Anthony McIntyre's Blog, page 1221

RNU Easter 2017

Republican Network for Unity’s Easter speech 2017. Delivered by Ex- POW Gary McNally at RNU’s annual Na Fianna Éireann commemoration in Ardoyne on 15 April.


A chairde agus comradaí,

Easter is a time for reflection. Over the past number of years RNU and the wider republican family have gathered at this spot to commemorate 4 young Fians and all those who pursued the republic and lost their lives in the process. The only fitting monument to them is the erection of an Ireland free from external impediment. It is my pleasure to welcome you all here today to Ardoyne, as we gather once again to remember the four young Fians who dived into the bearna baoil to defend their community and defend the republic. With great energy, commitment and dedication Bernard Fox, David McAuley, Joseph McComiskey, Josh Campbell and thousands of others reacted to the situation on the ground in the 6 counties at that time. They saw what was happening outside their front doors and they acted.

Their sacrifice will continue to inspire generation after generation of freedom seekers. Republicans of this generation must take inspiration from the past. We must learn the lessons of history – looking back at mistakes and successes. But we must also carve our own identity and design our own contribution to the republican struggle. This must contain substance and be meaningful. Rhetoric and clichés will not sustain us. Long held slogans will not drive political development in the face of a changing political arena. Previous generations of republican activists did not shirk their responsibility. They did not shirk the responsibility of bringing the republican struggle in line with their time. They did not shirk their responsibility to make their own print on Irish republicanism. A chairde, like these four young men, we mustn't shirk our responsibility. 

The centenary has passed - we commemorated it as best we could, with the little resources we have. A huge acknowledgement must be extended to all those who played a part. Easter is a time for reflection, and we must reflect on our gains and also on missed opportunities. The chance for unity of purpose among all republicans to commemorate the rising wasn't taken and we must begin to rectify that glaring mistake. We must reflect on the latest happenings at Stormont and effectively communicate to the Irish people why the system continues to stumble from crisis to crisis. 

Is cáisc am le haghaidh machnaimh.

The denial of rights - cultural rights, social rights and human rights remains the political hallmark of Stormont. 19 years since the Good Friday Agreement and 11 years since the St. Andrews agreement our people are still denied their rights, as the political administration in the 6 counties attempts to reduce them to bargaining chips and shallow vote grabbers. Irish language activists have fought long and hard for the recognition of our native tongue. They have maintained the promotion of the Irish language with distinction. In recent times, they lobbied for an Irish language act to ensure every person can access their language rights. This has been denied time and again by an administration that believes cultural suppression will kill the demand for national self-determination.

The LGBT movement has lobbied for marriage rights to ensure all citizens can access matrimony. This has been denied time and again by an administration that wishes to maintain archaic practices upheld by an undemocratic veto.

Republicans have lobbied for political and human rights to ensure that political activists can live free from police harassment, barbaric strip-searching, controlled movement and forced isolation. These have been denied time and again because the administration wants to marginalise and isolate any opposition to the status quo. Here we state clearly; Rights are not bargaining chips; they are not vote grabbers to be wheeled out during elections and they are not tools for repression. They are real concepts and must be delivered post-haste, however, like all great political initiatives, they will be delivered from below.



There are various sections of our communities attempting to attain their rights and improve their lives through struggle. Republicans must be found amongst them. Remaining in an isolated bubble detached from the real world and everyday struggles serves no purpose and advances no cause. The Stormont project has been a failure from its inception. All it has to offer is a bulwark between the Irish people and Ireland’s reunification. While the turnout at recent elections may be higher than previous years, the result will inevitably be the same – Stormont cannot work. However, in the wake of these results Irish republicans must give serious thought to the future and begin to ask how we can challenge the status quo.

Is cáisc am le haghaidh machnaimh.

Easter is a time for reflection. 

We have few opportunities throughout the year to engage in reflection. To question where we have come from, where we are and where we are going in the struggle to end partition and bring about a United Ireland. Easter is one of those opportunities. The republican movement has been involved in a process of serious revaluation. We have looked at the struggle holistically and examined closely it's trajectory over recent decades. We have deduced that a strategic rethink is required from both the individual republican activist and organisational republicanism. 

For a protracted period, the republican movement has been engaged in a process of debate, discussion and deliberation about the future of the republican struggle, and in particular, the future of our movement. We have assessed our strengths and weaknesses, we have taken stock of our capabilities and our inabilities, we have looked at what we do well and what we do poorly, we have measured this against the current political climate, the will of the average person in our community and recent local and global changes in the political arena.

We recognise that we must move forward With our people, not without them and not ahead of them or eventually they will move forward without us. For too long Irish republicans have remained on their knees, constrained by an inability to modernise and accept the situation on the ground. 

