USA broadcast schedule & online streaming of Irish, British & Euro sports
Posted by Jim on October 7, 2016
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Deplorable anti-Irish bigotry encouraged
Posted by Jim on October 6, 2016
“Finally, don’t forget no DUP politician has ever endorsed sharing power with nationalists or republicans, or ‘rogues and renegades’ as Arlene Foster blurted out. She’s photographed last week with a caption describing the men alongside her as members of the UDA, an illegal organisation that preys on the Unionist community but only shares power with Sinn Féin because she must. Some of her MLAs still won’t speak to Sinn Féin MLAs. Does she encourage them to show some reconciliation? What do you think?”
Brian Feeney (Belfast). Wednesday, October 5, 2016
A writer in the Irish Times on Saturday produced a useful phrase the Dutch have: plaatsvervangende schaamte. It translates as, the shame you feel on behalf of others. You have to feel it because the people who should be ashamed have no shame.
Unfortunately it’s a phrase that doesn’t apply to many Unionists.
Is there no Unionist who is ashamed of what their politicians get up to, or in some cases fail to get up to? There’s no doubt last week’s revelation that a DUP minister changed a boat’s name from Irish to English made some unionists cringe but none of them will say so publicly. Gerry Kelly was spot on. As he said, ‘it is downright bigotry and anti-Irish’.
Most people dismissed it as petty and vindictive but it’s more than that. It betrays a particular mindset which should be out of place nowadays but despite all the talk of reconciliation and a shared society that attitude of mind is widespread among Unionists. No Unionist stepped forward to deplore the obliteration of an Irish name. What made that failure even worse were the spurious excuses and explanations presented. That an Irish name somehow contravened health and safety, that it contravened naval and mercantile regulations. Those inventions showed even DUP apologists knew the real reason for the decision was indefensible so they concocted false reasons.
People complain the phrase ‘Unionist leader’ is an oxymoron. For DUP MLA readers that means the two words contradict each other for Unionists never show any leadership. There’s a major flaw in that complaint because it assumes if they were showing leadership they’d do the right thing. The fact is that Unionists do show leadership, and a DUP minister expunging an Irish name shows the way to party blockheads— in the decreasing number of Unionist controlled councils —that it’s okay to denigrate the Irish language, music, games, literature.
Few in Unionist positions of leadership ever step in to condemn bigotry or naked anti-Irishness for the simple reason some of them agree with it. They don’t know how to defend it because it’s unacceptable in a civilised society, so they device cock-eyed reasons for their actions so preposterous that their followers know they’re specious. They do it because they can get away with it.
The same behaviour applies to the now dismantled squalor at Twaddell. The media agree that no Unionist politician could be seen on Friday or Saturday, as the Orangemen began their last forlorn march up the Crumlin Road. However when the camp was being established there were plenty of Unionist politicians to be seen egging on the dupes in their caravan, standing on a platform as usual with known members of the UVF and UDA. Unionists agreed with the protesters.
The absence of Unionist politicians at the weekend is an indication to the hardliners that no Unionist politician supported the compromise that led to the agreement. Afterwards some appeared to express approval but no one can accuse any of them of complicity when it emerges there’ll be no more return marches.
Finally, don’t forget no DUP politician has ever endorsed sharing power with nationalists or republicans, or ‘rogues and renegades’ as Arlene Foster blurted out. She’s photographed last week with a caption describing the men alongside her as members of the UDA, an illegal organisation that preys on the Unionist community but only shares power with Sinn Féin because she must. Some of her MLAs still won’t speak to Sinn Féin MLAs. Does she encourage them to show some reconciliation? What do you think?
Will Arlene Foster tell her minister to stop disgracing the party by painting out Irish words? Are you kidding? Will she instruct bonehead councillors to show respect for diversity because it could rebound on Unionists in Republican dominated councils? No chance.
The DUP is opposed to the concept of diversity. The party never endorsed the Good Friday Agreement or any of its concepts. They oppose its concepts shamelessly. How do we know? Actions speak louder than words. See Matthew 7:16. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
Free Tony Taylor
Posted by Jim on October 4, 2016
Tony Taylor – The Facts
Tony Taylor was released from prison in 2014 after having served three years in custody, with four further years on Licence. Tony, as a member of the Republican Network for Unity, contributed to local politics in Derry by peacefully raising benefit cuts, prison conditions and policing issues. Tony complied with the terms of his licence, including reporting his activities to the NI Probation Board.
