candidates of whatever shade and persuasion talk a lot about wanting to put people first.
While this makes great manifesto and slogan reading as well as terrific soundbites, will the practice of ‘Putting People First’ work in reality? Revolutionary Unionism can give that guarantee to the people of Ireland post Brexit.
No matter what type of border – hard or soft – exists between the republic and Northern Ireland after next March, one fact of life will be indisputable – the people of Ireland will have to work together if the island is not to descend to the economic status of a third-rate banana state.
Revolutionary Unionism can live up to its pledge of guaranteeing work for all citizens. To become a recognised citizen, all adults once they reach the age of 16 will have to serve a minimum of two years in the Armed Force of either the UK in Northern Ireland, or the Irish Defence Forces in the republic.
During this two-year compulsory period of paid National Service, each person will learn a vocational trade. All branches of the forces will be open for National Service – the army, navy, air force and even the police.
For example, in the north, a young person could join the British Army at 16 immediately after completing their GCSEs. During their paid time in the Army, they could also learn a vocational trade which would be of use to them once their National Service is completed.
If that person came from the nationalist community and did not feel they could cope with serving in the British forces, they could still complete their National Service in the Irish Defence Forces. There would be extra cash bonuses for people who completed their National Service whilst serving abroad with either the United Nations or NATO.
National Service, while it could begin at 16, would be available at various stages in the educational calendar – at 18, for example, after A levels, or upon graduation from university. The two key factors are – to become a fully-fledged citizen of the new Ireland, you must do your minimum of two years’ paid National Service and learn your trade.
Of course, the key question, how would Revolutionary Unionism pay for and administer all-island National Service? Primarily, there would be a massive reduction in the overseas aid budgets of both the UK and the Irish republic. Millions of pounds and euros are wasted every year as the cash goes directly into the pockets of dictators, bureaucrats and administrators instead of the people who supposedly need it.
Revolutionary Unionism is unashamedly an ‘Ireland First’ ideology – we look after our own people before we pander to anyone else. Money which the UK will save by not having to pump millions into the European Union post Brexit can be used to develop the defence capabilities of the new Ireland.
Naturally, the republic would be persuaded of the benefits of Irexit and following the UK out of the EU as there is the real danger that the Irish republic would be forced to become a ‘giver’ to the EU rather than a ‘receiver’ to fill the huge financial black hole which will be created when the UK quits and EU and there is no cash flow to Europe from Westminster.
There has been much chat about the role of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in a post Brexit Ireland. While the Conference is merely a glorified talking shop at present, it could have a positive role in the administration of this all-island National Service with a joint armed forces defence policy between Northern Ireland and the South.
Leinster House and Westminster could have a joint role in the running of National Service. In the event of a terrorist threat, the British Army and Irish Defence Forces would have an agreed ‘hot pursuit’ policy across the whole island.
There would be no hopping across the border to escape as happened during the conflict where republican terrorists had only a short distance to run to the diplomatic safety of the Irish republic.
Likewise, Revolutionary Unionism would generate income from other global powers through nuclear waste recycling and storage. Four nuclear waste recycling plants would be located in each of the island’s four provinces employing citizens from the island.
Added to this would be a service to refit nuclear submarines, ships or aircraft from the nuclear powers. As an island, Ireland has numerous ports and airports where such naval and air force servicing could be maintained. All money made from this servicing would be re-invested into the island’s economy, not just for the paid National Service programme, but also to boost the island’s health and education service sectors.
A more controversial scheme of income generation would be the creation of a Camp X-ray in each of Ireland’s four provinces to house terrorist suspects from across the globe. Just as the Americans operated such a camp at Guantanamo Bay for many years to hold terror suspects, the same scheme would be in place in Ireland. Nations would pay Ireland through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to keep their terror suspects.
Taking Guantanamo Bay as a benchmark and noting the huge amount of infrastructure needed to maintain these camps, it is estimated each provincial camp would create and maintain 25,000 jobs – that’s 100,000 new security-related jobs for a post Brexit Ireland.
Critics and opponents of Revolutionary Unionism can dismiss these practical policies as simply ‘bat crazy’, but at least Revolutionary Unionism is looking at workable ways of creating income for the island, north and south, once the economic reality of Brexit comes home to roost.
At the heart of Revolutionary Unionism is the need for Unionist to start thinking – and believing – in an all-island future. For nationalists, it is the need to recognise that with Brexit, the republic can no longer survive on its own; it will need to negotiate a new Anglo-Irish Treaty leading to a closer, more formal Union with the UK and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
One mistake not to make – do not confuse Revolutionary Unionism’s all-island ethos with liberal Unionism’s pathetic pleas that Unionists should face the inevitable United Ireland. There is a major difference between the positive, pro-active realism of Revolutionary Unionism, and the politics of surrender and capitulation of liberal Unionism’s United Ireland compromising.
As the countdown to Brexit continues, in the coming weeks and months, I will be outlining how Revolutionary Unionism as an ideology can take the people of Ireland forward. When I first mooted my Revolutionary Unionist ideology as a radical postgraduate politics student at Queen’s University in the early 1990s, the idea of all-island thinking in Unionism was a total joke.
Those within my own Unionist community who dismissed Revolutionary Unionism as a non-starter clearly did not reckon that the euro-skeptic camp would ever win the argument.
Like it or loathe it, Brexit will be a reality and if Unionism is to survive as a realistic ideology on this island, the Revolutionary Unionist path is the only workable solution.
Dr John Coulter is a former Religious Affairs Correspondent at the Belfast News Letter, a former Director of Operations at Christian Communication Network Television. Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter. @JohnAHCoulter
July 22, 2018
Why Drew Harris?
Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig raises serious questions about the appointment of the MI5 linked Drew Harris to the post of Garda Commissioner.
The selection of Drew Harris as Garda Commissioner is a deeply flawed and insensitive appointment.
Not only is the new commissioner a former member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, a severely compromised force with a fearsome reputation for brutality and a sinister record of collusion with Loyalist death squads but the actions of Drew Harris while serving as a senior member of the PSNI raise disturbing questions. The widely respected Relatives For Justice organisation has highlighted criticism of Mr Harris made by Belfast High Court in relation to his refusal to extend investigation into the feared Glenanne Gang which is believed to have also perpetrated atrocities in the Republic. Mr Justice Treacey, in his judgement, accused Drew Harris of an “extreme” abuse of power in closing down this exercise in analysing collusion. An Garda Síochána may have management problems but this is not the way to address them. Consequently, Cllr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig has placed the following motion before a meeting of Donegal County Council to take place this Monday the 23th of July.
In light of the judgement of Mr Justice Treacey in the Belfast High Court that the then PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris had perpetrated an extreme abuse of power when closing down an inquiry relating to collusion between British crown forces and the loyalist Glenanne gang responsible for atrocities on both sides of the border and the fact that the same Mr Harris had for long a close working relationship with the British security service, MI5 (a position from which one hardly ever retires) and thereby placing in peril this state’s most sensitive information, I propose that Donegal County Council call upon the Irish government to instruct the Minister for Justice to cancel the appointment of former RUC officer Drew Harris to the position of Commissioner of An Garda Síochána.
In a press release today, Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig has further stated that he is determined this issue will not be allowed slip from public attention. The Donegal councillor said that he is currently in the process of organising a campaign across the Republic to highlight this matter.
Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig is an independent councillor on Donegal County Council.
