Posted by Jim on November 7, 2018
Wednesday, November 07, 2018
Conor Lynam shares his though on James McClean and the bloody poppy.
I thought that I had seen it all in relation to the annual Poppy hysteria that grips this part of the world in the lead up to Armistice Day on November 11th. Just like the Christmas season I’m used to seeing it arrive earlier and grow more ostentatious by the year. And just like the fattened Christmas turkey I look forward to it with as much enthusiasm as he does December 25th.
What I hadn’t counted on was the sight of the Cookie monster from Sesame St proudly adorning the bright red lapel on his soft blue coat whilst co-hosting a popular TV show.
Nor did I expect to see football mascots with their oversized heads and caricatured characteristics proudly displaying the controversial emblem.
Distinctly disrespectful or a brilliant display of deference for the fallen? I’ll let you decide that one.
What I’d like to try and do for this article is to make a contrast between the masses that do wear the small and divisive badge and the few that refuse to do so.
Particularly with reference to the growing hostility that they encounter for what should be an unopposed personal choice.
When you flick on your TV from the comfort of your home and you trawl through the masses of channels you instantly realise just how big the ritual has become.
A fine tradition it would appear on the surface, a commendable way to honour the poor men and women that fell protecting their freedom.
But dip a little deeper and question marks like the poppy itself begin to grow and multiply in the most unexpected of places.
Allow me to take you back to Derry, North of Ireland, the year is 1972 and the date is January 30th. Human rights protestors have the gall to gather en-masse to demand equal voting rights as their unionist superiors.
One man/woman – One vote, not a complicated or unreasonable demand surely?
They were also calling for an end to internment which was sweeping the city at the time.
Enter the Parachute regiment with live ammunition and orders to disperse the crowd by any means necessary. An order that came from the top and was filtered down to the rifled pawns below.
We all know what happened that day, I won’t bore you with details of mass murder or tell you tales of cover ups, spin and downright lies in the wake of the atrocity.
You again can draw your own conclusions from the horrors of that day and the fact that it took almost 40 years for any semblance of an apology from the British government.
Now fast forward to the year 2016, the centenary of the 1916 rebellion and a time when a young Irish man from Derry has refused to be complicit in the faux floral folly.
A move which in my opinion took a huge amount of guts and determination to see through considering where James McClean plies his trade.
His right not to wear the poppy has not only been rejected by the mob but it has been the focal point for unmerited, unwelcomed and unnecessary vitriol. Each November James McClean’s name is resurrected by the rule Britannia brigade that cannot accept his decision.
The absolute irony in all of this of course is that the men that they purport to remember by pinning that flower to their clothes were fighting against the fascist ideals that they have so wholeheartedly adopted.
Why should the British demand that an Irish man wear a poppy? Particularly one that was born into a city that has seen such atrocities as mentioned above.
I would not expect any British person plying their trade in Ireland to wear an Easter lily, so why do the bully boys vociferously demand the same from James and the scant few that refuse to bend the knee?
For me the resurgence of the far-right in England and the dissipation of the once omnipotent United Kingdom go hand in hand. The evolution of this poppy fascism has been intertwined with the UK’s demise.
It’s a case of scrambling for the perceived idiosyncrasies that define how to be British, thereby isolating the rest that don’t subscribe. It is for this reason alone that the referendum on “Brexit” was ratified.
Scotland have had their first referendum on their future in the “mighty” kingdom and although she did not gain its independence this time I am sure their time will inevitably come.
Britain rather than settling into a more integrated and open Europe has decided to hit the eject button and has quickly scrambled into the refuge of the impenetrable panic room.
James McClean is the epitome of someone that doesn’t quite conform to the new rules and is almost a pariah as a result.
His decision is his own and should be respected by all on that basis alone. It is courageous for such a young man to stand up like that in the face of such open and unchallenged hostility.
He has been on the receiving end of the feral packs detestation for the last number of years. Just like Aiden McGeady’s years of abuse in Scotland whilst playing for Celtic the outward pouring of hate has been swept silently under the carpet.
I suspect that next year will be similar with only a few minor changes. The “celebrations” will be longer, the abuse that James will get will be louder and the Cookie monster will most probably make another appearance.
Maybe big bird will stand beside him next year though, in the cause of gender equality of course.
Me personally, I’ve no problem with those that wear the poppy, just like I have no problem with those that wear an Easter lily.
My problem lies in the growing intolerance for those that refuse to conform to the annual and over the top charade that the poppy wearing weeks have sadly become.
To the prejudicial, the xenophobic and the intolerant I simply say:
More Blacks
More Dogs
More Irish.