Tony was detained by police in Derry on October 17, 2015 and interviewed over two days at Musgrave Street Station about alleged republican activity based on MI5 “Intelligence”. He was unconditionally released pending a report to the PPS.
On 10th March 2016 Tony, while out shopping with his wife and children, was taken by the PSNI and returned to Prison. The Northern Ireland Office said his licence was revoked by the Parole Commission because of the risk he posed to the public. Tony’s solicitor, Aiden Carlin, has confirmed that this “risk to the public” was based on an MI5 assessment, and the same “Republican Activity” for which Tony was questioned and unconditionally released in October 2015.
Three weeks after Tony was returned to prison the Secretary of State admitted that her original order revoking his licence had been illegal. The recommendation to return Tony to prison had been made without even contacting the Probation Board. Tony remained in prison.
In July the P.P.S. concluded its examination of the file on his arrest and questioning in October 2015, and directed that Tony would not face prosecution.
Tony Taylor remains in prison for the same reasons of a “risk to the public” for which he has been:
Detained and questioned for two days in October 2015
Unconditionally released by the PSNI
Told by the P.P.S there will be no prosecution.
ORANGE PARADE ‘RETURNS’ AFTER 3 YEARS
Posted by Jim on October 1, 2016
An Orange Order parade was forced through the greater Ardoyne area in
north Belfast this Saturday morning amid a military-style policing
operation and a bitter war of words among nationalists.
PSNI armoured vehicles had lined the route from early this morning and
helicopters hovered overhead as the massive security operation swung
into place.
Loyalists cheered as hundreds of Orangemen made their way up the Crumlin
Road, parading through the nationalist communities of Ardoyne,
Mountainview and the Dales. A protest against the parade by the Greater
Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) was limited to 60 participants by
the Parades Commission.
GARC spokesperson Damien ‘Dee’ Fennell said that the provocative Orange
march had been “resurrected” by a deal between Sinn Fein and the
loyalist paramilitary UVF. He said the it was something that “the people
of this area thought was dead and gone”, and denied claims by Sinn Fein
that it had local support.
The agreement between the Sinn Fein-supported Crumlin Ardoyne Residents’
Association (CARA) and three Orange lodges has deeply divided the
community. GARC has claimed that 85% of residents are opposed to all
Orange marches, and have accused Sinn Fein of “trampling over the rights
of residents”.
“If there is widespread community support for this deal, then why is all
this security needed?” Mr Fennell asked.
After three years of intimidation, this morning’s ‘return’ parade should
see the final removal of the long-running campsite operated by loyalists
at the Twaddell interface. The agreement also sees a “moratorium” placed
on future return Twelfth parades in the area, in return for Sinn Fein’s
support for outward parades.
Last night, a march and rally by nationalist residents brought several
hundred onto the streets in a demonstration of support for GARC. Sinn
Fein and clergymen had urged local residents to stay home and to support
their agreement to allow the sectarian parade through.
GARC’s protest went ahead despite false reports and messages online that
it had been cancelled. Mr Fennell said there had been a ‘dirty tricks’
operation, but that it had “failed miserably”.
“Not only have we proven a point that we can demonstrate peacefully as
we always have done,” he said. “We’ve also proven that there is
overwhelming support for GARC analysis and rejection by the the vast
majority of residents for SF/UVF deal.”
Last night saw another heavy deployment of PSNI as the protest march and
rally made its through the nationalist community. Protesters marched
through Ardoyne before finally reaching PSNI lines at the Estoril Park
and Balholm Drive where a short rally was held before dispersing.
Mr Fennell said: “Hundreds of residents turning out here tonight to
reject that deal to protest against the continuation of ongoing parades
dispels the myth put forward by Sinn Fein, the clergy and their friends
within the state establishment that GARC has no support in this area”.
“GARC came out tonight peacefully and radically to display the
opposition that exists to sectarian parades and this deal,” he said.
He also blasted restrictions placed on last night’s protest march by the
Parades Commission as a “disgrace”.
“We have 250 loyalists parading through this area with the blessing of
Sinn Fein,” he said. “And we’ve had several hundred residents restricted
from part of their own area. After lobbying by Sinn Fein. I think it’s a
disgrace and as the [previous] speaker put it, I think Sinn Fein has
been bought by British gold.”