The selection of Drew Harris as Garda Commissioner is a deeply flawed and insensitive appointment.
Not only is the new commissioner a former member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, a severely compromised force with a fearsome reputation for brutality and a sinister record of collusion with Loyalist death squads but the actions of Drew Harris while serving as a senior member of the PSNI raise disturbing questions. The widely respected Relatives For Justice organisation has highlighted criticism of Mr Harris made by Belfast High Court in relation to his refusal to extend investigation into the feared Glenanne Gang which is believed to have also perpetrated atrocities in the Republic. Mr Justice Treacey, in his judgement, accused Drew Harris of an “extreme” abuse of power in closing down this exercise in analysing collusion. An Garda Síochána may have management problems but this is not the way to address them. Consequently, Cllr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig has placed the following motion before a meeting of Donegal County Council to take place this Monday the 23th of July.
In light of the judgement of Mr Justice Treacey in the Belfast High Court that the then PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris had perpetrated an extreme abuse of power when closing down an inquiry relating to collusion between British crown forces and the loyalist Glenanne gang responsible for atrocities on both sides of the border and the fact that the same Mr Harris had for long a close working relationship with the British security service, MI5 (a position from which one hardly ever retires) and thereby placing in peril this state’s most sensitive information, I propose that Donegal County Council call upon the Irish government to instruct the Minister for Justice to cancel the appointment of former RUC officer Drew Harris to the position of Commissioner of An Garda Síochána.
In a press release today, Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig has further stated that he is determined this issue will not be allowed slip from public attention. The Donegal councillor said that he is currently in the process of organising a campaign across the Republic to highlight this matter.
Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig is an independent councillor on Donegal County Council.
The Alleged Humbling Of Atheists By The National Post
Atheist Republic discusses an article in The National Post which asserts that the New Atheist movement is on the wane.
Photo Credits: The Inquisitr
According to an article in The National Post, there has been an alleged humbling of the atheists as of late. Others disagree.
The opinion piece spoke about the event in the O2 arena of London. Here, Sam Harris, world-famous New Atheist and neuroscientist, and Jordan B. Peterson, clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Toronto, sat and had a discussion.
The article stated:
Peterson claims a complicated relationship with the Christian faith in terms of self-identification, where he does not believe in the Abrahamic God but acts as though such a God exists. The argument proposed in the report is that the publications of the New Atheists – Hitchens, Dennett, Dawkins, and Harris – should indicate a declining interest in the questions of religion and faith.
However, the latter 2010s represent a re-emergence of interest in faith-based topics from within the framework of the faith-based topics.
The article accused:
Going on to quote the philosopher of biology Michael Ruse, who opined the movement was akin to a balloon that once “pricked, it went nowhere,” the article reflected on the timeline of observation for Ruse, where the dynamic of atheism into the New Atheism comes with a history.
In particular, a history with the “crisis point in 1982” with Ruse’s attendance in Arkansas as an expert witness for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The purpose was to challenge the teaching of so-called “creation science” or, more properly, Young Earth Creationism and Old Earth Creationism – in the majority of cases.
Ruse attended alongside the prominent evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould. Gould considered science and religion compatible insofar as they consist of “Non-Overlapping Magisteria” or independent domains of inquiry or universes of discourse.
That is when one speaks of religious themes and moral narratives, they not contradict the empirical evidence and theoretical groundings of science, for example with Evolutionary Theory, because these are areas that do not mutually contradict one another.
The article covering the case later stated:
The article asserted.
Then some of the New Atheist leading lights began to rise and the push back against religious fundamentalism, and pseudoscience became important as a public criticism. With the developments into the present, the article claims that the trend has been a humbling of the New Atheists, where the social meaning or force of New Atheism declines in its “urgency.”
The report continued to note that the prominence of creationism at one time has waned and alongside this decline in urgency of a reaction came the decrease in the prominence of New Atheism. It quoted Ruse once more stating the two sides have been cooling, where it “takes two to tango.”
This then leads to commentary by the University of Waterloo sociologist Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme. She commented on the context with the non-religious not being atheists by necessity and the unaffiliated having more than the average amount of religious sensibilities with “individually constructed belief systems and personal spiritual practices.”
That points to the main assertion of The National Post that the individuals involved in the work atheism as a modern movement work within a context of religion and science being seen as more often compatible compared to the prior decade or two.
The article asserts and concludes:
About Atheist Republic
Follow Atheist Republic on Twitter @AtheistRepublic
Photo Credits: The InquisitrAccording to an article in The National Post, there has been an alleged humbling of the atheists as of late. Others disagree.
The opinion piece spoke about the event in the O2 arena of London. Here, Sam Harris, world-famous New Atheist and neuroscientist, and Jordan B. Peterson, clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Toronto, sat and had a discussion.
The article stated:
There is a pop cultural title belt on the line, and for the first time in years, the atheist will be the clear underdog. Peterson is a psychologist whose popular appeal is partly based on his repurposing of religious myth for modern life.
Peterson claims a complicated relationship with the Christian faith in terms of self-identification, where he does not believe in the Abrahamic God but acts as though such a God exists. The argument proposed in the report is that the publications of the New Atheists – Hitchens, Dennett, Dawkins, and Harris – should indicate a declining interest in the questions of religion and faith.
However, the latter 2010s represent a re-emergence of interest in faith-based topics from within the framework of the faith-based topics.
The article accused:
The New Atheists — the hyper-rationalist anti-religious movement of which Harris was once a star — are not new anymore. Quite the opposite. The enlightened, progressive, secular left wing has turned on them as they struggled with their own scandals of intolerance, Islamophobia, sexism, and sophist sloganeering.
Going on to quote the philosopher of biology Michael Ruse, who opined the movement was akin to a balloon that once “pricked, it went nowhere,” the article reflected on the timeline of observation for Ruse, where the dynamic of atheism into the New Atheism comes with a history.
In particular, a history with the “crisis point in 1982” with Ruse’s attendance in Arkansas as an expert witness for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The purpose was to challenge the teaching of so-called “creation science” or, more properly, Young Earth Creationism and Old Earth Creationism – in the majority of cases.
Ruse attended alongside the prominent evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould. Gould considered science and religion compatible insofar as they consist of “Non-Overlapping Magisteria” or independent domains of inquiry or universes of discourse.
That is when one speaks of religious themes and moral narratives, they not contradict the empirical evidence and theoretical groundings of science, for example with Evolutionary Theory, because these are areas that do not mutually contradict one another.
The article covering the case later stated:
It was like the Scopes Monkey Trial all over again. Ruse compared this experience to ‘going over the top at the Somme,’ and said it gives him ‘street credentials” in the atheism ‘world. More recently, he has found himself using that cred to criticize those who take atheism too far, especially Dawkins, whom he compared to Donald Trump as someone who argues by ‘trivializing the stuff into slogans.’Ruse, apparently, sees a shift in the cultural zeitgeist happening since the tragedy of 9/11. The time when the then US President George W. Bush proposed a religious framing for a clash of civilizations. There were fears around then prime minister of Canada Stephen Harper harboring a Christian agenda and that anti-evolution was being proposed in American schools, all at the same time.
The article asserted.
In those times, there was a countercultural boldness in standing up for atheism. People were especially keen for a coherent opposition to Islamic extremism that was fair and humanistic, distinct from the Islamophobic Christian right wing that was keen to rouse a new crusade.