➽Conor Lynam is a Dublin Republican
Posted by Jim on
PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Tuesday, November 13, 2018, at 1100 hours, a Plaque Dedication will be held honoring the memory of Lieutenant Edward J. McDonagh, E-37, who died on November 12, 2017. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-37/L-40, 415 W.125 Street, New York, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
HOLY NAME SOCIETY MEMORIAL MASS
The Brooklyn and Queens FDNY Holy Name Society Memorial Mass will be held Thursday, November 15, 2018, at 10:30 AM. The Memorial Mass will be held at Resurrection Church, 2331 Gerritsen Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11229. Come to remember and pray for the deceased members of the Holy Name Society and all our brothers and sisters of the FDNY who have died this past year.
PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 1100 hours, a Plaque Dedication will be held honoring the memory of Lieutenant Raymond W. Alexander, E-70, who died on November 21, 2016. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-70/L-53, 169 Schofield Street, Bronx, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
FREE QIGONG AT FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS
Friends of Firefighters invites any interested members to attend a free Qigong class tonight, Wednesday, November 7th, from 7 – 9 PM at 199 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Qigong is a Chinese form of gentle movement and still meditation that uses breath and the mind to work with energy in the body. The class will be led by retired FDNY firefighter and certified Qigong instructor Jonathan Henderson, who will be sharing his inspirational story of healing from his 9/11-related illnesses, anger issues and use of prescription medications. There is no experience necessary to reap the benefits of Qigong. No special clothing or props are needed. All exercises can be practiced seated or standing. This event is FREE of charge and open to the public. Childcare will be available upstairs for those who need it. For more information, email Marlo at info@friendsoffirefighters.org or call 718-643-0980.
Posted by Jim on
“This article by key journalist John Manley in the Irish News of Belfast will give Members of Congress a good insight into the impact of Brexit on the Nationalist/Republican/Catholic population of Northern Ireland. I highly recommend it. It also reflects, in effect, the position of Irish-Americans who are increasingly worried by attempts by the London government and the DUP to sabotage the Good Friday Agreement, and, if it suits them, the Irish Peace Process.”—Fr. Sean McManus
Nationalism is woke – ignoring it will only fuel anger
John Manley. Irish News.Belfast. Monday, November 5, 2018
REWIND just a few short years and nationalism was largely a latent force. Relative political stability coupled with the freedom to express Irish identity to a degree unheard of in the modern era, led to increased nationalist apathy in the north. The tacit acceptance of the status quo among many in the nationalist community was reflected in the electoral performance of Sinn Féin and the SDLP. Even though demographic trends indicate that support for a united Ireland should be growing, the two main nationalist parties’ share of the vote was steadily sliding. In the Republic, the belief that politics north of the border was settled also signalled increasing degrees of disengagement by Dublin.
But events since the EU referendum have transformed the political landscape. Uncertainty about The Border and the implications of Brexit for so many aspects of everyday life has raised Nationalist consciousness. Running parallel to this, and not entirely unrelated, is the Stormont crisis. The DUP’s imperious unwillingness to respect Irish identity and to respond to rapid social change fractured the executive’s fragile pretence of consensus. The RHI scandal accelerated the demise of power-sharing but even without it, the sustainability of the institutions was questionable.
Nationalism, to borrow a phrase from African America, is woke, seeing both threats and opportunities in the situation that has evolved since June 2016. Yet its voice is muted at this crucial time. Stormont’s dormancy coupled with Sinn Féin’s abstentionism and the SDLP’s loss of its Westminster representatives means nationalism struggles to make its concerns heard.
These circumstances are all the more pointed because nationalism now unites around more than a single, abstract aspiration. Instead, real anxieties about Brexit are manifested on many levels, while Stormont’s stagnancy and subsequent mothballing have left many social and cultural ambitions unrealized. These circumstances are unlikely to change significantly in the months ahead, which is why the Dublin government, as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, is being asked to stand firm on behalf of Northern Nationalists.
This is a responsibility that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar appears willing to take on, at least in part. The open letter from 1,000 representatives of civic nationalism cites the taoiseach’s statement almost a year ago when he assured northern nationalists that their interests would be protected during the Brexit negotiations.
“You will never again be left behind by an Irish government,” he said.
Perhaps uncharacteristically for a Fine Gael leadership team, Mr Varadkar and Tánaiste Simon Coveney have been overt in their support for a united Ireland. Their strategy is based both on a sincere ideological belief and political reality. Clearly they both believe in Irish unity but as rivals of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil they must also ensure that they cannot be exposed to accusations of not being green enough.