In response, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly accused GARC of “provoking
confrontation”.
“There are many genuine people who are exercised about the issue of
Orange parades,” he said. “But there are also people associated with
GARC who don’t want a resolution to parading and who are associated with
anti-peace process political parties.
“It is Sinn Fein’s view we need less evening parades, not more. Our
community does not need any more of our young people ending up in prison
as happened following a similar parade some years ago.
“Sinn Fein believes the agreement is a huge step forward. It represents
the best opportunity to resolve an issue once and for all, which has
plagued this community over many, many years.”
In a statement issued in return, GARC said several of its members had
received criminal records after Mr Kelly publicly called on people to
demonstrate against Orange marches from the mid-90s onwards.
‘Where is Kelly’s call for Loyal Orders to withdraw their continued
demands to march through this area?,” they asked.
“Sinn Fein are all over the place on this issue. It seems their hatred
of anyone seeking to go against their appeasement policy is clouding
their judgement regarding who is really responsible for the ongoing
problem of unwanted sectarian parades – The Loyal Orders.”
Holy Land Principles Resolution Presented at FedEx
Posted by Jim on
Capitol Hill. Wednesday, September 28, 2016— For the first time in its history, the multinational delivery and courier services company, FedEx, has had a shareholder resolution presented at its annual meeting regarding the company’s fair employment in Israel/Palestine.
On Monday, September 26 at FedEx Annual Shareholders’ Meeting in its national headquarters, Memphis, TN., the company was asked to sign and implement the Holy Land Principles.
The Holy Land Principles — an 8-point corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in Palestine/Israel— are pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinian and pro-company. The Principles do not call for quotas, reverse discrimination, disinvestment/divestment or boycotts—only for fair employment by American companies. The Principles are based on the very effective Mac Bride Principles, which have powerfully advanced fair employment for Catholics in Northern Ireland. Please visit HolyLandPrinciples.org for more information. In particular, view the Animated Internet Video, which presents the issue in a very compelling way. It is the big existential question for American companies in the Holy Land that no longer can be ignored.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus— President of the Capitol Hill-based Holy Land Principles. Inc. and Irish National Caucus— said: “Shareholder resolutions, as we’ve come to know them, sprouted in 1972 and, since then, they have become almost compulsory for the Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) community, for faith-based justice and peace communities and for all those concerned with Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. We say our only modest claim is that Holy Land Principles are filling a vacuum that was crying out to be filled. FedEx proves our claim. It was founded in 1971, yet September 26 was the very first time a resolution was presented regarding their fair employment in Palestine/Israel. How extraordinary is that. Talk about the elephant in the (board) room!”
Fr. Manus continued: “But FedEx is not the only case. Indeed, that was par for the course with all the American companies doing business in the Israel/Palestine. Until we launched the Holy Land Principles on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2012, none of the 545 American companies doing business there had ever been confronted with the issue of their fair employment. (Oxygen Biotherapeutics, now called Tenax Therapeutics has signed the Holy Land Principles on February 1, 2013).
The Resolution on FedEx received over 4 Million votes, 4,423,358 (2.63%) with 41,937,491 abstentions. At close of business on September 27th, the value of FedEx shares was $177.30. So the value of the share votes for Holy Land Principles represents $784,261,373.40. The value of abstentions was $7,435,517,154.30. Therefore, the combined total of money not supporting FedEx was over $8 Billon ($8,219,778,527.70) and, therefore, a total of 46,360,849 votes not supporting FedEx.
Fr. Mc Manus concluded: “Of course, the vote for the Holy Land Principles would have been much larger had this issue not been so flagrantly and disgracefully ignored by the American media over all these years, and neglected, too, by the American public— consumers, stakeholders and shareholders, especially the faith-based and SRI communities.”
Next year Holy Land Principles, Inc. will file a Resolution calling on FedEx to disclose the breakdown of its workforce, using the nine job categories which are utilized in the U.S. Department of Labor’s EEO -1 Report (Equal Employment Opportunity): 1. Officials and managers; 2. Professionals; 3. Technicians; 4. Sales; 5. Office and clerical; 6. Craft Workers (skilled); 7. Operatives (semiskilled); 8. Laborers (unskilled); 9. Service workers.”