Then some of the New Atheist leading lights began to rise and the push back against religious fundamentalism, and pseudoscience became important as a public criticism. With the developments into the present, the article claims that the trend has been a humbling of the New Atheists, where the social meaning or force of New Atheism declines in its “urgency.”
The report continued to note that the prominence of creationism at one time has waned and alongside this decline in urgency of a reaction came the decrease in the prominence of New Atheism. It quoted Ruse once more stating the two sides have been cooling, where it “takes two to tango.”
Sociologically, the expectation was that religion would decline and atheism increase as science literacy increased, and as older people who were raised with religion at home are replaced by younger people who were not,” the article explained, “But that is not what has happened. On the contrary, supernatural belief in things like miracles and angels seems to actually decline with age, according to recent surveys. Among Canadians who tick “none” for their religion on sociological surveys, which have risen from 10% in 1985 to about 25% today, about two fifths say they believe in God all the same.
This then leads to commentary by the University of Waterloo sociologist Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme. She commented on the context with the non-religious not being atheists by necessity and the unaffiliated having more than the average amount of religious sensibilities with “individually constructed belief systems and personal spiritual practices.”
That points to the main assertion of The National Post that the individuals involved in the work atheism as a modern movement work within a context of religion and science being seen as more often compatible compared to the prior decade or two.
The article asserts and concludes:
This is why religion has survived not only the progress of science, but also the attacks of atheists. Their arrows miss their mark, and as the dangers of religious extremism fall down the list of cultural preoccupations, so too does movement atheism.
About Atheist RepublicFollow Atheist Republic on Twitter @AtheistRepublic
July 21, 2018
Vichy Essence
A piece from Eoghan O'Suilleabain on what he feels is Irish national subordination.
“The colonized intellectual has invested his aggression in his barely veiled wish to be assimilated to the colonizer’s world.” (1) - Franz Fanon
If hindsight is 20/20, and it is, then Gerry Adams was always a dishonest person. So if he told you he was in the IRA you couldn’t believe that either without verifiable proof. If he told you it was Wednesday then check the calendar because he will say anything to anyone at anytime if it would advance his own interests.
Here are some of my favorite sayings by him:
And:
Gerry Adams removed the later quote from his 1995 and 1996 editions of this book. So by his own definitions he was no more an Irish Nationalist than former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Garrett Fitzgerald was.
Like so many politicians, Irish and otherwise, Gerry Adams was a toxic Machiavellian. No different really than any Irish Prime Minister: i.e. Leo Varadkar, Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan or Bertie Ahern or pick a liar, any liar.
None strong men from the plains of Royal Meath!
All of whom will tell you one thing while they do another like the Provos saying “Not a bullet not an ounce”.
Hear the now current Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's lie about Anglo bondholders paying the €1 billion Anglo Irish Bank bond due in 2011:
“What is happening in relation to the Anglo bondholders, they’ll be paid from Anglo’s own resources.” - Leo Varadkar, 11-1-2011
Yet in 2012 Leo Varadkar defended the Irish Government payment to Anglo Irish Bank bondholders:
Minister for Transport & Tourism Leo Varadkar has defended the Government's decision to make a €1.2 billion payment to Anglo Irish Bank bondholders due next Wednesday.
So that makes the life of Irish Patriot Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, among others all the more poignant. Because whatever you thought of the man, he lived and died by his Irish Republican principles, which are attributes that have no place in the Republic of Ireland aka “Irish Free State”. No more than the French Resistance could have any place in the Vichy French State.
Just compare former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to former Sinn Fein President Ruairí Ó Brádaigh,
Ó Brádaigh, was bright and articulate, a Bachelors graduate of University College Dublin (UCD) and a former School Teacher.
Ahern was a bumbling liar and thief who didn’t graduate from any of the places he said he did. Yet Ahern floated to the top of the Vichy Irish Free State like the turd that wouldn’t flush.
Whereas Ó Brádaigh, as Sinn Fein President, had always been politically marginalized and harassed by it.
Moral of the story: for political success in Ireland support the status quo of British partition. And that’s true on many levels in Irish business, government, academia and the media.
That’s why little Leo recently hired ex-RUC Deputy Chief Drew Harris to head the Garda to keep the croppies in the south down like he did up there. It’s why the talentless Ryan Tubridy has his own RTE TV show, but Clisare Cullen blogs on YouTube. And it’s why Rodney Thom a Unionist from Northern Ireland got to lecture full time without a PhD at UCD, but Anthony McIntyre a Republican from Northern Ireland with a PhD didn’t.
UK and EU Provincialism beats Irish Nationalism again and again!
And this is the (ahem) genius of Adams and McGuinness. They finally figured this out. Sunningdale for slow learners indeed! And lo and behold they too became “men of peace” for elite Anglo-American interests and their usual Irish lackeys. Just ask their good buddy convicted liar and war criminal Bill Clinton.
The very uneducated Martin McGuinness even became the British Provincial Minister of Education! Translation: they got their very little piece and you can still hear British MI6 laughing about it.
The Psychiatrist and World War II veteran Franz Fanon understood all this very well:
So until Ireland gets its own D-Day your man with the well oiled arse will continue to pay off Brit bonds. And he will do so by taxing not only water but if need be by taxing breathed air and sun light views. While at the same time he will continue to shrink Irish health, education and welfare benefits. All to the tune of an old Negro slave ballad sung by the usual chorus of crooked colonials:
“Ah boss man we’ll pick your cotton, three bags full or our asses get a wopp’en!”
It isn’t just the kid-fucking Catholic Church that’s always been giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Fine Gael dee and Fianna Fail dum are just two cheeks of the same bum! No wonder a lot of Irish leave as soon as they can before they lose their gag reflex.
That’s why when people ask me if I am Irish I say: “No I am Jewish, my name is Alan Solomon”.
Since truth told there is a whole lot less self-loathing among Israeli Jews than Irish. After all, they have their own currency and don’t mind learning their own language like Irish do. And that’s because Israel is not a colony so they have more pride of nationhood, in fact way too much because they are a colonizer.
Therefore balance and independence are everything!
For everyone everywhere.
Notes: 1. Franz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, Grove Press (NY 1963) at page 22.
2. Ibid., at page 24.
➽ Eoghan O'Suilleabain is a US attorney.
“The colonized intellectual has invested his aggression in his barely veiled wish to be assimilated to the colonizer’s world.” (1) - Franz Fanon
If hindsight is 20/20, and it is, then Gerry Adams was always a dishonest person. So if he told you he was in the IRA you couldn’t believe that either without verifiable proof. If he told you it was Wednesday then check the calendar because he will say anything to anyone at anytime if it would advance his own interests.
Here are some of my favorite sayings by him:
There can be no such things as an Irish nationalist accepting the loyalist veto and partition. You cannot claim to be an Irish nationalist if you consent to an internal six county settlement and if you are willing to negotiate the state of Irish society with a foreign government - Gerry Adams, November 22 1984 (AP/RN)
And:
No Irish nationalist could support any treaty which institutionalizes British government claims to a part of Irish national territory. Indeed, the term - 'constitutional nationalism'- used by Mr. Mallon (SDLP) and his colleagues to describe their political philosophy is a contradiction in terms. The only constitutional nationalist in Ireland today is Sean McBride. He puts his nationalism within a framework of Irish constitutionality. Mr. Mallon, however, puts his within the framework of British constitutionality. Irish nationalism within British constitutionality is a contradiction in terms. - Gerry Adams, 1986, The Politics of Irish Freedom, by Gerry Adams, Brandon Book Publishers, Ltd., Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland 1986, p. 112).
