Posted by Jim on June 29, 2018
Victims campaigner to appeal judgment
Alan Erwin. Belfast Telegraph.Thursday, June 28 2018
A victims campaigner has lost his legal battle to have the British Government compelled to put in place a policy for holding a border poll in Northern Ireland.
Lawyers for Raymond McCord claimed the current criteria for calling a referendum on Irish unity is too vague.
But a High Court judge ruled that it is a matter for the Secretary of State to make a decision on the appropriate circumstances.
Sir. Paul Girvan said he was “wholly unpersuaded” by any suggestion she should be bound by a policy on such a politically sensitive issue.
Mr. McCord immediately declared his intention to mount an appeal against the verdict. “I’m disappointed but the fight will go on,” the Belfast man vowed outside court.
“I still strongly believe there’s a real need for a border poll to take the fear factor out of politics here.”
The staunch unionist has been mounting separate challenges in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the current arrangements for going to the public.
His case against the British administration questioned the legality and transparency of the provisions for holding a border poll.
Under the 1998 Good Friday Agrement a referendum can be called if the Secretary of State believes a majority of people in Nothern Ireland no longer want to remain part of the United Kingdom.
Mr McCord, an outspoken critic of loyalist paramilitaries since a UVF gang beat his son Raymond Jr to death in 1997, is not pressing for such a poll.
But he believes authority for calling such a significant ballot should not rest with one individual. His lawyers insisted a policy must be implemented to remove any uncertainty.
The court was told current arrangements are too broad, giving the Secretary of State an unfettered discretion on the principle of consent and self-determination.
Irish Senator Mark Daly also attended the case in Belfast in support of Mr McCord.
The Fianna Fail representative, who served in the Good Friday Agreement implementation committee, has warned that without clarity any future vote could be open to manipulation.
But dismissing the challenge, Sir Paul held there is no legal obligation on the Secretary to have a defined policy in place.
Mr McCord’s solicitor, Ciaran O’Hare of McIvor Farrell law firm, also indicated the judgment may be appealed.
He said: “We will closely examine today’s ruling and, ultimately, the border poll question might have to be looked at by the highest court.”
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RADIO FREE EIREANN will broadcast this Saturday June 30th on WBAI Radio 99.5FM or WBAI.ORG at 12 noon-1pm New York time or 5pm-6pm in Ireland or anytime after the program on WBAI.ORG – Archives
MICHAEL FINUCANE, son of Irish civil rights lawyer Pat Finucane will give a first hand report on this week’s dramatic hearing at the London Supreme Court and explain why almost 30 years later, the FINUCANE family is fighting for an Independent Judicial Inquiry as the only way to get to the truth about British state collusion in the brutal murder.
DAN DENNEHY,National Director of the AOH and leading American immigration activist, will discuss current immigration problems and the impact on the Irish community as well as take part in a discussion about the surprising primary defeat of Congressman Joe Crowley, a champion on Irish issues.
John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co-host.
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Letters to Editor. Irish News. Belfast.Published Friday, June 29, 2018.
By Fr Sean McManus, President, Irish National Caucus. Washington DC.
Arnold Joseph Toynbee (1889-1975), one of the most eminent English historians, explained how England used the Bible in its genocidal, racist, and – after the English Reformation – anti-Catholic oppression of Ireland.
Sadly, today there is still a residue of that deep-seated anti-Catholic mindset in a significant section of the Protestant community in Northern Ireland. (Can any informed, objective person really deny this?) And – since the six counties were torn away from the other 26 counties of Ireland by the 1920 British Government of Ireland Act – every time any unionist/loyalist/Protestant leader makes a gesture of reaching out to nationalists/republicans/ Catholics, the Bible is sacrilegiously deployed to reject that gesture.
Some might see the latest melancholic example of this as being Ballymoney councillor John Finlay’s over-the-top attack on Arlene Foster’s attendance at the Ulster GAA final.
