Letters

Ireland Act Explained

A chara
I get letters asking what is contained in the Government of Ireland Act (1920). "The Government of Ireland Act 1920 states -- not withstanding the establishment of a parliament in Northern Ireland. Anything contained in that Act -- the supreme authority of the parliament of the United Kingdom shall remain unaffected and undiminished over all persons, matters and things in Ireland and every part thereof." Here is their veto, and their so-called peace process.
MARTIN CALLIGAN
Kilmurry McMahon
Co Clare
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NGA Internet Service

A chara
The National Graves Association has just recently updated its Internet Service. Readers can check out this new service by visiting http://members.xoom.com/ngaireland. Information on all aspects of the Association from Associate Membership to donations, projects, history etc, are now made easy by this service.

The National Graves Association's main functions is to care for the Memorials and Graves of our Patriot Dead. Our postal address and main contact numbers are listed below.
MATT DOYLE
Secretary, NGA
Contact: 74 Dame Street Dublin 2
Tel: 862 1928/832 1312
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Part of the Political Machinery

A chara
I've only got two balls and neither are crystal, but you don't need to be Mystic Meg to see the road Gerry Adams and co are travelling. Republican Sinn Féin have been stating the facts of the situation for years.

Perhaps Provisional members and voters would do well to ponder on the words of Alexander Berkman, a libertarian communist. Change the word ‘socialist' to ‘Provisional parliament-arian' and ‘Capitalism' to ‘British rule' in the Six Counties.

"[At the start, the Socialist Parties] claimed that they meant to use politics only for the purpose of propaganda ... and took part in elections . . . to have an opportunity to advocate socialism.

"It may seem . . . harmless . . . but it proved the undoing of socialism. Because nothing is truer that the means you use to attain your object soon them-selves because your object . . . [so] there is a deeper reason for this constant and regular betrayal [than individual scoundrel's being elected] no man turns or traitor overnight.

"It is power which corrupts . . . moreover , even with the best intentions socialists [who get elected] . . . find themselves entirely powerless to accomplishing anything of a socialist nature.

"The demoralisation and vitiation take place little by little, so gradually that one hardly notices it himself. He appeals to the voters to elect more comrades. Each of them goes through the same experience [and] quickly come to the conclusion . . . [that] they must show that they are practical men .. that they are doing something for their constituency.

"In this manner the situation compels them to take a ‘practical' part in the proceedings, to ‘talk business' , to fall in line with the matters actually dealt with in the legislative body . . . spending years in that atmosphere, enjoying good jobs and pay, the elected socialists have themselves become part and parcel of the political machinery . . . with growing success in elections and securing political power they turn more and more conservative and content with existing conditions.

"Removal from the life and suffering of the working class, living in the atmosphere of the bourgeoisie they have become what they call ‘practical'. Power and position have gradually stifled their conscience and they have not the strength and honesty to swim against the current . . . They have become the strongest bulwark of capitalism"!
PÁDRAIG Ó LEANNÁIN
Liverpool
England
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Stop The Sell-out

A chara
I will begin this letter by congratulating you on your stance towards the "peace process". It is comforting to know that there are still Irish Republicans who stand against any form of sell-out, and stand up for the Republic which so many have died to achieve.

It is somewhat disconcerting to see the lack of publicity afforded to Republicans who stand against the Stormont Agreement, but they can't silence everyone. I feel that now, with the decommissioning surrender almost inevitable, there is a real chance for true Republicans to get their views across to people throughout the 32 Counties.
AN PHOBLACHT ABÚ
Lurgan
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‘Revenge Attacks'Spin

A chara
The recent slaughter of 14 Serbian farmers is remarkable, sadly, for one reason only.

It was reported upon by the media which previously has totally ignored countless atrocities committed by Albanian separatists against innocent Serbian civilians.

The media all but excuses the mass murder of Serbs through stating cate-gorically that attacks on Serbian people in Kosovo by Albanians have been revenge attacks.

It should be protested in the strongest possible terms this spin doctor technique of rendering killing as being one thing when effected by one side and another thing altogether when effected by another side.

To the impressionable in our midst the revenge motif gives virtual acceptability to murder on the basis of its being "understandable" in the circumstances.

It is not "under-standable" or "excusable" in any circumstances whatsoever.
JOHN KELLY
Mullingar
Co Westmeath
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Edwards' Orange-Tinted Spectacles

A chara
Ruth Dudley Edwards was at it again recently -- this time in Liverpool. On July 1 she spoke to a packed meeting (mostly young people) at the Provincial Orange Hall and on the following day gave an interview on Radio Merseyside.

As usual she viewed the issue through Orange-tinted spectacles, describing the Order as "misunderstood" and "a force for good". She made no mention of the several desecrations by Orange bigots over recent years of the Fenian memorial in Liverpool's Ford Cemetery.

Nor did she explain why members of the local lodges along with the British National Party felt it necessary to disrupt the Saint Patrick's Day parade of 1996. She did not address the reason why an Orange march through Bolton the same year was stewarded by Combat 18, nor did she examine the broader question of ideological proximity between the Orange Order and British fascism.

The whole purpose of Ruth Dudley Edwards' presence in Liverpool was to support and revive a movement at just the time it is under critical scrutiny as never before. I believe that if Orangeism was any other nationality but British there would be no problem in identifying it for what it is — that is fascism.

Many people in Liverpool, let alone the Garvaghy and Ormeau Roads, find these Orange parades offensive. In fact two years ago there was a protest held outside Liverpool Town Hall calling for Liverpool Council's Equal Opportunities Council to ban sectarian marches by the lodges on July 12 and throughout the year.
P McDONNELL
Liverpool
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Irony of Montserrat

A chara
In the process of the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Ireland, there were episodes when the dispossessed Irish were cheerfully dumped on the lap of a volcano, which with any luck, should finish off the meritorious work of depopulating a Celtic island.

The English then, wiping their hands after a job well done returned to further destructive activities. The people on the volcanic blob in the ocean, having somehow survived and prospered, they began to be looked on as potential material for cannon fodder.

The irony comes in to the story when Great Britain goes to war and calls on the people of Montserrat to leave their volcano and go fighting for that benevolent power that dumped them in the ocean so long ago.

The further irony was that the people of Britain were a bit annoyed when asked to help Montserrat in her hour of need when the volcano was destroying the lives of those abandoned rejects who were only useful as war material.

What a one-way relationship between Britain and Montserrat! Rather like the nuptials of the praying mantis. Be warned, all you who want to remake this relationship.
M McGUINN
Haringey, England
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Irrational Position

A chara
To accept the Stormont Agreement is to legitimise the Northern Ireland State. To maintain arms is to deny that legitimacy. To hold both positions is irrational.
CON LEHANE
Bronx
New York
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