Not bartering our ideological principles, we must act in a mature and realistic manner and act in accordance with the will of the people, the base from which republicanism draws its support. The four brave Fians, for whom we gather here to remember, along with thousands of other republicans reacted to the situation on the ground and the political climate in which they found themselves, we must do the same. We need to take heed of the wants and desires of the Irish people. There is no merit in attempting to represent them while continuing to ignore them. This should be the antithesis of republicanism. 

Republicanism historically has offered the people of this island a vision of self-determination, free from the benign influences of foreign power holders, a democratic ideology which seeks not only a constitutional change but offers ownership of the Ireland to the entire people of Ireland. The proponents of this vision have offered the only viable alternative to imperialism in the past three centuries, degrading that status to that of a political quagmire or a bit part attempt to remove the British connection would be a denigration of past struggles and regressive to the objectives of Irish separatism. This cannot happen, we will not allow it to happen - for both ourselves and for the future generations who deserve our efforts to be directed into building a credible, cohesive and capable vehicle. One that can deliver an end to partition and secure Irish sovereignty. 

The integrity of the republican position must be maintained by those who espouse it. This can only be done through avant garde thinking, future orientated strategies and sincere attempts to advance that position. Sticking to handed down narratives and continuing to pursue failed or failing ventures in the hope of remaining relevant is accelerating irrelevancy. Wallowing in mediocrity created by this irrelevancy is sapping the integrity of the republican position. Irish republicans must make innovative, creative and bold decisions to uphold this integrity.

Republicans recognise that we not only need to get our house in order, but we must begin its construction. Therefore, the republican movement is moving forward with a 21st century agenda. We are refining our message and strategizing our own unique way of articulating political dissent. We are reshaping our public outreach and appearance. This change will be too much for some people. Some people will lose their seat at the table, many already have. We are not republican elitists, but we won’t allow anybody to undermine the integrity or forward trajectory of a rejuvenated republican base. Republicans have demonstrated this in recent times. 

Irish republicans must provide a coherent vision of the future, what a United Ireland will look like, how it will benefit the Irish people and how we can achieve this. The window of opportunity has been made smaller by the latest election results. Republicans must begin the change this and widen the window. An opportunity, albeit small, exists for republicans to forge together and ensure our vision of the future enters national debate. I appeal to each of you here today, to go from here and think about our message. Think about the republican position in the local and global context. Think about how best to advance that position in line with current political realities. 



Easter is a time for reflection and opportunities are for those who seize them.

Beir bua.

Vanity Certifications The Scam Of Kosher And Halal Products, Part 1

Via Atheist Republic , a critique by Lishka Klein of Kosher and Halal scams.


Introduction

I’ve noticed recently (I guess I’m a bit slow on the uptake) that almost all foods in grocery stores in the United States have some strange markings on them. In this day, when phones are smarter than we are, I’m able to look up these bizarre tattoos for immediate answers while standing in the grocery store scratching my little head. The vast majority of them are kosher certification, oddly enough. Halal is making an appearance as well, but it’s not yet common.

Before anyone accuses me of being “anti-semitic” or “islamophobic”, ask yourself this: is it not “anti-goyim” or “kuffarophobic” to certify almost all food consumed by goyim/kuffar (derogatory terms to separate and elevate believers from non-believers) to religions that denigrate them at their expense? For the record, I don’t hate any one group of people (other than assholes), but I do hate stupid ideas used to hurt people, and religion of any brand or packaging is a stupid idea used in large part to hurt people. Demanding that non-believers pay extra for food that supports the beliefs of tiny minorities is unreasonable and bigoted. Are these certifications really more than an ego trip? “Oh, just look at this new halal eyeliner I just got!”

With that established, let’s move on.
Kosher

Since Judaism was schemed up first, let’s start with kosher. Why is almost all of the food in the US food supply kosher, when the population of the US is only about 1.73% Jewish?

According to some of the kosher certifying organizations, “kosher” is falsely equated with quality. Bold claims are made about the “quality” of the products and how they will sell faster, but no details are given as to how kosher-certified products are any better than non-kosher products, which in the United States have to follow the same FDA regulations.

What is kosher?

Why kosher? Hold onto your socks kids, this is profound stuff here:


Well that explains it perfectly. It seems there is no damn good reason at all to bother with dietary regulations based on what may please or displease a sky fairy. Health isn’t even a factor, never mind the lack of scientific explanation. Oops! Did I expect science from an archaic book of violence and ignorance? And of course nothing establishes higher credibility than saying “because God -- excuse me, because G-d -- says so”.

Back to the topic at hand. According to kosher/Jewish lore, foods are divided into three categories: meat, dairy, and pareve (neutral). Meat is any animal with a cloven hoof that chews its cud (that rules out rabbits, which according to the Torah, chew cud -- isn’t God supposed to know these things?), plus chickens, geese, and ducks. Some people include turkey, though it was not known in ancient times. Dairy products must come from kosher animals. What the qualifications are for dairy animals to be considered kosher is a mystery, since it should be a given that sick animals should be ruled out for production. Pareve foods are fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, and fish (“fish” must have both fins and scales). Meat and dairy may not be mixed; however pareve foods may be eaten with meat or dairy. It seems that the reason that mixing meat and dairy isn't allowed is some obscure verses in the Torah. If anyone knows if this is literal or metaphorical, please let me know. As of now it looks like no good reason at all.