Was this attack out of concern for the Lord’s Day – which, by the way was changed from Saturday to Sunday by the Catholic Church at the Council of Laodicea in A.D. 364 – or could it be seen as a dog whistle? Might some, with good reason, see Cllr Findlay’s attack as a not too subtle attempt to rally the extreme, fundamentalist, ultra-Orange base of the DUP – to show disrespect not only to Catholics, but also to all things Irish (as personified by the GAA)? Just like Gregory Campbell’s disgraceful attack on the Irish language.
A few misguided individuals may think the best way to counter anti-Catholicism, anti-Semitism, or anti-Black racism is to ignore it – just don’t acknowledge it and it will disappear. History and human nature prove otherwise. Right now, Blacks in the US quite correctly call out anti-Black racism. And I back them 100 per cent. The same as I back Jewish-Americans who are not silent about some re-emergence of anti-Semitism in the US.
Any time the Word of God is used directly or by dog whistle to cause division and hurt, we can be certain it is not God’s will. As I said recently in a speech at the headquarters of the AFL-CIO (the federation of 55 national and international labor unions that represent 12.5 million working men and women):
“People of faith can be certain that working for justice is doing God’s work on earth. And people of no faith can be certain that working for justice is doing the decent and loving thing. And all of us can be certain that anything that does injustice – anything that marginalises, demeans, devalues and disrespects human beings – cannot be God’s work, or cannot be the decent and loving thing to do.”
Posted by Jim on June 28, 2018
June 28th
Free Will
The UFA would like to remind each of its members of the importance of having a will and healthcare proxy. These are simple instruments that protect both you and your family in the event of a tragic incident. Its benefits range from childcare and distribution of money to instructing your family on your wishes should the unimaginable happen.
It is so important that UFA General Counsel – Sullivan Papain Block McGrath and Cannavo – offer to draft the documents free of charge to active members.
The UFA advises each member to reach out to Michael Block or TJ McManus at 212-732-9000 to take advantage of this free service as soon as possible.
The UFA has been made aware of several scam artists calling Fire Houses offering Free Wills. We advise members not to entertain these offers as we cannot confirm the validity of their services.
Posted by Jim on
June 28th
SSG CHRIS ENGELDRUM FDNY VFW POST 12033
The SSG Chris Engeldrum FDNY VFW Post 12033 will be holding its monthly meeting tonight, Thursday, June 28th. The meeting location is: The Redwood Club, 2680 Schurz Avenue Bronx, NY 10465. The meeting will begin at 8:00 pm. All Military Veterans who have served overseas during time of war are eligible to join. For additional information, see the Post website at FDNYVFW.com.
BLOOD EMERGENCY
The New York Blood Center has declared a blood emergency because of an alarming shortage in the blood supply. This is due in part to the recent storms that hit the area. Please come join Putnam County members at the Daniel O’Brien VFW Hall, 32 Gleneida Ave (Rt.52) Carmel, NY on Friday, June 29, 2018 from 2:00 till 8:00pm. For information please call Paul DeLeo at 347-408-6052 or Denis Hanrahan at 845-225-3048.
NEW YORK METS COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE
The New York Mets will host a community blood drive on Monday, July 2, 2018, from 11am to 6pm at Citi Field. All donors will receive a pair of Mets tickets to a 2018 home game. On Monday, June 11, 2018, the New York Blood Center declared a Blood Emergency. Blood donations are lagging this spring and typically drop during the summer months. Your donation will help save up to three lives. For questions concerning medical eligibility call (800) 688-0900. To make an appointment please contact (516) 478-5031.
MEMORIAL MASS
On Thursday, July 5, 2018 at 1100 hours, a Memorial Mass will be held honoring the memory of Lieutenant Gordon M. Ambelas, L-119, who made the supreme sacrifice on July 5, 2014. The Mass will take place in the quarters of E-211/L-119, located at 26 Hooper Street, Brooklyn, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 1100 hours, a Plaque Dedication will be held honoring the memory of Lieutenant Gary J. Gates, Field Communications, who died on September 29, 2015. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-233/L-176 and Field Communications, 25 Rockaway Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.