Gerry Adams removed the later quote from his 1995 and 1996 editions of this book. So by his own definitions he was no more an Irish Nationalist than former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Garrett Fitzgerald was.
Like so many politicians, Irish and otherwise, Gerry Adams was a toxic Machiavellian. No different really than any Irish Prime Minister: i.e. Leo Varadkar, Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan or Bertie Ahern or pick a liar, any liar.
None strong men from the plains of Royal Meath!
All of whom will tell you one thing while they do another like the Provos saying “Not a bullet not an ounce”.
Hear the now current Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's lie about Anglo bondholders paying the €1 billion Anglo Irish Bank bond due in 2011:
“What is happening in relation to the Anglo bondholders, they’ll be paid from Anglo’s own resources.” - Leo Varadkar, 11-1-2011
Yet in 2012 Leo Varadkar defended the Irish Government payment to Anglo Irish Bank bondholders:
Minister for Transport & Tourism Leo Varadkar has defended the Government's decision to make a €1.2 billion payment to Anglo Irish Bank bondholders due next Wednesday.
So that makes the life of Irish Patriot Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, among others all the more poignant. Because whatever you thought of the man, he lived and died by his Irish Republican principles, which are attributes that have no place in the Republic of Ireland aka “Irish Free State”. No more than the French Resistance could have any place in the Vichy French State.
Just compare former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to former Sinn Fein President Ruairí Ó Brádaigh,
Ó Brádaigh, was bright and articulate, a Bachelors graduate of University College Dublin (UCD) and a former School Teacher.
Ahern was a bumbling liar and thief who didn’t graduate from any of the places he said he did. Yet Ahern floated to the top of the Vichy Irish Free State like the turd that wouldn’t flush.
Whereas Ó Brádaigh, as Sinn Fein President, had always been politically marginalized and harassed by it.
Moral of the story: for political success in Ireland support the status quo of British partition. And that’s true on many levels in Irish business, government, academia and the media.
That’s why little Leo recently hired ex-RUC Deputy Chief Drew Harris to head the Garda to keep the croppies in the south down like he did up there. It’s why the talentless Ryan Tubridy has his own RTE TV show, but Clisare Cullen blogs on YouTube. And it’s why Rodney Thom a Unionist from Northern Ireland got to lecture full time without a PhD at UCD, but Anthony McIntyre a Republican from Northern Ireland with a PhD didn’t.
UK and EU Provincialism beats Irish Nationalism again and again!
And this is the (ahem) genius of Adams and McGuinness. They finally figured this out. Sunningdale for slow learners indeed! And lo and behold they too became “men of peace” for elite Anglo-American interests and their usual Irish lackeys. Just ask their good buddy convicted liar and war criminal Bill Clinton.
The very uneducated Martin McGuinness even became the British Provincial Minister of Education! Translation: they got their very little piece and you can still hear British MI6 laughing about it.
The Psychiatrist and World War II veteran Franz Fanon understood all this very well:
In the best of cases, (the leader of the nationalist party) barricades himself in a no-man’s-land between the terrorists and the colonialists and offers his services as a “mediator”; which means since the colonialists cannot negotiate with the Mau-Mau, he himself is prepared to begin negotiations. Thus, the rear guard of the national struggle, that section of the people who have always been on the other side, now find themselves catapulted to the forefront of negotiations and compromise – precisely because they have always been careful not to break the ties of colonialism. (2)
So until Ireland gets its own D-Day your man with the well oiled arse will continue to pay off Brit bonds. And he will do so by taxing not only water but if need be by taxing breathed air and sun light views. While at the same time he will continue to shrink Irish health, education and welfare benefits. All to the tune of an old Negro slave ballad sung by the usual chorus of crooked colonials:
“Ah boss man we’ll pick your cotton, three bags full or our asses get a wopp’en!”
It isn’t just the kid-fucking Catholic Church that’s always been giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Fine Gael dee and Fianna Fail dum are just two cheeks of the same bum! No wonder a lot of Irish leave as soon as they can before they lose their gag reflex.
That’s why when people ask me if I am Irish I say: “No I am Jewish, my name is Alan Solomon”.
Since truth told there is a whole lot less self-loathing among Israeli Jews than Irish. After all, they have their own currency and don’t mind learning their own language like Irish do. And that’s because Israel is not a colony so they have more pride of nationhood, in fact way too much because they are a colonizer.
Therefore balance and independence are everything!
For everyone everywhere.
Notes: 1. Franz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, Grove Press (NY 1963) at page 22.
2. Ibid., at page 24.
➽ Eoghan O'Suilleabain is a US attorney.
The Housing Crisis - It Hasn’t Gone Away & It's Only Getting Worse
Finn O Donnell takes a no-holds barred approach toward the continuing housing crisis that affects the people of Donegal and the island as a whole. Here, he writes of what has be done - or what has not been - and what people can do to change the system.
I am from a street simply named, Long lane. It is what it says, a long stretch of road that climbs from the left side of Letterkenny Hospital, right on up the hillside of the O’ Cannon’s that looks out onto the whole town and far beyond.
Growing up in this area, there was a massive building boom. What was once fields surrounding the home, are now hundreds of houses that are located just off the long lane from top to bottom of this road. In recent years, more and more houses have been left to decay and become breeding grounds for anti-social behavior, vermin infestation and a further blackening of the all too familiar reputation of Long Lane. This has created a feeling of unease with the hard working and decent residents of the area and as a result, many have moved house. This in turn, created the almost ghost estate like atmosphere such as Meadowbank that is located just off the Long Lane.
Derelict houses of the Long Lane
Ditto
When austerity hits, it does not affect the areas of extreme wealth but always the working class areas such as Long Lane. It is of course evident that the Long Lane has had its trouble in the past but due to cuts and cuts and more cuts, scenes like the photos above are becoming more common. How can someone live comfortably or raise their children in an area where even the houses are abandoned and left to ruin? How can anyone feel safe when the local Gardai neglect the area while thugs and crime are allowed to go unpunished? It is not a surprise or a coincidence that when austerity and derelict houses in the area are scarce, when social housing residents are being treated with respect and dignity by the local authorities and are able to afford some sort of decent accommodation, that issues like crime, anti social behavior, vermin infestation and a sense of unease also become scarce.
Of course, those who take part in anti social behavior are to blame and those who set out the continuation of giving the Long Lane a bad name are also to blame. However, where there is neglect and a clear bias towards stereotyping and everyone is put in the same boat, you will inevitably get an aggressive and negative response. There are many decent hard working people I personally know of who live on the Long Lane who take no part in any thuggery, anti social behavior and are of course, slotted in the same category. Is it their fault that the state of the houses in the area are so derelict? Is it their fault that crime goes on and is neglected by local authorities? Of course not! but as usual and like other areas in towns and cities in Ireland the same stereotyping goes on and everyone is branded with the same name.
So who is responsible and who can make the change to make the Lane Lane a better area for reducing anti social behavior, vermin infestation, a place were people can raise their children safely and with dignity? Who is it, that can bring about a difference in our area. Could it be the Gardai?