The processing of all products must follow all kosher steps and usage specifications. Equipment used for meat must not be used for dairy or pareve; equipment used for dairy may not be used for meat or pareve; and if equipment used for meat or dairy is used for pareve, the pareve products adopt the specification of the equipment used. I do find it amusing that somehow cream cheese gets a break because it didn’t exist at the time.



I do have to giggle about how this rules out normal dishwasher usage. I can only imagine the amount of dishes and cabinet space a large family would need.

There is a process of cleansing the equipment by rabbis (“kashering”) to use for other purposes but no description is given as to how that is accomplished. I would assume that additional fees are paid to accomplish said excruciating task. Is a good old-fashioned cleaning with soap, water, and disinfectants like the FDA requires not good enough? I would hope that manufacturers realize that “cross-contamination” (as it is called in the secular world) would ruin the quality of the product, such as a meat grease problem in the chocolate pudding, or a more likely scenario would be to clean surfaces before changing the spice mix of a particular product. Could a contaminated product be sold? No, as it would not taste good to consumers. Common sense. Clean the equipment first! But this is kosher, so remember to call in the rabbi!
Meat
Animals must be slaughtered and prepared in the kosher fashion. Stunning is not allowed, and a sharp knife is used to slash the throat, so the animal slowly bleeds out. The argument for this process is that the animal feels no pain, but I think the poor scared animals show us otherwise.

***Warning: Graphic Animal Abuse***




This, of course, must be done by a properly certified Jewish butcher, otherwise it won’t be kosher.

How it goes, from Temple Grandin’s essay Problems With Kosher Slaughter:

The first concern is the animals being fully conscious while having their throats slashed. How can these rabbis “know” the fully conscious animals feel no pain?

Another concern is depth of the cut. The trachea and carotids are cut, but so are the jugular veins and esophagus. This allows stomach contents to leak out as the animal is hung up to let the blood drain and raise the risk of product contamination. E. coli comes to mind….

Here are more details about shechita if you’re interested.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) (not an open endorsement) called attention to problems in California here.

I am all for banning ritual slaughter. I realize that US slaughterhouses aren’t exactly petting zoos, but at least animals are to be stunned before slaughter, and I’m for any improvements that could be made in our own processes that make it cleaner and more humane. And as an atheist and secularist, I do not support any permissions to circumventing US laws to appease imaginary friends in the sky. Supposedly some kosher slaughterhouses are so clean as to no longer need inspection by federal agents, but that’s favoritism and I oppose it, as does the US Constitution. I doubt that without regulation that the kosher facilities are clean and humane. History shows us that a lack of regulation and outright deregulation mean standards are low to non-existent to keep costs down. It’s the Libertarian way!

What about the unintended occurrence where a plant worker gets injured and contaminates dairy or pareve products with blood and/or limbs? Who would really call in the rabbi to “kasher” the machine after the federally-mandated cleaning and disinfecting process? They will already have been shut down for hours or days and had to throw away hundreds or even thousands of pounds of product. Another delay would only cost more money, never mind the additional fees the rabbi would charge.

Banned animals

Scavengers, rodents, camels, and Little Bunny Foo Foo. Hasenpfeffer just wasn’t popular in that area I guess.

And how could I forget pork. We here in the States do love bacon. Breakfast with eggs and toast with butter (insert a big kosher cringe → here), or slap some onto a burger. With cheese. Oh! Did I mix meat and dairy again?

I can see the point of banning things that make people sick. A friend once told me that a Muslim friend of hers said that pork is banned in Islam because people could tell it was causing illness. That’s a fair point, but not a point not mentioned in the Torah or the Quran. But now we have science, which says to cook pork to 145˚F.
No trichinosis here!
But what about diseases not mentioned in the Torah? Temple Grandin weighs in:
(A hilariously bold yet arrogant assumption, that USDA regulations are based on Jewish practices.)

So the shochet can throw out the baby with the bathwater and waste an entire carcass when science can verify the safety of other parts, or the shochet can ignore what science won’t because an outdated book of fiction didn’t document other diseases. How safe do you feel eating kosher meat, knowing that ignorance reigns over science?
Dairy

I had to laugh when I read the description for kosher dairy products:
There is no way that modern dairies could possibly keep track of which animals turn out to be sick at slaughter or natural death. Meat is only certified kosher after “proper” slaughter and inspection, so how could anyone tell if the milk will be kosher too? If one animal turned out to be sick, then entire vats of product would be contaminated and need to be tossed out, and that’s if they could figure out where the sick animal’s contributions ended up.

