Demonizing Sinn Fein

The decisions of President Bush and Senator Kennedy to refuse to meet with Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams during the latter’s visit to the U.S. are undoubtedly based upon the efforts of the media to demonize Sinn Fein because the Provisional IRA was accused of being involved in a Belfast bank robbery, and also because the IRA was accused of being involved in a murder.

That the bank robbery accusation was bogus is shown by the fact that the one person arrested for the act turned out to be a member of an organization opposed to the peace process in British-occupied Ireland, a member of the so-called Real IRA.

Gerry Adams has denounced the bank robbery as being inconsistent with the commitment to non-violence by both Sinn Fein and the IRA, while the three involved in the pub murder have been expelled from the IRA with Sinn Fein supporting their prosecution by the authorities. The family of the murdered victim are satisfied with the action of Sinn Fein in this matter.

Sinn Fein has been demonized because it has been gaining electoral victories in recent elections. It represents a threat to the establishment political parties, therefore they found the recent events an expedient means of demonizing the Provisional IRA through calumny and lies.

The fact that three Provisionals had been involved in the barroom murder should not condemn the IRA to political oblivion any more than the Abu Graib torture of Iraqis should cause the U.S. Army to be disbanded.

But that is the logic of those who fear an eventual unified Ireland, an Ireland free of the bigotry and oppression that prevailed throughout the greater part of British rule.

William Gartland, Rio, Wisconsin

Irish Gays ‘Row’ On

In his “Sidewalks” column in the March 23-29 issue titled “A Colorful, Controversial Holiday,” Tom Deignan rightly added to the criticism aimed at Fire Department of New York officials for the heavy-handed misuse of authority that resulted in firefighters being banned from donning their green berets in the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Elsewhere in his column, however, Deignan curiously makes reference to what he terms “past rows” over the banning of gay and lesbian Irish American groups from this otherwise very special event.

I hope Mr. Deignan is not of the opinion that dissent over the parade’s blatant discrimination against gay Irish Americans is now simply yesterday’s news. If so, he must not have been anywhere near the corner of 58th Street and Fifth Avenue on parade day.

My husband and I were there, and we were proud to join a good two dozen other Irish American activists prepared to carry on this particular “row” for years to come if that’s what it takes.

Of course, with the help of the Lord this issue will one day truly be a thing of the past — just as soon as the parade’s organizers courageously relent and allow gay and lesbian Irish Americans the same simple right most ironically enjoyed for years now by gay groups proudly carrying their banners in St. Patrick’s parades all across our beloved Ireland itself.

Victoria Samuels O’Brien, Nyack, New York

Don’t Disband IRA

Wow — what a great idea Niall O’Dowd has. He wants the IRA to disband.

Sure, as soon as the IRA disbands the Loyalists — especially that great guy, Ian Paisley — will invite Sinn Fein right into the power sharing group. Paisley will probably invite Gerry Adams home for dinner to meet the family. Yeah, right.

Get real, O’Dowd. Can’t you see the object of the unproven charges against the IRA?

The number one target of Paisley and the despicable Bertie Ahern is to crush Adams any way they can. If the IRA disbands the Loyalists will refuse to deal with Adams by insisting that he ran the IRA.

If Adams is destroyed politically, or any other way, the Loyalists will then want Irish Americans who support Sinn Fein charged with supporting terrorists. No matter what the IRA or Sinn Fein does, the Loyalists and Paisley will not give up their attack on Catholics and their supporters.

Paisley has already called for the arrest of the Sinn Fein leaders because of the McCartney case. Doesn’t that show O’Dowd the insanity of his suggestion?

Just what are these terrible crimes the IRA has supposedly committed? A bar brawl which allegedly included two IRA guys. A man named Robert McCartney was killed, but what does anyone know about McCartney?

There are many questions about this incident that should be asked. How much alcohol did McCartney consume that night? Does McCartney have a history of public brawling? Why didn’t McCartney’s friends help him in the fight?

Are the accusations of the McCartney sisters based on hearsay, or did they witness the fight? Who paid for the sisters’ trip to the U.S.?

Even if all the allegations against the two IRA guys are true, why should the entire IRA be blamed? There are several U.S. soldiers charged with mistreating prisoners in Iraq. I don’t recall anyone blaming the entire U.S. Army.

What about the bank robbery in Northern Ireland? My first question is, why was there $50 million in cash in a bank in tiny Northern Ireland? That seems fishy to me.

How did the thieves manage to carry away that huge amount of cash? Why haven’t the names of the suspects been made public? How does O’Dowd know the culprits are members of the IRA? How did the thieves get past the bank’s electronic security? Is there any forensic evidence linking IRA men to the heist?

Consider the numerous times the British falsified evidence against Northern Ireland Catholics. Didn’t Tony Blair recently apologize to several Catholic families for imprisonment of their relatives?

Phil Doyle, Washington, D.C

A Great Parade

I would like to congratulate all the organizers of this year’s New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which yet again went off without a hitch.

I attended the event with my son and daughter and had a wonderful time, as we always do. It is quite an undertaking to stage what is often called the largest parade in the world, and those who do so deserve our deepest gratitude.

Thanks for giving the family a great day out. Unfortunately we aren’t able to be in my native Cork for the day, but New York is the best substitute possible.

James Mahoney, Floral Park, New York

Fair-Weather Kennedy

Senator Kennedy is a fair-weather friend for his refusal to meet Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams during the St. Patrick’s celebrations. And I would also like to point out to the good senator that the McCartney sisters are not admired by all Americans, as he indicated in a piece by Debbie McGoldrick in last week’s issue (“Kennedy Defends Adams Snub.”) In fact, most Americans have no clue as to who the McCartneys are, worthy as their cause for justice is.

I have always admired Senator Kennedy and was impressed with his outspokenness on behalf of Adams in the days before the IRA ceasefire. Why has Ted lost the faith so badly since those days?

Making peace in Ireland was never going to be easy. But what’s happening now is a heck of a lot better than the pre-IRA ceasefire days.

And I think the senator was wrong to turn his back on Adams now that the going has gotten rough. I have no doubt that the peace process will eventually sort itself out, and we’ll all have Adams and Martin McGuinness to thank. Then what will the senator say?

Marian Burke, Hoboken, New Jersey