Well, when the local people are so clearly neglected by the Gardai on any issue and have consistently told me of how they have done nothing for them and their area. When a local shopkeeper told me that when the Guards were called about an individual who walked into the proprietor's shop, picked up a packet of crisps and simply walked out without paying and the Gardai’s response was ‘‘that seems like too much paper work for me over a packet of crisps. There is nothing really we can do’’. When you hear of a man that had an arrest warrant and is walking around outside his house while guards drive up and down the area without so much as a raising eyebrow, when there are those selling cars outside residents' homes and revving engines and speeding up and down the road at 3am on a weekly basis as well as fights and shouting matches at the same time and still, nothing is done by the guards. When a women’s home has her windows smashed because she took the courage to stand up to thugs and those that threaten the neighborhood and yet nothing was done. So, how is it that the Guards could do anything to make change in the area? How is it that people can be blamed from being deterred from engaging with the Guards when the local residents are so clearly neglected by them? It is very clear, the Gardai Siochana will not help to make change in our area.
So what about the local County Council and local representatives? What can they do to make a change to the area?
Well, according to the figures obtained from the County Council under the freedom of information act, Only five houses have been delivered for social housing from 2012 to 2018. This is a truly shocking figure compared to the County Council’s Development Plan that stated it would need an additional "4,578 new houses in Donegal over the 2012 - 2018 period." The same depressing figure shows up regarding the actual construction of social houses. In 2015, just 1 house was constructed, in 2016, none were built and in 2017, just 11 houses were built for social houses.
Image showing delivered social housing between 2012 to 2018
The Long Lane in particular has approximately 12-15 houses lying derelict. These houses have the windows smashed or boarded up, the front and back gardens are over growing with foliage and has deterred people away from renting or buying property in the area. This, as explained above, has created vermin infestation, anti social behavior and more neglect form the Gardai. According to a report stated from the sitting of the Letterkenny Municipal District in May 2018, almost 1,000 people remain on the housing list. This was stated by local Sinn Fein Councillor, Gerry McMonagle, Ironically, Councillor McMonagle is a resident of the Long Lane. This irony alone clearly shows that even a local resident and top Sinn Fein Councillor is unable or simply does not put the pressure on at local council meetings to make changes to the area. The same goes for the likes of Fianna Fail’s Ciaran Brogan, Independent, Dessie Shiels or Fine Gael’s Jimmy Kavanagh, who have never mentioned or highlighted the housing disaster that people and their families face. I suspect they would be more concerned for ‘‘pints for the boys’’ more than helping people with real issues.
Article from the Donegal News (08/07/18)
Donegal News Journalist, Conor Sharkey, published a piece that blew the lid on the spending of the County Council on their ‘‘refreshments’’ expenditure. Sharkey revealed, under the freedom of information act, that Donegal County Council had spent over 400,000 euros on refreshments alone from 2015 to 2017. This totaled a whopping 400 euro a day drinks bill over a three year period. An utter disgrace and a complete abuse of their positions as servants to the people of Donegal and a slap in the face to those struggling on a daily basis just to get by. So, when a local resident who is a top councillor on the county council states the housing crisis in Donegal and yet nothing is done, no mention of the on going housing issues that faces the Long Lane and Letterkenny municipal district from any other local Councillors, a complete lack of investment to provide adequate amounts of social housing which have fallen so far below the required number and a clear corrupt bunch of crooks feeding off the trough that is the people’s money, it is very clear and evident that our council and representatives cannot or rather will not make any change to those of the Long Lane and the Letterkenny MD.
Leo finally holding his hands up
And what of a national level? what about our TD’s and the government? Could a loud cry from the people of Ireland wake the establishment up to what's going on with the housing crisis? Could report after report giving the damning evidence of the exact nature of what the housing crisis is doing send the message home to Fine Gael? A report of over ten thousand homeless with over 4, 000 of them, children? Well, it appears not! In March of this year, Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar declared the housing crisis as a national emergency. This statement would make anyone think that action would be done to tackle this major issue. Alas, Varadker’s ‘‘declaration’’ was subsequently followed by him saying, "but declaring it an emergency doesn’t solve the problem", meaning, Fine Gael are fully aware of the Housing Crisis but will do nothing to up the priorities of it.
Varadkar has also admitted in the Dail that the government are leaning on the private sector to ease the burden of the housing crisis. In other words, Fine Gael have handed their responsibility as a government over to landlords so that they can make a pretty penny out of the exploitation of people struggling to obtain affordable housing. This is unsurprising to a party with 18 out their 50 TD’s being landlords.
Of course, everyone knows that the housing crisis will cost a bundle and cost plenty. To even attempt what is proposed by People Before Profit to build or purchase new homes every year for five years to accommodate 100,000 families will cost billions. The country is still economically on the ropes and is only hanging on by its fingertips. The books have only been balanced last year somewhat and there simply isn’t enough in the budget..... or so the current gravy boat sailors tell us. In an astounding turn of events, it was revealed that Apple was skipping their tax bill to the tune of 13 billion euro since the early 2000’s. The most remarkable thing was that it took the EU to bring this to light to the Fine Gael-led government. And to put the cherry on top, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, refused to pick up the cheque and even sided with Apple in the court cases that followed, using the taxpayers money to defend the multi billion business! It gets better. Apple lost the cases and are now forced to pay the 13 billion euro. Astonishingly the finance minister, Paschal Donohue stated "I fundamentally disagree with the ruling," but will collect it regardless. So where and when will we see this 13 billion being used? Surely, the new money will be used to fix the housing crisis and the health care crisis at that? If we concinue to keep the same parties in, then we will not see a penny of it nor see any change in the economy. We will not see the derelict houses of Long Lane being bought by the council and redeveloped for homes for families and improving the community. The absolute blatant, clear as day corruption being carried out by Fine Gael is more than enough evidence to show that on a national level, the housing crisis will never be tackled by government, let alone a small working class area in the forgotten county.
From what was stated, It is clear that local gardai, local councillors and county council, our county's TD’s and government are unable to make the change residents of Long Lane want and deserve. It is evident that the authorities responsible for the protection, safety, right to live peacefully, opportunity and to raise a family with dignity and care have been neglected and at times blatantly ignored. We can no longer rely nor hold out hope that government, local or national will help or even recognise the issues that people face day to day on the Long Lane. Community efforts can no longer look to government for funding. It seems that in this age of individualism and a much smaller and connected world, people are more distant from each other than ever. That hope and self empowerment seems fading and a complete destruction of any sense of community is happening before our very eyes.
And of course, this is happening in the estates, streets, villages and towns throughout the island. The same neglect of Gardai, the same neglect from local councils and the same neglect from the government. The pattern happens all around the world. Crime rises, mental health of individuals are affected due to austerity and financial stress. Working class communities become more and more run down due to the cuts from a ruling class capitalist-led government.
It is not a conspiracy nor coincidence that this pattern happens world wide but rather, this is exactly how capitalism works. A boom occurs and an overproduction occurs afterwards. A draw back from this overproduction happens, creating a selling off of that product at a loss. By that stage the winners have long gone and the taxpayer is left with the bill from that loss. A new government is put in place to make sure the right budget is carried out and the right people still get paid. This of course leads to massive job losses of the working class, minorities and the most vulnerable, Cuts are implemented usually in working class areas and to those who are most vulnerable in society so they do not make too much noise nor rattle the walls of the establishment. This is again the same pattern worldwide where it is the worker, the down trodden the vulnerable who never experienced the boom in full effect but has always been footed the bill.