Cheese is a point of contention:I wonder if they do this just to argue, and to make sure that people pay for kosher certification. Besides, one should always take the word of a medieval religious figure over the findings of modern scientists... not.
Pareve

Pareve includes fruits, vegetables, grains, water, eggs, and fish. Yep, eggs and fish. Neutral foods can be eaten with meat or dairy, but meat and dairy should not be mixed. Just be sure to wash away the bugs! More on the creepy-crawlies in a minute.

Kosher certifying agencies proudly proclaim that pareve products are allergen-free and great for lactose-intolerant people and allergy sufferers. So they claim.

Allergy concerns and dairy-free certifications

Kosher pareve may not be as “dairy/meat free” as some would like to believe. Allergy sufferers may find that what is pareve may not always be completely free of dairy products and could cause problems for them. Go Dairy Free weighs in, with a disclaimer from the Orthodox Union:Dairy-free “certifications” tend to rely upon kosher, like So Delicious Dairy Free. Weird how this “dairy free” product lists kosher dairy as one of the potential symbols on their products.
We observed the problems with that practice above, but one would hope with a name that includes “dairy-free” the manufacturer would be conscious enough to exclude all dairy, and not just run a dairy production line next to a non-dairy line. Even then, that’s not a wise assumption as many manufacturing facilities run different brands and products at the same time.

Kids With Food Allergies cautions that pareve may not be all that:So where does this leave gelatin?
Could someone please explain to me how just boiling collagen could cause such a “total chemical change” that skin from a non-kosher animal can suddenly become kosher? How can rabbis make a scientific claim when their reasons for ruling out pigs aren’t scientific? Please outline these “total chemical changes”, start to finish, and how Yahweh would approve despite this practice not being outlined in the Torah. Here is the science behind gelatin, but this has nothing to do with religious decrees.

Oh, and is gelatin considered meat or pareve? Would Jello-Whip be kosher?
Another face-palm here

What else can be kosher? Appliances! Astoundingly, there is a whole list of manufacturers that has offered up their products for ritual slaughter -- oops, I mean certification. Star-K waves their magic kosher wand over them and likely makes a big chunk of change off the transaction. But beware, some sneaky manufacturers may have the “Sabbath mode” activated but not have the Star-K blessing to work for you when you’re not allowed to lift a finger. Beware of this vile non-kosher scam!

Oh wait… Kosher is the scam.Now if appliances can be kosher, what’s the limit? I’m not sure there is a limit as long as no pork or shellfish came near. Other products stamped kosher are, oddly enough, plastic wrap, food baggies, hotels, personal lubricants, and marijuana!

What kosher is not:

Blessed. I’m fine with that, as I’m not impressed by prayers from people who think of me as a whore because I was born to Christian parents. Honestly, I don’t think that most Jews know about that one, but rabbis would.

Haha, I love how they mention bugs as not kosher. I guess they don’t realize that no matter how many checks they make in the manufacturing facilities, there is no way to eliminate all potential contamination of food, especially in giant production plants. I don’t know how many bugs I’ve found in containers of “kosher” salad, and creamy peanut butter should never “crunch”.

One could even make the argument of carcinogenic pesticides being kosher, since bugs are way worse than cancer in Yahweh’s blind eyes, but I’m sure the apologists will tell me I’m taking things “out of context”. We atheists seem to have an uncanny ability to take things “out of context”. But I digress.

Revolting contaminants ignored by rabbis

The FDA has acceptable levels of contamination, including but not limited to insects, larvae, damage caused by insects, rodents, hair, excrement, mold, harvest contaminants (excess plant parts), parasites, and rot, among other ickiness. Check out the generous tolerances, if you have the stomach for it, here. Who knew that beer could be more aphid than hops? Prost!
Now I admit I haven’t weighed 2500 aphids, but I do know from chemistry classes in high school and college that 10 grams of anything isn’t much either. The standard for kosher beer is hilarious, as most unflavored beers are considered kosher even without certification. Yeah I don’t get this either.

Food contamination is such an issue that Huffington Post and CBS wrote about it, and I’m sure they’re not the only ones to notice. This can't be "kosher".

With the FDA tolerances established, how can any food or product possibly qualify for kosher certification? The supervising rabbis would need to ignore the FDA-allowable contaminants, otherwise nothing at all could be certified kosher. This means no fees to collect.

Certifying costs

Speaking of fees, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the money is used, since Snopes debunked the claim that the funds go to Israeli pursuits. Snopes says these are “corporations, not charities”. Snopes also lost credibility during the 2016 election, so I'm not going to support or dispute their claims.