The letter published today underlines their duty and identifies the areas where the Dublin government must be most active and vocal in defending and advancing the cause of nationalism. It follows a similar open letter from civic nationalism last year though this time there are many more signatories and they represent broader political opinion. Reflecting Sinn Féin’s place as the foremost voice of northern nationalists, many of the signatories are republicans but there are others happy to put their name to the letter who would shun that term. What unites them is a belief that circumstances are conspiring to undo many of the advances made by nationalism in recent decades. They also share a deep concern that an expedient deal between the Tories and the DUP is frustrating social progress and blocking cultural rights.
To ignore this situation or underplay it will only fuel anger and resentment at a time of increased uncertainty and political instability. Dublin can ill afford not to heed this call
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Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade invites you to our Parade Memorial Mass (12 noon) and Reception to follow on this Sunday, November 11, 2018 at Holy Name Parish Hall , 245 Prospect Park West, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Our Annual Parade Memorial Mass will be at 12noon at Holy Name Church. Reception will follow in parish hall (thru school yard). Sandwiches, coffee, tea, soda bread will be served (no fee) family and friends are all welcome to attend. At this reception we will introduce our Grand Marshal & Aides to the Grand Marshal for our 44th Annual Brooklyn ST. Patrick’s Parade.
The 2019 Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade will be our 44th Annual Parade; each year we recognize and honor those individuals and organizations that have contributed to our community, our faith, our Irish traditions and our Irish history. It is these individuals that we will honor on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at our 44th Annual Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade; each of these individuals have worked very hard to bring honor to our Irish heritage and our Irish traditions.
If you have any questions please call Mary at 917 699-9290.
Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade Chairperson
Mary Hogan
917 699-9290
Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade Co-Chairperson
Michelle Brennan-Conlon
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‘Bad faith’ over extradition bid against John Downey
Prominent Donegal man and former republican prisoner John Downey is
behind bars tonight as part of a surprise bid to extradite him to
British jurisdiction to face IRA charges dating from 1972.
Mr Downey was arrested by Gardai police in Creeslough, County Donegal on
Monday and brought to the High Court, where a judge this evening ordered
him remanded until a full extradition hearing on November 23. Mr Downey
has also been ordered to be held until a separate bail hearing on
Thursday.
A member of the Garda Extradition Unit told the court today that he
arrested the 66-year-old veteran republican at his home on foot of a
European Arrest Warrant and cautioned him.
In reply, Mr Downey told the detective: “I’d say it was the DUP
[Democratic Unionist Party] and not the DPP [Director of Public
Prosecutions]” who decided to pursue the matter.
Mr Downey was previously arrested at Gatwick Airport in 2014 in
connection with the 1982 IRA attack in Hyde Park, London, but the case
collapsed when it emerged he had been given a British government letter
to confirm he was not wanted for questioning.
The letter was part of a scheme to resolve the status of some
republicans known as ‘On The Runs’ (OTRs), who faced outstanding
prosecutions following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Around a dozen supporters of Mr Downey attended today’s brief hearing in
Dublin including Sinn Fein TDs Pearse Doherty, Dessie Ellis, Sean Crowe
and Martin Ferris.
Although the court heard that the veteran republican has had a pacemaker
fitted, it ordered that he be remanded behind bars until Thursday.
Speaking outside the court, Mr Doherty, a Donegal TD, said it was his
view that the arrest was wrong.
“It won’t be lost on anybody that this has happened at a time when the
British government and authorities are looking for a blanket amnesty for
their own soldiers given the spotlight is on them for their activities
in the North,” he said.
British police have never previously sought Mr Downey’s extradition, and
there was dismay that Gardai decided to act on an extradition warrant at
this stage, particularly in light of the events of 2014. The decision to
effect the arrest is being linked to the appointment in September of
notorious former RUC figure Drew Harris as 26 County Garda Commissioner.
In a statement, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said the arrest and remand of Mr
Downey was “an act of gross bad faith” by the British government.
“The allegations against John Downey have already been dealt with and
the British Government has publicly stated that he is not wanted in
connection with any offence,” Mr Kelly said.
“This was asserted in the courts.
“John Downey has been a supporter of the peace process over many years
and to pursue his arrest and extradition now is vindictive and bad
faith.
“It breaks commitments given by the British Government and is an effort
to overturn the court’s findings.
“It also again gives lie to claims by British Prime Minister Theresa May
that the legacy process is skewed against former state forces.
“This false assertion is motivated only by a desire to secure immunity
and impunity for British state forces guilty of crimes in Ireland.”