So What Do We Do?
It is a cliché and familiar cry from many on the left but we say it because we truly believe that it can work and bring about the real changes we want in society and create a new way to do things in our Country. It is not because if we have nothing else, or we have run out of ideas and are just towing the same lines of Connolly. We don’t buy into the ‘‘romanticism’’ of it.
What we think we should do is mobilise, organise, and agitate, We get together and talk about the issues that are affecting us and talk about what we, as ordinary working people can do to make it happen. Every resident on the Long Lane has experienced or seen the anti social behavior going on, the neglect of the Gardai and our local council. Every resident has issues that are most likely connected to their neighbor and the next house and the next house and so on. Every resident knows deep down that things can be better but doesn’t quite know where to go or what to do. They have spoken to me about the state of the houses in the area, the lack of initiative and investment given to develop the potential of the green areas such as the one in Glenard Park, the greenery below Fair Green located at the top of Long Lane and other areas. Yet the same people who complain are not so much the same people who do nothing but more likely, feel that nothing can be done. Some feel that there is no platform for them to start or residents interested in the area that will take part in community efforts and projects.
As stated by the evidence showed, the government will not help. Therefore it is up the residents of Long Lane to make the change and so there in lies the first step - take back responsibility - Realise that it is up to us to make Long Lane, Glenwood, Ballymacool, Ashlawn etc, a better place for everyone. Once our responsibility is taken back, then we can begin to take back our communities.
Organising meetings will also start the beginnings of building relationships between neighbors within the area and ideas can get shared and develop and grow. Once these ideas are agreed and finalised, regardless of what it may be, then the action can begin.
Recently, myself and a resident of Long Lane got together and began to discuss a group. We talked about setting up a parents group that would accommodate parents with children who may be suffering from anti social behavior, addiction, mental health issues or who are just struggling as parents. We agreed that this group would be for parents by parents. It would not be affiliated with the social services, HSE or the Gardai. We called the group ‘’Parents Supporting Parents’’.
This was to prove that people getting together with and idea can make something happen and keep it going. We now have over ten members who get together regularly, have a Facebook page, are holding fun days for kids, raffles and get together’s and talk about ideas and potential projects. This began with two ordinary people sitting down over a cup of tea. In doing ‘this taking back of your own responsibility’ and taking back of your community, your becoming empowered. This in turn spills into your community and creates the potential of empowering the community. Empowerment means being informed because once an individual is informed they are empowered. Responsibility and empowerment are very much linked together.
Eamonn McCann
Once a real sense of community is developed, relationships formed and collective ideas are gathered, be it a parents group, tackling anti social behavior etc, then action can happen. The prolific Derry activist and former Foyle MLA, Eamonn Mc Cann stated ‘‘There is nothing that scares the shit out of the the establishment more, than a large group of angry people who are angry at the establishment’’. A collective voice is louder than one and to bond people together under similar ideas is immensely powerful. Community projects such as redevelopment of green areas e.g Glenard and Fairgreen will be able to take shape and grow and it will be the local residents who would be creating it, resulting in more empowerment and more of a sense of pride and a part of within their community.
Agitate - protests are a powerful weapon against the establishment to highlight the issues that people face and government ignore. It is also a highly effective tool against anti social behavior within the community. Having a protest in your area with a large number of residents in attendance and showing up or passing by the very people who we may know who is causing the anti social behavior deters it any further. If those engaged in anti social behavior are aware that there is a collective and that the people are not afraid of them and will stand up to them, the result be a overwhelming reduction.
Finally, we believe in having our voice heard in government. If we vote for the same two tier party then we will inevitably get the same results time and time again. There are those who do not vote as they do not see the point in voting for any party resulting in hope being lost and a vote being gained once more for the establishment parties. We tell them: vote and have your voice heard. Vote left wing and vote the one who is out on the street talking to people and understands the issues you face because he or she is living them too. Vote them in and the issues we have and the agitation we make, the mobilisation we create and the protests we hold. Vote them in and bring it all in with you so that we strike right the heart of where the cuts and corruption and greed lay.
For us, it is not a matter of if the housing crisis will get worse. It is a matter of when. More derelict houses will appear on our streets, more cuts will be enforced, more neglect from our so called representatives will go on. This is not the future we want.
We believe there is a different way and that way is: reclaiming your responsibility, Taking back our communities, Becoming empowered, Mobilise, Organise, Agitate. Through that, we can create a grassroots movement from the bottom up and grow into something that can challenge the very establishment itself. This movement will only come about from the collective responsibility and empowerment of working people of Ireland. The movement can only fall apart if the working people of Ireland fall foul to their collective responsibility and empowerment. Therefore, it is a tricky and immense road to walk. Are you the one to plant your boots upon that road?
References
Almost 1,000 people in Letterkenny MD on housing waiting list
Housing
Housing Policy
Gleneaney House: The Trouble With Landlordism
Finn O'Donnell is the People Before Profit Letterkenny Branch Organiser and a Long Lane resident. He has continually highlighted the issues of the Long Lane before, speaking with other local residents and posting on social media. Last year, the PBP representative organised a protest outside the premises of Gleneaney House in Letterkenny to highlight the living conditions in the building. He wrote a follow up article with No Bones on the aftermath of the protest. He is also a founding member of the Homeless & Housing Coalition, Donegal.
I am from a street simply named, Long lane. It is what it says, a long stretch of road that climbs from the left side of Letterkenny Hospital, right on up the hillside of the O’ Cannon’s that looks out onto the whole town and far beyond.
Growing up in this area, there was a massive building boom. What was once fields surrounding the home, are now hundreds of houses that are located just off the long lane from top to bottom of this road. In recent years, more and more houses have been left to decay and become breeding grounds for anti-social behavior, vermin infestation and a further blackening of the all too familiar reputation of Long Lane. This has created a feeling of unease with the hard working and decent residents of the area and as a result, many have moved house. This in turn, created the almost ghost estate like atmosphere such as Meadowbank that is located just off the Long Lane.
Derelict houses of the Long LaneDittoWhen austerity hits, it does not affect the areas of extreme wealth but always the working class areas such as Long Lane. It is of course evident that the Long Lane has had its trouble in the past but due to cuts and cuts and more cuts, scenes like the photos above are becoming more common. How can someone live comfortably or raise their children in an area where even the houses are abandoned and left to ruin? How can anyone feel safe when the local Gardai neglect the area while thugs and crime are allowed to go unpunished? It is not a surprise or a coincidence that when austerity and derelict houses in the area are scarce, when social housing residents are being treated with respect and dignity by the local authorities and are able to afford some sort of decent accommodation, that issues like crime, anti social behavior, vermin infestation and a sense of unease also become scarce.
Of course, those who take part in anti social behavior are to blame and those who set out the continuation of giving the Long Lane a bad name are also to blame. However, where there is neglect and a clear bias towards stereotyping and everyone is put in the same boat, you will inevitably get an aggressive and negative response. There are many decent hard working people I personally know of who live on the Long Lane who take no part in any thuggery, anti social behavior and are of course, slotted in the same category. Is it their fault that the state of the houses in the area are so derelict? Is it their fault that crime goes on and is neglected by local authorities? Of course not! but as usual and like other areas in towns and cities in Ireland the same stereotyping goes on and everyone is branded with the same name.