As for the cost of the certification process, you’re likely asking yourself, “why in the world should all consumers be fleeced for kosher tattoos (haha, see what I did there) when this nonsense is designed for Jews only, and maybe Seventh-Day Adventists?” OK has your answer, though not much of one:How can they possibly “gain additional business” when 1) only a tiny minority of the population is Jewish, and 2) almost all food in the US is already “kosher”? Never mind the fact that manufacturers don’t give us a cost analysis of their operations or detail their projected sales to Jews and non-Jews.

Wikipedia states that complaining about non-Jews also being charged for kosher certification is “anti-semitic” and raves about the benefits of kosher. It’s the same vague “highest quality” claims that the kosher certification organizations give but can’t say how kosher products are superior. And they remind you that if you dare to question the need for the vast majority of the food produced in the US to be certified kosher, you’re a racist and bigot. They say calls to boycott are just mean, but in reality trying to boycott kosher in the US means a diet of pork, shellfish, and nothing else. Boycotting kosher is impossible.

In short, there is nothing in kosher certification that indicates higher quality and/or better health. It has everything to do with making money by forcing the “dietary restrictions” of “God’s chosen people” on the US population as a whole. For a fee of course.

An article on the kosher scam wouldn’t be complete without Brother Nathanael weighing in. Love him or hate him, no one would know more about this racket than a former Jew. Check his thoughts out here and here.

Charles Guiliani talks about kosher here. He contradicts Snopes in terms of what is done with the money. Watch/listen with caution, he’s pretty blunt.

Forbidden TV did their own exposé. The presenter is much more polite than Charles Guiliani.

Dennis Fetcho talks about the kosher tax here.

If the issues outlined above don’t get your attention, maybe this will: Kosher certification went from Jewish nonsense to a multi-billion dollar world-wide racket. Italy is sadly under the impression that they could improve their already-perfect Parmesan with kosher certification. I admit I buy European products whenever possible (like Kerrygold) because of the lack of kosher and/or halal certification, but now it seems I need to start checking. Even China and India seem to have fallen into the trap, and they aren’t big on any of the Abrahamic myths.

Pet peeve

Salt. ALL salt is certified kosher in the U. S. Chefs, so stop calling coarse salt “kosher salt” because all salt is kosher here. Please specify table, iodized, pickling, plain, coarse, fine, super fine, fine sea, coarse sea, red or black Hawaiian, hickory or mesquite smoked, flaked, rock, Celtic, fleur de sel, Himalayan pink fine or rock salt or whatever because stupidly enough, salt just can’t be sold in the U. S. without rabbinical permission. SALT. Plain old ordinary salt.

Here is the excuse for calling “kosher salt”, kosher salt. This type of salt has everything to do with the grain of the salt itself and nothing to do with being kosher or not, since 98% of the U. S. population won’t be “kasherizing” their meat.
Add caption
Discrimination

Jews are not allowed to buy and consume products made by repulsive goyim.Aww, isn’t that sweet to exclude bread and bread bakers from discrimination. Bread is the staff of life, so I guess an exception would have to be made so that no one starves to death.

In short, non-Jews are expected to pay for this unnecessary tax for no good reason at all. Actually the reason is simple: the Talmud allows Jews to deceive and cheat non-Jews. I doubt that Jews would actually protest passing the costs of kosher certification off onto non-Jews.

So concludes part one of the absurd yet ego-boosting certification saga. Now go enjoy a nice aphid-contaminated non-kosher cold one. Stay tuned, halal is next!

Britain Should Leave Ireland As It Exits EU

From the 1916 Societies the Thomas Ashe Society has called for the United Kingdom to withdraw from Ireland on the same day it exits the European Union.
Speaking yesterday in Omagh, cumann chair Sean Bresnahan has said the triggering of Article 50, formally beginning the process of the UK leaving the EU, has ‘put the issue of Partition back on the political agenda’, speeding a ‘renewed imperative for Irish Unity’ as the developing situation unfolds.

He spoke of a partitioned Ireland post-Brexit as facing ‘massive economic difficulties’ and described ‘a British exit not just from Europe but Ireland’ as ‘best option under the circumstances’. ‘Britain should state her intention to leave Ireland on the same day she exits Europe’ he continued, suggesting that a ‘national dialogue on the mechanics of unity should then proceed in the interim, its eventual outcome to be put to the public by national referendum’. ‘Irish sovereignty must be at the bedrock of such discussion’, he stressed.

Going on to address calls for a Border Poll, he described a vote as that imagined as ‘not sufficient in light of the circumstances’, that such a consideration, certain to impact on all of Ireland, was ‘surely a matter for all of her people and not a cohort within their number’. He described an all-Ireland referendum, ‘national in scope and with all votes counted together, without regard or preference given some over others’, as the ‘only fair way to proceed if democracy is actually to mean anything’.

Concluding, he called on the Irish people to ‘grasp the opportunity Brexit affords to plan for and bring about a new Ireland – an Ireland as that envisaged by the Proclamation: an Ireland both sovereign and free’. ‘We must press ahead with renewed purpose’, he said, pressing again that Brexit, with its ‘disastrous implications for our country’, demands that we ‘come together as a people and a nation to set out a clear path towards independence’.

