Conference tallis::celt

1353.0. "From Inside a Glass House - Article from the Irish People" by KOALA::HOLOHAN () Thu Mar 24 1994 12:52

                           FROM INSIDE A GLASS HOUSE

                           By Christy Mac an Bhaird

The BBC World Service recently broadcast an interview with the minister of
information for the state of Kuwait.  The topic was nasty allegations by
Amnesty International concerning the treatment of political prisoners.

You will recall that the United States and Britain, and other oil-dependent
nations, fought a war not too long ago to preserve Kuwait's oppressive
monarchy, while killing thousands of Iraqi soldiers and civilians in the name
of democracy and the protection of Israel.

The BBC interviewer took a stern position that came close to being rude,
verbally lunging at the minister, saying the report showed that allegations
against political suspects were often vague and suspects often were not
reminded they can remain silent.  The minister countered, stating
matter-of-factly that the charges were unfounded, untrue, a lie.  The
interviewer was exasperated, almost indignant, as if to ask, "How could you
people do such a thing?"

ELSEWHERE

Back in 1990, Douglas Hurd, British foreign secretary, mumbled an attack
against Israel in the London paper The Independent saying, "Anyone with a
sense of humanity must sympathize with the Palestinians.  Their lands are
occupied, they have no political rights, and they are daily victims of a
misguided policy."

BOSNIA

Just weeks ago, Hurd muttered on about another troubled region.  "I do believe
that all of us who can have influence in this matter--obviously that includes
the United States--should be active in seeking a negotiated peace, simply
because the alternative is a continuation of, an extension of the war, and no
clear military outcome."

Ireland?  No, he was talking about Bosnia.

In 1982, we heard Maggie Thatcher, fresh off the kill in Long Kesh, proclaim,
"We, the British people, we're fed up with the abuse of power.  You have to be
prepared to defend the things in which you believe, and be prepared to use
force if that is the only way to secure the future of liberty and
self-determination "

ARGENTINA

She was referring to Argentina's claim to sovereignty over the Malvina
Islands, a claim upheld by the Organization of American States, to which the
U.S. is a signatory, and over which Casper Weinberger, then secretary of
defense for Ronald Reagan, received a knighthood for supporting British forces
in their battle 8,000 miles from home.  Some 2,000 people live on the islands,
protected by 2,000 troops, as Britain spends as much as 65 million a year to
defend them.  Recent surveys indicate there may be oil reserves in the area of
500,000 barrels a day around the islands, which translates to $3 billion a
year.

While the British drool over these prospects, they have dispatched Lord David
Owen to Bosnia.  In typical British fashion, he's drawn up a map, something
that closely resembles a dropped pepperoni pizza, and expects the current
residents of that war-torn region to happily settle where he thinks best.
Europeans hope the United States will push the Bosnians into accepting the

IRELAND

But what of Ireland?  What are the prospects there?  Well, Gerry Adams, they
say, must renounce violence (he's said he wishes to take all the guns out of
Irish politics and has been ignored), and the IRA must declare an
unconditional ceasefire and lay down their guns.
British violence, however, goes mainly unnoticed and unreported.  The silence
is deafening.

BROADCAST

Where are the protests by American representatives against the broadcast ban?
What about the British abolition of the right to silence?  Who is crying about
Paul Hill's forced confession in the case of Brian Shaw's death?  Where were
the tears for 12-year-old Carol Ann Kelly in May 1981 when a British soldier
murdered her in West Belfast with a plastic bullet as she walked down the
street to her home?  And Emma Groves, blinded by a plastic bullet shot through
the front window of her home, or Colm McNutt, shot in the back by the British
army in Derry.  Who cried for them?
What of the attacks on the families of Sinn Fein members, the murders of
children as they sat in the quiet of their livingrooms watching television,
while loyalist death squads, with the aid of the British army, opened fire
with automatic weapons and made off unmolested?
What of the continued incarceration of hundreds of Irish men and women
sentenced to life on uncorroborated evidence, forced confessions, trumped-up
charges and forged crime reports?

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Where is the outrage when highly respected organizations such as Amnesty
International and the European Commission on Human Rights condemn the British
government, and they reply with a supercilious snicker, "this is an internal
matter, keep your nose out of it."