So who is responsible and who can make the change to make the Lane Lane a better area for reducing anti social behavior, vermin infestation, a place were people can raise their children safely and with dignity? Who is it, that can bring about a difference in our area. Could it be the Gardai?
Well, when the local people are so clearly neglected by the Gardai on any issue and have consistently told me of how they have done nothing for them and their area. When a local shopkeeper told me that when the Guards were called about an individual who walked into the proprietor's shop, picked up a packet of crisps and simply walked out without paying and the Gardai’s response was ‘‘that seems like too much paper work for me over a packet of crisps. There is nothing really we can do’’. When you hear of a man that had an arrest warrant and is walking around outside his house while guards drive up and down the area without so much as a raising eyebrow, when there are those selling cars outside residents' homes and revving engines and speeding up and down the road at 3am on a weekly basis as well as fights and shouting matches at the same time and still, nothing is done by the guards. When a women’s home has her windows smashed because she took the courage to stand up to thugs and those that threaten the neighborhood and yet nothing was done. So, how is it that the Guards could do anything to make change in the area? How is it that people can be blamed from being deterred from engaging with the Guards when the local residents are so clearly neglected by them? It is very clear, the Gardai Siochana will not help to make change in our area.
So what about the local County Council and local representatives? What can they do to make a change to the area?
Well, according to the figures obtained from the County Council under the freedom of information act, Only five houses have been delivered for social housing from 2012 to 2018. This is a truly shocking figure compared to the County Council’s Development Plan that stated it would need an additional "4,578 new houses in Donegal over the 2012 - 2018 period." The same depressing figure shows up regarding the actual construction of social houses. In 2015, just 1 house was constructed, in 2016, none were built and in 2017, just 11 houses were built for social houses.
Image showing delivered social housing between 2012 to 2018The Long Lane in particular has approximately 12-15 houses lying derelict. These houses have the windows smashed or boarded up, the front and back gardens are over growing with foliage and has deterred people away from renting or buying property in the area. This, as explained above, has created vermin infestation, anti social behavior and more neglect form the Gardai. According to a report stated from the sitting of the Letterkenny Municipal District in May 2018, almost 1,000 people remain on the housing list. This was stated by local Sinn Fein Councillor, Gerry McMonagle, Ironically, Councillor McMonagle is a resident of the Long Lane. This irony alone clearly shows that even a local resident and top Sinn Fein Councillor is unable or simply does not put the pressure on at local council meetings to make changes to the area. The same goes for the likes of Fianna Fail’s Ciaran Brogan, Independent, Dessie Shiels or Fine Gael’s Jimmy Kavanagh, who have never mentioned or highlighted the housing disaster that people and their families face. I suspect they would be more concerned for ‘‘pints for the boys’’ more than helping people with real issues.
Article from the Donegal News (08/07/18)Donegal News Journalist, Conor Sharkey, published a piece that blew the lid on the spending of the County Council on their ‘‘refreshments’’ expenditure. Sharkey revealed, under the freedom of information act, that Donegal County Council had spent over 400,000 euros on refreshments alone from 2015 to 2017. This totaled a whopping 400 euro a day drinks bill over a three year period. An utter disgrace and a complete abuse of their positions as servants to the people of Donegal and a slap in the face to those struggling on a daily basis just to get by. So, when a local resident who is a top councillor on the county council states the housing crisis in Donegal and yet nothing is done, no mention of the on going housing issues that faces the Long Lane and Letterkenny municipal district from any other local Councillors, a complete lack of investment to provide adequate amounts of social housing which have fallen so far below the required number and a clear corrupt bunch of crooks feeding off the trough that is the people’s money, it is very clear and evident that our council and representatives cannot or rather will not make any change to those of the Long Lane and the Letterkenny MD.
Leo finally holding his hands upAnd what of a national level? what about our TD’s and the government? Could a loud cry from the people of Ireland wake the establishment up to what's going on with the housing crisis? Could report after report giving the damning evidence of the exact nature of what the housing crisis is doing send the message home to Fine Gael? A report of over ten thousand homeless with over 4, 000 of them, children? Well, it appears not! In March of this year, Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar declared the housing crisis as a national emergency. This statement would make anyone think that action would be done to tackle this major issue. Alas, Varadker’s ‘‘declaration’’ was subsequently followed by him saying, "but declaring it an emergency doesn’t solve the problem", meaning, Fine Gael are fully aware of the Housing Crisis but will do nothing to up the priorities of it.
Varadkar has also admitted in the Dail that the government are leaning on the private sector to ease the burden of the housing crisis. In other words, Fine Gael have handed their responsibility as a government over to landlords so that they can make a pretty penny out of the exploitation of people struggling to obtain affordable housing. This is unsurprising to a party with 18 out their 50 TD’s being landlords.
Of course, everyone knows that the housing crisis will cost a bundle and cost plenty. To even attempt what is proposed by People Before Profit to build or purchase new homes every year for five years to accommodate 100,000 families will cost billions. The country is still economically on the ropes and is only hanging on by its fingertips. The books have only been balanced last year somewhat and there simply isn’t enough in the budget..... or so the current gravy boat sailors tell us. In an astounding turn of events, it was revealed that Apple was skipping their tax bill to the tune of 13 billion euro since the early 2000’s. The most remarkable thing was that it took the EU to bring this to light to the Fine Gael-led government. And to put the cherry on top, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, refused to pick up the cheque and even sided with Apple in the court cases that followed, using the taxpayers money to defend the multi billion business! It gets better. Apple lost the cases and are now forced to pay the 13 billion euro. Astonishingly the finance minister, Paschal Donohue stated "I fundamentally disagree with the ruling," but will collect it regardless. So where and when will we see this 13 billion being used? Surely, the new money will be used to fix the housing crisis and the health care crisis at that? If we concinue to keep the same parties in, then we will not see a penny of it nor see any change in the economy. We will not see the derelict houses of Long Lane being bought by the council and redeveloped for homes for families and improving the community. The absolute blatant, clear as day corruption being carried out by Fine Gael is more than enough evidence to show that on a national level, the housing crisis will never be tackled by government, let alone a small working class area in the forgotten county.
From what was stated, It is clear that local gardai, local councillors and county council, our county's TD’s and government are unable to make the change residents of Long Lane want and deserve. It is evident that the authorities responsible for the protection, safety, right to live peacefully, opportunity and to raise a family with dignity and care have been neglected and at times blatantly ignored. We can no longer rely nor hold out hope that government, local or national will help or even recognise the issues that people face day to day on the Long Lane. Community efforts can no longer look to government for funding. It seems that in this age of individualism and a much smaller and connected world, people are more distant from each other than ever. That hope and self empowerment seems fading and a complete destruction of any sense of community is happening before our very eyes.
And of course, this is happening in the estates, streets, villages and towns throughout the island. The same neglect of Gardai, the same neglect from local councils and the same neglect from the government. The pattern happens all around the world. Crime rises, mental health of individuals are affected due to austerity and financial stress. Working class communities become more and more run down due to the cuts from a ruling class capitalist-led government.
It is not a conspiracy nor coincidence that this pattern happens world wide but rather, this is exactly how capitalism works. A boom occurs and an overproduction occurs afterwards. A draw back from this overproduction happens, creating a selling off of that product at a loss. By that stage the winners have long gone and the taxpayer is left with the bill from that loss. A new government is put in place to make sure the right budget is carried out and the right people still get paid. This of course leads to massive job losses of the working class, minorities and the most vulnerable, Cuts are implemented usually in working class areas and to those who are most vulnerable in society so they do not make too much noise nor rattle the walls of the establishment. This is again the same pattern worldwide where it is the worker, the down trodden the vulnerable who never experienced the boom in full effect but has always been footed the bill.