‘Witness Evidence Bizarre And Unreliable ’ ➞ Lord Justice Colton

Eamon Sweeney with the last in a series of three reports on the findings into the British Army's 1972 slaying of Derry teenager, Manus Deery. Solicitor for the Deery family Richard Campbell pictured outside Bishop Street court in Derry on Monday.
In delivering his final verdict into the killing of Manus Deery, Lord Justice Adrian Colton recorded that the oral evidence given by one witness was “so inconsistent and contradictory” that it was of no value to the case.
Mr Colton was referring to the oral submission given at Derry Courthouse last year by civilian witness Noel Duddy. In the written judgement delivered by the Presiding Coroner it is noted that Mr Duddy claimed to have witnessed the shooting of Manus Deery and gave a statement to the Coroners Service on June 17, 2016 stating he vividly remembered the victim making a hand gesture towards the Army observation post on the city walls as if to shoot soldiers and that Manus may have been carrying a stick that could have, at a distance, been mistaken for a firearm.
However, in another statement given just a few weeks later on July 6, 2016 Noel Duddy indicated that he had not seen any guns in the area at the time. And in another contradiction in a statement on October 17, 2016, the witness said that he could not be certain about his previous assertion that Manus had anything in his hands when he was struck by the fatal round.
And, when he took the stand during the inquest Noel Duddy said that his memory was suspect and that no reliance could be placed on the earlier suggestion that Manus had been gesturing towards the soldiers or that he had been carrying a stick.
Whilst Lord Justice Colton was entirely praiseworthy of the input to the inquest given by all other civilian witnesses, with relation to Noel Duddy he recorded:

Mr Duddy’s intervention in this inquest was most bizarre. Not a single civilian witness who gave evidence in this case said that they saw Mr Duddy at the scene when they were asked about this in the course of their evidence. At the end of the evidence it was accepted by all the legal representatives in this case that his evidence was so inconsistent and contradictory that it is of no value at all in this inquest. I agree.

Radio Free Eireann Broadcasting 16 April 2017

Martin Galvin with news of Radio Free Eireann's output this Easter weekend.


The Good Friday Amnesty march by British Army vets in Belfast City Centre against prosecutions for Bloody Sunday, the Ballymurphy Massacre or other murders, and Saoradh's counter demonstration in support of crown victims, will be discussed by Saoradh representative, Joe Barr.

Award winning journalist and author Ed Moloney will analyze the BBC Panorama program "The Spy in the IRA" about British agent Freddie Scappaticci called the most important British spy since World War 2.

Go to Radio Free Eireann's web site rfe123.orgfor written transcripts of last week's headline making interviews with Ruan O'Donnell on America's Irish Fenian exiles and the 1916 Easter Rising and why some commemorations seem more concerned with not offending the British than honoring Irish patriots; plus author Eileen Markey on her book, Radical Faith: The Assassination of Sr Maura: , the life of Maura Clarke from the Rockaway Irish Community and daughter of an IRA Volunteer in the War of Independence to being murdered by an El Salvador death squad in 1980.

In response to listener requests we are attaching a flyer about Professor O'Donnell's New York area appearance in the Bronx on Wednesday April 19th.



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.

Check our website rfe123.org.

Gifford-Plunkett Society Armagh Commemorations

1916 Society commemorative events this weekend.

The Gifford/Plunkett 1916 Society, Armagh City, will be hosting wreath laying ceremonies on Saturday 15th April (6.30pm) at the graveside of Volunteer Gerard O’ Callaghan in Tullysaran and on Sunday April 16th (12pm) at the graveside of Volunteers Seamus and Dessie Grew in Armagh City.

All welcome and for more information contact the Gifford/Plunkett Society on their Facebook Page or contact our National Organiser via email at: info@1916societies.com.

If ‘Normal’ And ‘Stable’ Politics Are To Return

In his latest Ireland Eye column in Tribune magazine , former Blanket columnist and Unionist commentator, Dr John Coulter, assesses how he sees the legacy of   Martin McGuinness impacting on the ideologies of both Republicanism and Unionism.

I recall his warm handshake, soft-spoken voice – and his icy cold eyes. Some two decades later, I had another meeting with McGuinness at Stormont when he was Sinn Fein’s education minister in the power-sharing Executive.

My dad was an Ulster Unionist MLA and Stormont Commissioner. I was his press officer. We were in the basement restaurant in Parliament Buildings. McGuinness was looking for a space to have lunch; he was on his own; he paused beside me; I offered him a seat.

We didn’t chat about politics; just our respective love of fishing. He was polite, courteous and friendly – but the same icy cold eyes remained.