The British call their violence "peacekeeping" and the violence of the IRA is
"murder."  They are "honest brokers," IRA Volunteers are "terrorists."  For
centuries, they have lied about their intentions in Ireland, and that
continues today.  For centuries, they have schemed and plotted to get their
way, even bribed foreign governments--as was the case when American bases in
England were used to bomb Libya--to get the issue of Irish self-determination
off the front pages of the world's newspapers.  One day they declare the path
to peace has been found, and the next day they promise the Protestant veto as
is sound as ever.  The words of John Kennedy come to mind, "Those who make
peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

CARVED

The British invented the state of "north Ireland" more than 70 years ago.
They carved it out of what was there, guaranteeing loyalist supremacy, an
Orange State for an Orange people.  They looked the other way when the
minority was beaten and threatened and killed.  They turned a deaf ear to the
cries of children in the street.

BATON

The British looked the other way when scores of baton charges by the Royal
Ulster Constabulary left hundreds wounded, and when their soldiers murdered
innocents, they were let go free, or worse, returned to their units for
further duty and given medals for bravery.

They bribed priests and bullied the weak; they encouraged--indeed, led--men of
violence in attacks on peaceful people on both sides of the border.  They let
ten men die on hunger strike over the cut of their clothes.  They gave the
Irish people Burtollet Bridge and the burning of Bombay Street, Loughall and
Gibraltar, internment and the PTA, the deaths of Julie Livingstone, Nora
McCabe, and Tom Williams.  They arrested the corpse of Francis Hughes and shot
Connolly dead while tied to a chair.  They are responsible for the five
techniques, 14 years for possession of a gun, the killing of Sam Devenny, The
Bone, the shooting of Bernadette McAliskey and Gerry Adams, the murder of Pat
Finucane.

INWARD

When the British talk about the renunciation of violence, they need to look
inward.  On the day that the reporter for the BBC was charming his way into
the hearts and minds of the listening world, a colleague of his was
interviewing a man named Ray Smallwoods.

"We have to remove the Anglo-Irish agreement [of 1985].  Dublin's involvement
is part of the problem.  Since the [Dec. 15, 1993] declaration, there is
increased support for loyalist activity in northeast Ireland.

DICTIONARY

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Smallwoods said,
"Loyalists have declared that any effort to link north and south will be
violently opposed."  The Journal reporter sat with Smallwoods in "a crowded
Protestant social hall," which was visited by masked members of the Ulster
Defense Association.  "They're prepared for war," said Smallwoods.  The people
around him patted him on the back and said, "you did your part, Ray."  The
article goes on to point out that Smallwoods served eight years for the
attempted murder of Bernadette Devlin McAliskey in January, 1981.
If that's not violence, then we all need new dictionaries.

    re .0
    
    More Mark Brit-hate chain-letters:  still no original ideas of his own.
    
    Business as usual !
    
    John
    

Oh for ****s sake, do you have to keep on creating new topics for
every bloody article you copy?  Can't you just create a `wastebasket'
topic and restrict your belligerence to that?

    
    Well George doesn't mind, so we have to put up with it.
    

> The hypocrisy of the British government, and some of
> the British noters is unbelievable.          ^^^^


    YIPEE!!  It is possible.  Mark Holohan CAN note without pathetic
    generalisations.

    
    You know Mark, if you keep bringing up the Falklands, thus undermining
    your favorite "this isn't about Ireland" defence, we might have to
    bring up CIA collusion with Savak, foes of Allende, invasion of
    Phillipines and support for Saddam Hussein's regime. Of course you
    never have answered any of the hard questions, anyway.
    

    Re.5
    
    Mark H.   I have three strong legs to stand on !!
    
    As mentioned before Mark I am a Scot and a CELT I do not refert to
    myself as a Brit.  You Mark are a Pratt but you don't refer to yourself
    as one so please don't attempt to brand me.
    
    I know that your wannabe Irish streak gives you a huge identity crisis. 
    You should chill out a bit Mark.  Vist the places you talk about speak
    to the people you bad mouth.  Take your head out of the comics come
    down to Earth.  Drop the pocket billiards wear some loose underpants. 
    You'll start to see life differently.
    
    Her Majesty's Goverment Hmmm Interesting one that  Queen Sophia of
    Spain is not one of my stronger subjects or were you reffering to a
    different Queen,  one of your mates perhaps. ??
    
    Ignorant and childish,  best description of your self yet Mark.  I
    almost feel that I know you now.
    
    
    Regards
    
    Bruce.

 re. .8

 Uh-huh, come back when you have something intelligent
 to say on the topic, "From Inside a Glass House".

                    Mark 

re .5

thank *you* for yet another example of your arrogant hypocrisy.  Ever
considered that people might take you a bit more seriously if you
acted in a somewhat less bellicose manner?  It's interesting that you
should accuse others of illiteracy, when all you appear to have to
offer besides the myriad of carbon copy articles are a selection of
rather pitiful insults and provocative comments.

Chris.

    
    It's his hobby posting usenitwit propaganda, versus getting at the
    truth.