So What Do We Do?
It is a cliché and familiar cry from many on the left but we say it because we truly believe that it can work and bring about the real changes we want in society and create a new way to do things in our Country. It is not because if we have nothing else, or we have run out of ideas and are just towing the same lines of Connolly. We don’t buy into the ‘‘romanticism’’ of it.
What we think we should do is mobilise, organise, and agitate, We get together and talk about the issues that are affecting us and talk about what we, as ordinary working people can do to make it happen. Every resident on the Long Lane has experienced or seen the anti social behavior going on, the neglect of the Gardai and our local council. Every resident has issues that are most likely connected to their neighbor and the next house and the next house and so on. Every resident knows deep down that things can be better but doesn’t quite know where to go or what to do. They have spoken to me about the state of the houses in the area, the lack of initiative and investment given to develop the potential of the green areas such as the one in Glenard Park, the greenery below Fair Green located at the top of Long Lane and other areas. Yet the same people who complain are not so much the same people who do nothing but more likely, feel that nothing can be done. Some feel that there is no platform for them to start or residents interested in the area that will take part in community efforts and projects.
As stated by the evidence showed, the government will not help. Therefore it is up the residents of Long Lane to make the change and so there in lies the first step - take back responsibility - Realise that it is up to us to make Long Lane, Glenwood, Ballymacool, Ashlawn etc, a better place for everyone. Once our responsibility is taken back, then we can begin to take back our communities.
Organising meetings will also start the beginnings of building relationships between neighbors within the area and ideas can get shared and develop and grow. Once these ideas are agreed and finalised, regardless of what it may be, then the action can begin.
Recently, myself and a resident of Long Lane got together and began to discuss a group. We talked about setting up a parents group that would accommodate parents with children who may be suffering from anti social behavior, addiction, mental health issues or who are just struggling as parents. We agreed that this group would be for parents by parents. It would not be affiliated with the social services, HSE or the Gardai. We called the group ‘’Parents Supporting Parents’’.
This was to prove that people getting together with and idea can make something happen and keep it going. We now have over ten members who get together regularly, have a Facebook page, are holding fun days for kids, raffles and get together’s and talk about ideas and potential projects. This began with two ordinary people sitting down over a cup of tea. In doing ‘this taking back of your own responsibility’ and taking back of your community, your becoming empowered. This in turn spills into your community and creates the potential of empowering the community. Empowerment means being informed because once an individual is informed they are empowered. Responsibility and empowerment are very much linked together.
Eamonn McCannOnce a real sense of community is developed, relationships formed and collective ideas are gathered, be it a parents group, tackling anti social behavior etc, then action can happen. The prolific Derry activist and former Foyle MLA, Eamonn Mc Cann stated ‘‘There is nothing that scares the shit out of the the establishment more, than a large group of angry people who are angry at the establishment’’. A collective voice is louder than one and to bond people together under similar ideas is immensely powerful. Community projects such as redevelopment of green areas e.g Glenard and Fairgreen will be able to take shape and grow and it will be the local residents who would be creating it, resulting in more empowerment and more of a sense of pride and a part of within their community.
Agitate - protests are a powerful weapon against the establishment to highlight the issues that people face and government ignore. It is also a highly effective tool against anti social behavior within the community. Having a protest in your area with a large number of residents in attendance and showing up or passing by the very people who we may know who is causing the anti social behavior deters it any further. If those engaged in anti social behavior are aware that there is a collective and that the people are not afraid of them and will stand up to them, the result be a overwhelming reduction.
Finally, we believe in having our voice heard in government. If we vote for the same two tier party then we will inevitably get the same results time and time again. There are those who do not vote as they do not see the point in voting for any party resulting in hope being lost and a vote being gained once more for the establishment parties. We tell them: vote and have your voice heard. Vote left wing and vote the one who is out on the street talking to people and understands the issues you face because he or she is living them too. Vote them in and the issues we have and the agitation we make, the mobilisation we create and the protests we hold. Vote them in and bring it all in with you so that we strike right the heart of where the cuts and corruption and greed lay.
For us, it is not a matter of if the housing crisis will get worse. It is a matter of when. More derelict houses will appear on our streets, more cuts will be enforced, more neglect from our so called representatives will go on. This is not the future we want.
We believe there is a different way and that way is: reclaiming your responsibility, Taking back our communities, Becoming empowered, Mobilise, Organise, Agitate. Through that, we can create a grassroots movement from the bottom up and grow into something that can challenge the very establishment itself. This movement will only come about from the collective responsibility and empowerment of working people of Ireland. The movement can only fall apart if the working people of Ireland fall foul to their collective responsibility and empowerment. Therefore, it is a tricky and immense road to walk. Are you the one to plant your boots upon that road?
References
Almost 1,000 people in Letterkenny MD on housing waiting list
Housing
Housing Policy
Gleneaney House: The Trouble With Landlordism
Finn O'Donnell is the People Before Profit Letterkenny Branch Organiser and a Long Lane resident. He has continually highlighted the issues of the Long Lane before, speaking with other local residents and posting on social media. Last year, the PBP representative organised a protest outside the premises of Gleneaney House in Letterkenny to highlight the living conditions in the building. He wrote a follow up article with No Bones on the aftermath of the protest. He is also a founding member of the Homeless & Housing Coalition, Donegal.
July 20, 2018
Radio Free Eireann Broadcasting 21 July 2018
Martin Galvin
with details of this weekend's broadcast from
Radio Free Eireann.
Radio Free Eireann, will broadcast this Saturday July 21st.
Radio Free Eireann, will interview Joe Barr of Saoradh in Derry about the recent upsurge in violence in Derry and Belfast , Saoradh's condemnation of last week's attacks on the homes of former Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and party member Bobby Storey or of any Republicans, and his party's reaction to requests for dialogue.
On the 215th anniversary, of Robert Emmet's 1803 rebellion, James McGlashin will talk about a re-dedication of the Emmet family graves on Sunday July 22nd at 3pm in Beechwoods Cemetery New Rochelle, the legacy of Robert Emmet and of the Emmet family in Ireland and America.John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co- host.
Radio Free Eireann is heard Saturdays at 12 Noon New York time on wbai 99.5 FM and wbai.org.
It can be heard at wbai.org in Ireland from 5pm to 6pm or anytime after the program concludes on wbai.org/archives.
Radio Free Eireann, will interview Joe Barr of Saoradh in Derry about the recent upsurge in violence in Derry and Belfast , Saoradh's condemnation of last week's attacks on the homes of former Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and party member Bobby Storey or of any Republicans, and his party's reaction to requests for dialogue.
On the 215th anniversary, of Robert Emmet's 1803 rebellion, James McGlashin will talk about a re-dedication of the Emmet family graves on Sunday July 22nd at 3pm in Beechwoods Cemetery New Rochelle, the legacy of Robert Emmet and of the Emmet family in Ireland and America.John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co- host.
Radio Free Eireann is heard Saturdays at 12 Noon New York time on wbai 99.5 FM and wbai.org.
It can be heard at wbai.org in Ireland from 5pm to 6pm or anytime after the program concludes on wbai.org/archives.
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