As I reflect on my personal relationship with McGuinness along with the current political impasse at Stormont, it becomes clear that what is needed is not a change of strategy or tactics by the DUP or Sinn Fein – but a rethinking of their respective ideologies of Unionism and Republicanism.

Some pundits portray McGuinness as the man who moved his ideology from the bomb to the ballot box; replacing armed conflict with democratic debate. Others suggest he never left the IRA, merely placed more emphasis on the Sinn Fein peace strategy than IRA violence.

Whatever the McGuinness legacy to the peace process or Republicanism, one fact is inescapable: republicans and unionists will have to rethink the direction of their ideologies as they prepare for a post-Brexit island. The status quo cannot continue otherwise Ireland as an economic entity will descend into nothing more than a third-rate banana republic.

For Sinn Fein, it needs to create a new brand of Republicanism which will never again embrace the tactic of a terror campaign. That bomb and bullet campaign may have made it the majority voice in Northern nationalism, but with the centenary of the bloody Irish Civil War only a few years away, terrorism commemorations are a non-starter if Sinn Fein is to be a major player in a future Dail coalition administration in Dublin.

The future Sinn Fein ideology can only take Republicanism in one viable direction – back to its founding roots of 1905 when Ireland was part of the British Empire and dominion status was the political solution preferred by the party’s founding father, Arthur Griffith.

The revolutionaries of 1916 may have championed the cause of a 32-county democratic socialist republic, but a united Ireland as envisaged by Rising leader James Connolly’s Irish Socialist Republican Party is pure political fantasy as Brexit looms.

Sinn Fein must accept the bitter reality that dominion status for Ireland is the best it can hope for. All other options will only spark a second – and even more bloody – Irish Civil War with Northern loyalists.

Sinn Fein must also come to terms with the wishes of about a million Unionists in Northern Ireland, as well as the fact that the Southern Protestant population is starting to increase again after decades of decline following partition in the 1920s. Republicans must also recognise that their battle with the Catholic Church in Ireland for the hearts and minds of nationalists is over, given the Church’s dire record of child sex abuse.

The iron grip which the Catholic Church once had as one of Europe’s greatest bastions of Catholicism outside the Vatican has crumbled as a litany of child sex abuse scandals rock the institution.

But what of Unionism? It has a moral duty to rethink it’s ‘Not an Inch’ and ‘No Surrender’ mentality. Unionism has got to redefine its ideology of loyalty outside the six counties of Northern Ireland. That does not mean it becomes a carbon copy of the liberal, secularist thinking of the centre ground Alliance Party.

It means that Unionism must start thinking on an all-island basis and also develop a Southern Ireland identity. Primarily, Unionism must devise an ideology which allows it to re-engage with its traditional roots – the Protestant Loyal Orders, the Christian denominations, the marching musical bands fraternity, the loyalist working class, the so-called ‘Garden Centre Unionists’ who support the Union, but are too politically apathetic to bother to vote.

If Unionism is to remain as a viable political ideology in Ireland, it must ditch the secularist liberal thinking which has polluted the pro-Union parties for the past decade. It must adopt a clear Christian socialist agenda which its founding fathers achieved when the Ulster Unionist Council was launched in 1905.

If ‘normal’ and ‘stable’ politics are to return to Ireland, Unionism and Republicanism need to forget about the tactics of ‘playing hard ball’ and go back to their respective 1905 roots.


Follow Dr Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter

‘I Think My Brother Will Be Proud Of Me’ - Helen Deery

Eamon Sweeney talks to Helen Deery in the wake of the inquest into death of her brother Manus, slain by the British Army in Derry in 1972.
Helen Deery pictured outside Derry's courthouse following the announcement that the her brother was 'totally innocent'.
The sister of a teenager shot dead by the British Army in Derry 45 years ago has contended that politicians do not genuinely care about how to deal with the legacy of the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. Manus Deery was just 15 years old when he was struck by a bullet fired from Derry’s walls on May 19, 1972.
The final verdict into the killing announced in the city’s courthouse yesterday found that the victim was totally innocent of the accusation by the British state that he was a gunman. The presiding coroner dealing with legacy inquests related to the conflict, Lord Justice Colton, yesterday concluded that:

Neither Manus or anyone close to him was acting in a manner that could reasonably have been perceived as posing a threat of death or injury to Private Glasgow (the soldier who fired the fatal round or any other person.

Speaking outside the court after the decision was delivered the sister of the state victim, Helen Deery sent a sharp message to the Stormont politicians currently engaged in trying to resurrect a devolved government in Northern Ireland before this Friday’s talks deadline. The issue of dealing with the legacy of the conflict is a major thread running through the talks.
She said:

They are pretending to care about legacy cases in order to advance their own agendas. Throughout the years not one political party, despite their assurances, actually did anything to advance my brothers case. Personally, I don’t think politicians give a damn about victims. I have no faith in Stormont. I now hope that other families now see that they can get the truth and justice can be achieved.

Manus Deery died of drastic head injuries as a result of the discharge of a single round by a now deceased British soldier previously known only as ‘Soldier A’ as twilight fell over the Bogside almost exactly 45 years ago. However, during the ten day inquest last year the soldier was identified as Private William Glasgow. Asked why she felt the need to pursue the case for all these years, Helen said:

It’s the end of a long, drawn out process. I do know that five of Manus’ and my siblings and my mother and father are not here to see his innocence declared. I loved him. It’s as simple as that. We had a typical brother and sister relationship, but I genuinely loved him with all my heart and I wasn’t going to let anybody blacken his name.

However, reaching the point of a declaration of innocence which will has finally come after four and half decades been far from straight forward she said. And, Helen maintains that the many years of stalling by the Ministry of Defence has had a drastic effect not only on the Deery family but also on the friends of the young victim who witnessed his killing.

Some news organisations at the time portrayed Manus as a gunman. The result was that even some our neighbours turned their backs on us. Many of those present that night have suffered severe mental health issues throughout the years as well. I am sentimental today but I feel peaceful. I will probably go his grave at the cemetery today. I am delighted that the judge has said that the shooting was unjustified. We knew he wasn’t a gunman, we always knew that he and his friends that were there that night were innocent. There were lots of hurdles placed in our way along this road but it was worth it. In a way it brings closure. “Manus had his whole life in front of him and I think he’ll be proud of me. For all of those still seeking justice, I would say keep going, don’t let them grind you down. Have respect and honour for the loved ones that you lost and keep on until you get the truth.

British Army ... Feet Off

Saoradh has organised a protest for Good Friday calling for the removal of British troops.


Saoradh Béal Feirste have recently received legal correspondence from Solicitor Michael Brentnall informing us that our plans to confront British Triumphalism at City hall this Friday morning 14 April 2017 will be subject to discriminatory restrictions that have been imposed by the parades commission.



A parades commission determination has ruled that while Crown force murderers and their supporters are gathered at City hall to rally in the name of injustice; Saoradh Béal Feirste will be denied access to our City hall. In being denied access to this alleged shared space we are being denied the legitimate right to protest.

Saoradh Béal Feirste was prepared for this determination due to the precedents set recently by the parades commission in relation to both Civil rights and Republican demonstrations in our city centre.



Once again the question arises as to whether Belfast is, as has been alleged, a shared space at all?

Repeatedly in recent years and once again today Republicans are being denied equal access to a building and an area that is at all times open to Unionism, Loyalism and now imperialism bereft of restrictions being applied. On Friday morning a group of murderers and their supporters will gather at city hall at a rally that has been organised in a sickening attempt to justify the most heinous crimes inflicted upon the Irish people during 40 years of imperialist terror. No restrictions will apply to these thugs and bullies despite the offensive nature of their “rally”.



Also on Friday morning and despite restrictions imposed today, Saoradh Béal Feirste will assemble on Castle street at 10.30am. We Hope that we are joined by all of those whom we have invited as well as all of those who oppose Britain’s nefarious attempts at absolving itself from crime here. We will march together in protest from Castle Street towards Donegal place. We will then undoubtedly be met by today’s imperialist terrorists but in spite of them we will challenge any attempt by anyone to rewrite the narrative of our past or indeed to portray Britain’s role in conflict here as being anything other than the criminal terrorism that it was and it remains.

British Army Victim Vindicated After 45 Years

Eamon Sweeney writes that:
The good name of a teenage victim of the state was officially restored this week almost 45 years after his life was taken by a British Army bullet.
The first inquest into the killing in 1973 returned an open verdict meaning that for over four decades the smear that he was a republican gunman was placed against his name and that of his families.
However, at Derry’s courthouse yesterday the final verdict of a fresh inquest held last year into the incident, finally and decisively cleared the young victims name. The decision, delivered by the Presiding Coroner overseeing conflict legacy cases in Northern Ireland, Lord Justice Adrian Colton, totally absolved Manus Deery of being involved in any illegal activity on the night in question.
In summarising the evidence given by all sides at last year’s inquest, Mr Colton concluded that:

Neither Manus or anyone close to him was acting in a manner that could have been reasonably perceived as posing a threat of death or injury to Private Glasgow or any other person. There was no gunman in the vicinity of the archway or tunnel in the Meenan Square area of the Bogside, but Manus and his friends were present in the Archway and should have been visible to Private Glasgow at the relevant time.

Lord Justice Colton also concluded:

Even if Private Glasgow had an honest belief that there was a gunman present, the force used was disproportionate to the threat perceived and therefore more than was absolutely necessary in the circumstances.

Furthermore, Mr Colton concluded that the soldier who fired the fatal round into the Bogside did not abide by the British Army’s rules of engagement known as the ‘Yellow Card’ and that because of this he “was not justified in opening fire” and that the subsequent RUC investigation into the shooting was “flawed and inadequate.”